The Vedas

 

The Sanskrit root Vid from which the word Veda  is derived, means only knowledge — to know. Knowledge means knowing. This word knowing has a wide sense, wide form and wide connotation. It has innumerable forms, innumerable states and innumerable conditions. But only three forms should be fixed before our view: Tam, Raj and Sat. Tam is the base; Raj is the middle state and Sat is the top. The base and the top are the farthest ends. The middle state alone is such that something can be thought about it and considered. Therefore that which is generally termed as knowledge is only the middle state; and through this alone can one try to know and explain all the three states.

The Veda is said to be the subject matter of three attributes — Trigunathmaka vishaya. But it lays more stress on the Raj aspect, i.e., the middle discriminating power. Tam, Raj and Sat are the three attributes. Tam is said to be the base, the root (origin) and the foundation. This word has many meanings in Sanskrit, but generally Tam is regarded as ignorance, laziness, idleness, grossness, confusion and so on. All these convey the sense of the base or the support. Raj is said to be the middle or the central state. Its nature is struggle, fickleness, thinking and so on. It always denotes the middle plane. Sat means joy, agreeableness, Pasandeedagi, height, subtleness, sanctity and greatness. This is the top. It is this connotation that is always) accepted.

It is due to the combination of these three attributes that the creation is known as consisting of three worlds and three divisions. The principle that lies hidden in these and that surrounds these forming the real substratum is called Veda. The Veda from point of view, is of three divisions, of three attributes. No place, no creation, no time nor any matter is outside of it. Space, time and matter (substance) all the three are made up of these three attributes. All these have the three states viz., the beginning, the middle and the end. Every tree has root, trunk and branches. The trunk is the middle portion. Generally it is the middle portion that catches our eye. And all the struggle of our life finds its expression in this middle state only. In every being there is this triple combination. But that which is kept inside it remains in the middle only. Thus it is the middle portion that becomes the centre of attention and thought. The beginning and the end of all activity are generally lost sight of. It is always the field and period of action that attracts our attention.

Every being has head, body and legs. It is the body of the individual which is the middle portion, and forms the medium of attraction. But in what way are the examples related to the Veda?

The combined state of these very links, knowledge of these links and the result of that knowledge is called the Veda. The essence of that element which surrounds all is knowledge. But it should not be confused with the state of feeling or experience. It would be a mistake in that case.

Knowledge is the principle, element and essence or spirit. Although the power of sight, audition, thinking and all beings, creatures, molecules etc., embody knowledge which forms the basis of all, it should not be taken in a restricted sense. Otherwise the Veda or knowledge loses its importance. The Veda is not restricted to a particular book, country, religion or nationality but it is the knowledge of the three worlds, including all creation, the nether and the higher worlds. Whether the Veda is understood or caught by the Rishis or Saints, it is the fountain of all wisdom (grace). It is the thread of that material in which all the worlds, planets, the Vasus, the Adityas  and the Rudras are studded in seed form.

In order to know their real significance let us forget for some time the words Veda and knowledge and think, instead, of a spirit or Power which is all pervading and all surrounding reality; which keeps up the identity of creation and which is called as Wisdom, the First Mind, the Mahat-Principle or the Lower nature Apara Prakruthi. One part of this Mind is turned upwards, which is the all-pervading and all-surrounding essence of element, and which determines the forms of all the individuals. For example, the preliminary form of the insect Gnat or Wasp which has not developed any organ of distinction. After that the power which applies systematic force in each and every particle — Murd — and creates, or is capable of creating, different organs such as mouth etc., to distinguish it from other individual forms is known as knowledge or the First Intellect which is all-pervading. No creation or race or religion or creed is free from it. Indians called this power as knowledge  or Veda. It cannot be denied that the people of other countries perhaps give it some other name. If the Hindus set aside the Traditional meaning of the words Veda and Jnana (Knowledge) and try to go ahead, then, most probably, they may have access to the original Reality. Otherwise they are at liberty to argue on the word-meaning, and carry on their disputations leading to life long quarrel. As this knowledge is revealed through the Rishis it is necessary to consider the real meaning of the word Rishi.

Rishi means: (1) Seer of mantra, (2) an individual having full power over Nature, (3) moving existence — whether it revolves with its own as its centre or on any other centre forming its axis. No space is free from this. Some are  Vasus in whom the creation rests. Some are Adityas who give light to others with their own. Some are Rudras who makeothers weep in worldly matters, thus putting them on the right path.

1. Mantra Drishta— Seer of Mantra; Mantra means mystery of Nature, a remedy, a plan or scheme. Whoever is alert in grasping this is a Rishi. Innumerable are such persons — but seven are of distinction; Bharadwaja, Agastya, Jamadagni, Atri, Goutame, Viswamitra and Brahaspati. These are seven principles of Nature that are found in the ethereal atmosphere,  Akasha Mandala, in the form of Veda or Knowledge. Apart from these are all those personalities (individuals) who are related to the special attributes of these Rishis and are subordinate to them.

2 .Yantra Drishta— the seer of the instrument which runs according to certain laws. The word Niyantru in Sanskrit means one who controls time, space and matter, and keeps them in order. Such a Rishi is called  Aditya, which is the name of a deity that shines like the sun.

3. Tantra Drishta — the seer of the current of the movement of nature or vitality, and one who spreads this current. Such a Rishi is called  Rudra. He shows the way through practical experience.

4. In addition to these there are Vasus and Dhruvas. Among men those who are conversant with the secrets of these, and participate in the activities of knowledge, meditation and higher knowledge or science — Vigyana — are called Rishis. Such men are found in every country and every race, their names and language being different i.e. Abdal, Kutub, Avatar, Vali, Nabi, Savabit, Sayyare, Sadhu, Sant etc.

These Rishis of India have given such a special name to Veda,  by hearing, comprehending and accepting which the essence of the Veda can be easily realised. That name is Sruti. That which has been heard, is being heard and will be heard is also called Sruti. It is also known as Sruta which means that which is heard. A special meaning of Sruti is divine law, divine principle and divine secret which, again, is the Veda itself. Now-a-days it is also called Surat. The Rishis heard it before, and heard it within themselves; and we can hear the same thing for ourselves according to the laws laid down by the Rishis. Sruti is that which is only heard — the original independent and unmixed sound. Smriti  is a remembered law or code of conduct-Dharma Sastra — which is mixed sound. Sruti being an independent original sound is an authority in itself, and Smriti being a remembered thing depends on another authority.

Sruti is the name of that sound which can be heard but which is not bound by word, letter and lip pronunciation. Smriti can, to a certain extent, be called the imitation of that original sound which is bound by the tongue, lips, teeth and intonation etc.

Sruti is independent, Smriti is dependent. Nobody can contradict the Sruti whereas Smriti can be contradicted or denied. As  Sruti is authority in itself it needs nobody's certification. Smriti is less self-authoritative and as such it needs certification or another authority. Sruti never alters, Smriti always alters. Sruti is the absolute vibration because it consists of vibration only, whereas  Smriti is the imitation of the original sound, hence artificial, dependent on alphabets, words, language and pronunciation. It is therefore syllabic —  Varnatmak. A syllable consists of a letter or letters of the alphabet.  Sruti can produce original influence which means the order of God. Sruti has the effect of negation which pronounces itself at the time of total dissolution. This sound pervades the body of all beings and sustains, nourishes or preserves them. This is the suggestive meaning of the word Sruti. It is a mystery, a secret known by the Seers only. People of this manifested world and the world of effects cannot understand this, although they can express this sound reflected in their thought through various expressions— such as 'God is great', 'Garlic and Carrot', 'Shut up, you idiot'.

There is yet another meaning of the Sruti sound, which is called  Udgeet — Ud meaning higher, other worldly, original, collection of attributes (becoming) and geet meaning song. Thus the word means 'The song of the original and the manifestation', 'the song of Being and becoming', 'the song of heaven and earth', or human voice.

Om is the imitation of the Udgeet, and is a combination of three letters pronounced with the help of lips, tongue and intonation. Om is the real Veda when its natural tone is heard. This Om is converted from its sound-form to letter-form with the help of a special thought (force). That special thought is birth, existence and return or death. But uttering Om  merely with the tongue is mere imitation or idol worship, because giving our heart to a matter of thought is idol-worship; whereas connecting ourselves with Reality is knowledge. Such a kind" of idol-worship is not to be deprecated for it is only a means to reach the original Reality.

(1) A — Creation; U — Maintenance, preservation, sustenance; M — Dissolution.

(2) A — Brahma, the Creator, U — Vishnu, Preserver, M —  Siva, the Destroyer.

Aum — OM, has all the three attributes of God viz.,

A is movement

U is the maintenance of that stability

M is the End of the movement.

Om has the three specialities of disturbance. Om is Sruti, Udgeet. If it is heard systematically, Reality will be attained and the goal of life will be reached. All these following three states can be easily had by remembrance of meditation on, and absorption on, Om.

(i) Sat —Existence; the beauty and charm of life.

(ii) Chit —Knowledge; right knowing and right understanding of life.

(iii) Anand — the joy or pleasure of life.

Om is sound and sound only. It is a vibration, a melody, and the melody is related to singing and hearing only. If it is sung and heard properly, systematically, both the singer and the hearer will enjoy bliss, and within a very short time they will be able to see Reality. Every individual is  Sachchidananda. No one is devoid of Sat — existence, Chit —  Knowledge and Anand — Bliss. It is due to ignorance that man has thought himself to be something other than what he really is. Here, in the Satsang, it will be tried to remove his ignorance side by side with the practice of meditation which will enable him to experience Sat-chit- anand.

As Om is mere sound, Udgeet, and Sruti, it will not be wrong to pronounce it as ‘yoam’, ‘swam’ ‘Twam’ and so on which will still be an imitation of Om. It will be quite in tune, and no other sound is more in tune than this. That is why it is called 'Beejmann' (real remedy, real plan, real scheme). This is the origin, and all else in the three worlds are its imitation.

Vedas are not four but three only, because there are only three kinds of sound in Om. Four Vedas are admitted on the basis of system, content and order. Only three things in this world are fit to be practised, liked or chosen and to be thought of: Sat-existence, Chit-knowledge and Anand - bliss.

There are only three types of existence, knowledge and bliss.

1. Existence is of three types:

(a) of existence — Sat

(b) of knowledge — Chit

(c) of bliss — Anand.

2. Knowledge is of three types:

(a) of existence — Sat

(b) of knowledge — Chit

(c) of bliss — Anand.

3. Bliss is of three types:

(a) of existence or life.

(b) of knowledge and

(c) of bliss.

Vedas are liable to be questioned because the real mantra, Sruti or Udgeet is Om. In them are found 'becoming-ness', the quality of being counted and hearty sentiments of the hearts of human beings. That is why there appears some difference whenever they are caught in words. For example, one and the same integer or unit assumes different forms of sums under the principle of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The whole sum in spite of inversions and seeming contradiction is integer or Unit only, and has the form of integers alone, in just the same way as water assumes various forms on passing through various channels as a fountain, well, tank, river or canal. Nevertheless it remains the same water. Or to take another example, a seed contains in itself the root, tree, branches, leaves, blossoms, fruits and flower and, having undergone all these forms, becomes a seed which was its original form. Even so Om remains Om only, though it is bound in the form of the word. Owing to its different combinations the Vedas were constituted in different Chand metres and Mantras. As it contains human feelings, the effect of love and harshness, force and mildness, friendship and enmity etc. are seen in it. They give power to the Will of man, and they also transform themselves into different attainments, powers, miracles and habits. This is the method of chanting the mantra. It is necessary that the mantra should be pronounced in a special manner according to the special purpose. Then only will a special effect be produced. This principle is the soul of the science of music. If you pronounce a word, or sing it with a particular thought in your heart, a particular effect will be produced.

The water of the cloud also is water only. Stones assume particular shapes by water falling drop by drop on them. It strengthens the soil on which it flows and enables the seed to manifest itself to the fullest possible extent.

Air is the same all over. It aggravates the disease of the diseased; develops the strength of the strong; increases the joy of the jubilant and the fickleness of the fickle-minded. The same theory holds good in all cases and matters governed by it. The same is the case with Om in producing different effects. Take the example of singing (music). The secret of man's inner thought lies hidden in Om. By the combination and permutation of a word the songs or poems are lengthened or shortened. 'Ding' is the sound obtained from a bell. If it is rung once only 'Ding' is heard. If twice, 'Ding, Ding' is heard, and if rung thrice what we hear is 'Ding Ding Ding'. Om is the mother of all sounds. It exists even in your belching, sneezing and yawning. Whatever sound you hear — the sound of the bell, conch, flute, tabla and tabor — the same Om is heard if you apply your mind to it. The Rishis have sufficiently thought over this and published it.

When the Mantra period came people lost the reality (originality). People lost the reality during the Mantra period. But as they had faith and devotion in what the sages had said, they believed the mantras themselves to be the Sruti and developed this thought with due faith.

Existence —the world of Manifestation.

Sruti is complete word. The flow of creation starts from it only. This flow assumed three forms: (i) Creation or manifestation; (ii) State of preservation or Middle, (iii) Dissolution or end. All these three states are present in Om in the seed-form; and the order of these states always follows one after the other, working in the form of creation, preservation and dissolution. Knowledge is present in it because it is all-containing. Nay, it is knowledge itself! It is necessary that there should be knowledge along with the word. Word and its meaning go together and both are one. From this view point Sruti is called 'the knowledge of the three worlds'.

How Om gave birth to the three attributes, three mantras, the principles and nature is the subject of Sankhya philosophical thought. It has been dealt with elaborately in the second volume separately. How human life manifests itself with its peculiarities is a subject related to human Iife which is action or Vyavahar.

Om has three peculiarities:

(i) A, U and M. The 'A' of Om is the beginning 'U' the middle; and 'M' the end. Om is all containing,

(ii) The 'A' of Om is Sat — existence; 'U' is Chit knowledge, and 'M' is Anand — Bliss. Om is Sachchidanand.

(iii) 'A' is the foundation or base; 'U' is the wall and 'M' is the roof. Om is in all the three.

(iv) 'A' is action — Karma, 'U' is Knowledge - Jnan and 'M' is Upaasana.

(v) 'A' is the body, 'U' is the heart, and ‘M' is the soul or atma. Om  is all the three.

(vi) 'A' is Sattva, 'U' is Raj and ‘M' is Tam.

Om is thus the constitution of three attributes.

Besides these, the words Vyavahar - business of the world,  Prathibhas - appearance and Paramarth - Reality are substituted in order to express the intention of the heart, and make others understand (a) that the wordly affair - Vyavahar is Sat (b) appearance – Prathibhas - is chit and (c) Reality - Paramarth - is Anand or bliss.

Sat is existence which is expressed through the activity of the world, struggle, occupation and profession, craft and industry and duty etc. All these find expression through Sat, because nobody would have done these, nor was any possibility of doing these, if there were no existence.

The performance of almost all actions and duties is connected with the body. So this body itself is the obvious and open form of manifestation. Viewed from this point the body is Sat and, therefore, this body and the actions of this body - Karma - are considered to be the beginning or basis of the  Veda. Action - Karma is the first and foremost necessary condition of life. How can the existence be inferred without body?

There are three types of bodies:

i. Outer or gross body which is called 'Sthool-shareer'. This is made of sense-organs, flesh, skin, bones, blood, fat etc. This is the sheath of food or the Annamaya-kosha.

ii. The subtle body is called ‘Sookshmas- shareer’. It is made of mind – Manas, intellect - Buddhi, psyche - Chit and egoism -  Ahankar. This is the sheath of mind - or Manomaya-kosha. That which is made of knowledge, thoughts, intelligence etc. is known as the sheath of knowledge or the Vignanamaya-kosha.

iii. Third is the soul or the causal body which is called Karana Shareer. It is made of happiness, joy and bliss. This is the sheath of bliss or  Anandamaya Kosha, the food of which is joy. If you think over these names deeply, then you will know that these bodies really exist.

The knowledge of the outer body i.e. the Sthoola Shareer comes in the waking state or Jagratha Avastha The knowledge of the subtle body or sukshma shareer comes in the dream state or Swapna avastha  which is connected with the mind. The knowledge of the causal body or Karana Shareer comes in the deep sleep state or sushupti. This is the soul itself.

The knowledge of these comes in three ways:

(1) The knowledge of the gross body comes through the five senses which are capable of knowing the form or Roopa, the sound or Sabda, the smell or Gandha, the taste or Rasa and the touch or Sparsa.

(2) The knowledge of the subtle body comes through inference which involves thinking, reasoning and arriving at conclusion. The intellect (Chitta), mind (manas), the reason (buddhi) and egoism (Ahankara) are involved in it.

(3) The knowledge of the causal body or soul body comes through authority or Sabda Pramanya.

Probably the learned pandits consider the meaning of "Oneness of Manifestation" to comprehend the external world through the external senses and quarrel over it. But the real meaning of it is as mentioned above. It is experienced internally, and the external senses and worldly knowledge cannot function there. Therefore all this is body only, and the body alone is existence. Among the bodies there is only the gross body which is considered to be the instrument of solid action, worldly activities etc.

The gross body is the instrument of action. Nay! it is action itself, and cannot exist without any activity.

The subtle body is the instrument of knowledge or thought. Nay! it is knowledge itself, and it cannot exist without thinking and understanding.

The causal body or the soul is the instrument of joy. Nay! it is joy itself, and it cannot exist without bliss and happiness.

Viewed from this point, action is the beginning, knowledge the middle and bliss the final state. That way the action is considered to be the beginning of the Vedas.

Jiva and Brahman

The blind man sees a wonderful sight to which there is no end. The dumb man speaks wonderful speech, and the man having speech becomes dumb.

I have not seen anything, still I have seen everything! I have not heard anything, still I have heard everything!

Such is the phenomenon of Nature. This structure or creation is of three attributes: Sat, Raj and Tam.

In Tam there is Be-ing, manifestation and existence (is-ness).

In Sat there is withdrawal, latency, waning and dissolution. But one should never mistake this latency and waning (decline) as non-existence. Otherwise it would be misleading. It is only a condition, a state of withdrawal of existence. Withdrawal or waning (decline) is not non-existence.

The witness to this manifestation and withdrawal Be-ing and non-Be-ing, existence and non-existence (is-ness) is the mixed state of Raj, which is the knot of Sat and Tam, matter and spirit (conscient and inconscient).

Tam is matter, Sat is spirit and Raj is the mind (heart). This condition is in both microcosm or Pind and macrocosm or Brahmanda.

In both there is the same picture. Just as we get up in our body in the waking state, withdraw ourselves in deep-sleep, and dream in the dream state, so also there is a greater existence, Virat Astitva, which does the same acts and is engaged in doing so. The sages call this, Virat Astitva, greater existence, Brahman. The Sufis have called it Khuda-i-Azeem. The difference between the two is that of body, size and expanse. The word Jeeva should not be used for it. Jeeva is miniature creation only. That greater existence also is mind, a knot of matter and spirit. People fear to say it clearly.

That greater existence, Brahman is (i) a knot of matter and spirit, (ii) a mixed condition of Sat, Tam and Raj, (iii) It wakes, sleeps and merges like us, (iv) It acts as we do, (v) Of course it is big while we are small, (vi)It is unlimited, omniscient, omnipresent and all pervading, whereas we have these qualities in a very limited degree. This is the difference. Our name is individual soul, Jeeva, whereas His name is Cosmic spirit,  Brahman. The sages gave Him this name because they understood its meaning thoroughly well. Just think of the meaning of the word Brahman for a moment. Bruhat + man i.e. Big mind — one having a big mind is Brahman. The Sufis did not know Him by this name. As they did not find other better words they called Him as 'Khuda-i-Azam'. But they too had brains to understand hints or signs. It is the mind alone that can think. But the word  Brahman means big or one that grows big. The passage of time brought about this change in the meaning. So the cosmic mind is Brahman and individual mind is Jeeva. It is heavenly mind, and this is earthly mind. It is one and these are many. It is the sum total of all, these are separate pieces. The Jiva is stupid and ignorant. The Jiva can remain fickle in spite of its becoming gnostic (wise – Jnani). Brahman is stupid and ignorant. He is gnostic and fickle. If these qualities were not found in Him, they would not have been found in Jiva also.

The Brahman, too, has body. When He is called Cosmic Mind, the mind itself becomes a body. How can it be devoid of the qualities of the body? This material body of yours is gross body. All this creation or universe is the gross body of the Brahman, from the point of view of matter (substance). This mind is your subtle body. The knot formed by the sum total of the ideas of this creation is the subtle body of the) Brahman. This soul, the true place of repose, the seed, is your causal body. The base on which the entire universe rests, or the seed of the state of merger in the Brahman, is the causal body of the Brahman. These are the forms of both. They must also be having names.

The Jiva which is related to the gross body is termed Vishwa in the Scriptures, the suggestive meaning of which is earthly. The  Jiva which is related to the subtle body or mind is called Taijas in .the scriptures, the suggestive meaning of which is fickle. The Jiva related to the soul or causal body is called Prajna in the scriptures, which can be roughly translated as peace. The meaning of Prajna in this context is not 'wise' (gnostic). The soul or the causal body has no knowledge in it. These are the names of the Jiva related to the three kinds of bodies. Now the names of the Brahman are as follows:

(1) The Brahman related to the gross body is called Virat in the scriptures, the meaning of which can be suggested by the word ‘voice of a high pitch’.

(2) The Brahman related to the subtle body is called Avyakrita or ‘pervading’ (Antaryami) in the scriptures. The meaning of Antaryami is conveyed by the word ‘internal journey’. The meaning of Avyakrita is suggested by the idea ‘ the Invisible Doer.’

(3) The Brahman related to the causal body is called Hiranya Garbha in the Shastras, the meaning of which is suggested by the words ‘lying peacefully or steadily in the form of golden egg’. Here also wisdom or knowledge is not concerned.

These are the names of the Brahman in relation to the three bodies from the point of view of Jivas. The Cosmic mind, or the heart of creation of the Universe, is called Brahman, and the terminology in respect of your mind, too, is the same.

Brahman

Brahman is described as expanding with contemplation (Bruha - expanding, and Manan - contemplating). This name has been given to It, because it is the Jiva that gives It such a name. Moreover, the Jiva has given this name from its own view point (stand point). Otherwise, It has not disclosed Its name to anybody till today, nor would it ever disclose it. Since the Jiva itself has movement, development and thinking in it, it has given It a name according to its own nature, imagining It to be greater. In fact, It is neither greater nor smaller; neither limited nor limitless. It is as It is. And this name is good from the point of view of giving it a name. All the characteristics or attributes of Brahman are subject to the mind of the individual soul, the Jiva. He is with or without attributes, Saguna or Nirguna, according to the nature of the Jiva. The Jiva fixed Brahman as the highest idea, and the supreme goal to be attained according to its own understanding. Having done so, the Jiva has desired to mould itself like-wise, and achieve progress towards the Brahman. This is the result of its intelligence. And when it evolves sufficiently in knowledge and intellect, it will come to know that all these mental attributes of the Brahman were determined by its own understanding or knowledge. It will then accept the Brahman as without attributes, discarding the idea of Saguna Brahman.

The Jiva finds peace in the fullness, the perfection of the Brahman, because it thinks itself as imperfect and incomplete, and loves flawlessness and perfection. This is the first point. Secondly, according to the Jiva the whole universe and existence, that is the whole of the Brahmanda, is in rotation. The earth, the sun, the moon, the stars—all are in rotation and, as such, the Jiva also finds itself in rotation. And, since the cyclic rotation has some special purpose, it superimposes this purpose on all, and thinks all to be possessing intellect and discrimination. It thinks even the most unwise to be wise in their work, and hence there is no wonder if the Jiva thinks the Brahman also to be wise. And, when after attaining knowledge and understanding it attains peace and steadiness, it supposes Brahman also to be in the form of peace from head to heels, and becomes quiet.

The existence of the Brahman is dependent on the existence of the Jiva. You exist and therefore believe in His existence, just as the drop, which keeps the ocean in view, believes and accepts the existence of the ocean. If you were not in existence, who would believe, understand and question about the existence of Brahman?

The totality of the Jivas is Brahman also. This universe, Brahmanu,  also is the gross body of the Brahman. From the point of view of gross body this is considered as Virat, the sum total of all existence. The intellect of the Brahman is dependent on that of man, because when man has intellect and understanding, he thinks the Brahman to be the sum total of all intellect, and calls Him omniscient and perfectly wise. Since we consider knowledge and intellect as the basic factor in us human beings, we consider Brahman also to be the sum total of all the basic factors of knowledge and intellect, and call Him the 'Internal check' or Antaryamin, 'all pervading', 'Prime mover', 'Heart of the Heart' and so on. We know happiness and joy, and become happy. We also see joy in others. From this we conclude that just as the aggregate of body-hood is seen in the form of the whole universe, even so there must be the aggregate of joy, which we call Supreme bliss, All-joy, All-happiness,  Hiranyagarbha and so on. It is said that one should see the whole universe in one's own self and oneself in the universe. This is merely verbal and theoretical. Now listen to the practical thing.

We see around us millions of living beings, the sun, the moon, the stars, kings, the public and innumerable other things. All these great and small scenes are caught in the pupils of our eyes within the fraction of a second. Open your eyes, and lo! thousands of stars in the sky enter into them. This is the external condition. Now, close your eyes and the same things appear inside also. The external and the internal seem to be one and the same.

We think that we are the subjects of some subordinates of some officer and the creatures of stances. So, we have taken the mean idea of subordination, but we never thought even for a moment the reality of all these is dependent on us. If we were not there who would call the King a king, and the people as 'people'? When we ourselves accept a king as a king, he is a king! When we accept father as father he becomes a father! When we accept a wife, she becomes a wife! All these are accepted things, There is a proverb which says, 'if you believe in God, there is God; otherwise it is stone'. It is we, the centre, round which all these scenes of plurality revolve in such a way that we have no idea of this at all due some reason. Seeing this spinning had revolution, our intellect also began to revolve, and the result was that the joy of the polar or central conditions was taken away. It is the circumference that rotates and revolves; but seeing the circumference, the centre too believed itself as revolving, just as houses and gardens appear to be revolving to the boys who rotate in a game, and the trees and lakes appear to move to those travelling in a train. This is called illusion and, once we are under such illusion, we have to necessarily experience it revolving round and round.

Let us now understand the secret of seeing or, selves in all, and all in ourselves.

Imagine that we are Brahman, the centre, the original element, and the essence of existence. Let this idea be internal first. Then, looking to the external manifestation, think that all these are the symbols of our own mental feeling. All these have emerged from us are our form. What else can there be excepting ourselves?

When the internal and the external become one, the veil of plurality will first drop off. One-ness comes in, and that too will vanish gradually. What will remain then? You yourselves will remain. The triad of knower, knowable and the known will disappear. It will be a strange condition which can be neither expressed, nor heard, nor thought of. Merger in one-merger in plurality and merger in Reality—all these are the interim states.

1. An ignorant boy has cast his reflection in a mirror and says that there is a boy inside the mirror. He also says that the boy should be taken out so that he may play with him. A mad dog of the mansion roams barking at his own reflection. This is the condition of wise persons who are immersed in plurality.

2. An intelligent person looking at his reflection in a mirror says that he is one and the same person inside and outside the mirror. This is the condition of merger in one-ness.

3. A lover of the condition of merger in Reality thinks the internal and external idea as one and the same and, keeping the reality of originality behind the veil of bliss, remains always blissful. This is the condition of merger in reality.

These three are not in an unchanging condition. Hence the beginning of the signs of the fourth condition.

The Self, which is the source of all things, seldom comes to view. In one sense It has neither name nor form, and in another sense all names and forms belong to It only. It is the support of all, and has itself no support. All are dependent on It, but It is not dependent on anybody. It is the Self and its being so (from our point of view) is Its glory. It is the absolute, and the absoluteness (from our view point) is Its attribute. We ourselves call It as Self and Perfect, these words being coined for our own understanding. They give some sort of experience about it, and we obtain peace, for It is the real peace. For example, suppose that there is a thing, underneath which Its existence in the form of ideas and subtlety surrounds It and has its play.

This existence is called illusion or Maya. With the support of that Thing, this illusion spins there and plays in the form of very subtle particles developing many forms with its reflection. This existence has no separate entity of its own. It appears to be existent and non-existent by the existence of that original thing, just as strength depends on the strong. Strength is not separate by itself, but gives the experience of its existence in connection with activities.

The reflection of the Absolute or Real Self, which fell in this existence, was caught up by that existence; and making a sphere, circle or region became steady and stable, absorbing all the strength in the form of reflection.

Another region or circle, which was a mere reflection of this existence, was formed. Since it was below That, there was all darkness in it. When a lamp burns, smoke is emitted out, which makes a place for itself after depositing there. That place also becomes black. Thus, two regions or circles are formed; one of light and the other of dark-ness. The current of the region of light flows to the region of darkness and black-ness again.

In this process of the current flowing to and fro, another region is formed in the middle which resembles the middle portion of a small drum, shaped like an hour-glass. It may be called as the middle region.

These three are the lower circles of Maya, and are with attributes.

 Antariksha is the middle region which shines like a star, Antar-middle, and iksha-star.

The heaven is the head or the topmost part of the structure, and the nether world is the foot. The middle can be understood as the heart.

 The reflected current of the Real thing comes in all these three.  It plays there, creating the three worlds.

Now, the creation starts from the mixture of consciousness or Chaitanya, and inert matter or Jada. The heart is like a book to understand this formation. It is a mixture of consciousness and inertness and, as such, it is capable of knowing both.

There is consciousness in Sat; inert-ness or Jadatha in Tam, and effort, activity, thought and contemplation in the Raj. There is spirituality or Adhyatmiktha in Sat; body-consciousness or  Shareeriktha in Tam, and the mixture of both spirituality and body-consciousness in Raj. There is the spirit, Atma, at the top. The shadow of the spirit is at the foot, which is body consciousness or shareeriktha. And in the heart (or mind) there is the condition of mixture of the spirit and its shadow.

The causal body is in the Sat or the top (head); the gross body is in the Tam or the foot (lower region); and there is the subtle body in the middle or Raj. These three, having mingled with one another, work in a peculiar way. There is bliss or Anand in Sat, existence or Sat in Tam, and knowledge or Chit Jnan in Raj, the middle portion (or condition). Knowledge or consciousness, is only the name of the middle condition.

The nature of Tam is action. It is the first stage of manifestation of existence, and is also awakening. The nature of Sat is mere bliss and happiness, peace and stability, which are the final condition of physical activities. It is also Sushupti. The nature of Raj is consciousness, which is the intermediate stage. It is also dream state called Swapnaavastha.

In dyau the heavens, there is consciousness (Chaitanya), that is, grossness of power, of light, or manifestation which is a crystallized condition. That is why there is no knowledge in Sushupti. Knowledge is the characteristic of the heart, which is always desirous of controlling both alertness and inert-ness. When knowledge reaches the state of Sushupti it loses its position, and is drowned as soon as it comes under its (sushupti's) influence. But if it ascends there, retaining its consciousness by means of Sadhana, and is alert, it is possible to have knowledge, otherwise not. The heart is generally drowned or absorbed in the activities of the gross body, losing the knowledge of its own reality.

Practice or Sadhana is that remedy which does not allow unawareness in Sushupti. Just as the mind thinks and acts in connection with the affairs of the gross body, and retains its knowledge, so also, if it can think and act tasting at the same time the bliss of sushupti or the soul (Atma), it is possible to achieve the state of awareness even there. The practice of this is the first step of upasana.

What is this ‘we’ of ours? It is our heart. But when we have called this heart as the subtle body, the inner structure or inner body, how can the gross body know things and have experiences? The fact is that the region of subtle clouds of Maya is spinning below the self or Reality. Assuming the form of a whorl, it absorbs the reflection of Reality in itself. This peculiar, state of grossness or frozen-ness is the state of peace, which is the beginning, middle and the final stage of consciousness or spirituality. It is perfect and is in the seed form.

The currents that start and flow from this form a region (circle) after some distance. They settle in the form of a bulb, and are designated as the Brahmanda and Parabrahmanda regions. A drop of the reflection of the original condition is found, forming three bodies; of Brahman namely the causal, the subtle and the gross.

That reflected part which is Reality dwells in three bodies, which are then called Hiranyagarbha, Antaryami or Avyakrit, and Virat.

i. That part which dwells in the whorl is Hiranyagarbha.

ii. That which dwells in the Para Brahmanda Mandal is the Antaryami or Avyakrit.

iii. That which resides in the Brahmanda Mandal is the Virat Purusha.

Among these the Hiranyagarbha is the causal body, the causal condition, the state of nothingness or Shoonyabhava, the condition of peace and the higher state of spiritual bliss. Antaryami or Avyakrit is the subtle body, subtleness, the condition of knowledge, intellect and discrimination, and the mental faculty, the inverted movement of the mind. Virat is the gross body, gross body-ness, the movement of action and of body, and the true state of body-ness.

The gross body of the Brahman is Virat; the causal body is Hiranyagarbha; and the subtle body is Antaryami or Avyakrit.

Virat is the body, Antaryami is the mind, and Hiranyagarbha is the soul of the Brahman. These three the Physical or Sthoola, the astral or Sookshma, and the Causal or Karana are the bodies of the heavenly God. There is a fourth condition, transcending these three, which can be expressed or indicated as non-existence, existence and super existence. This Brahman is an ocean formed out of a drop of that fourth state. It, the ocean, always undulates, supporting the structure of Maya (Mayavee Rachana) or the universe of attributes. It plays this game in itself. This triad (triple) condition of Brahman is called the Trinity. In the terminology of saints it is Trikut or Trikuti. This is the sum total of the gross, subtle and causal conditions. It has the material, the conscient, and the mingled condition of the knot of matter and consciousness, which can be termed as the body-ness, as well as the Knot of spirituality — the mixed knot of Sat, Raj and Tam. These three mingle together and are called Brahman.

What is that fourth state called? It is called Srut — attention — in the physical plane; Sabda— sound—in the higher plane; and Asabda—non sound— in the Real plane. But all these are names and names only.

Srut can be recognised as attention, steadiness, withdrawal, peace and stability. As the reflected form of the fourth condition or state is found in it, it has the characteristic of being steady and motionless. Being associated with it, this heart also is enlivened, and acts taking pride in it. And when its current is drawn or pulled upwards it becomes actionless, lazy and dead.

The word Srut is derived from Sruti which means ‘heard’. As there was no other word which could express the sense in a better way, this word was used as a measure of economy. By a common misunderstanding the hymns of the Vedas, the Vedamantra, are called Sruti. Had they called the sound of the mantras as Sruti, they would not have erred, because it is incapable of being refuted. It is a matter of experience that everything originates from sound, and merges in the sound.

Karma

Why is action (Karma) necessary? Action is the law of manifestation of life. Without action, it is not possible to infer the existence of a being. That is why every being having a body is required to perform action. It was so required before, and will be required in future. Life cannot exist without manifestation; for this is the speciality of the nature of all existence and beings. No life can be without manifestation. Its natural activity is according to the natural law. But Karma or action does not always exist. After movement comes the state of rest. Action is not eternal. But that which is called peace or bliss, is that not action too? All the three types of body join together in performing action. There is physical movement in the gross body, mental (ideatic) movement in the subtle body, and resting movement which is called bliss in the causal body.

The body, the heart or mind, the soul — all these three are bodies. Movement of the organs of sense of perception is the characteristic of the gross physical body. The heart or mind has the characteristic mental or ideatic movement, in which are involved subtle organs. There is both movement and rest in it.

Peace or rest is the action of the soul which contains all the three kinds of movement in the seed-form. The soul, too, like the body and the heart, is not free from action. But in this article action means the manifest movement of the gross body with flesh and skin, which is called the beginning state of the  Veda. This alone is generally called action (Karma). The word Deha in Sanskrit is derived from the root 'Dih' which means 'to collect' or to gather' or 'to withdraw'. As this body is formed by the collection or combination of those elements which are responsible for its organisation and systematisation, the sages called it Deha. In the system of Nature the principle of expansion, the principle of subtraction and the principle of division work respectively with the principle of contraction, addition and multiplication, because this world is a place of dualities. It is a collection of mutually contradictory principles. This body, too, performs two contradictory functions namely, taking in and expelling out, which is also a kind of natural law.

Sthoola Deha or Gross body is formed by the combination of gross elements.

Sookshma Deha or subtle body is formed by the combination of subtle elements.

Karana Deha or causal body OR soul is formed by the combination of causal elements.

The following are gross elements:

Ether-Aakasha; air-Vayu; fire-Agni; water-Jal;  Earth-Prithvi. This body is organised systematised by the atoms of these gross elements.

The following are the subtle elements:

Sound or Sabda; touch or Sparsha; form or Roopa; taste or Rasa; Smell or Gandha. The subtle body is formed by the atoms of these subtle elements.

The causal elements viz., the causal atoms of the above elements in the seed form are responsible for the formation of the causal body. All the three bodies are organised and systematised by the combination of atoms only. Therefore, the attributes, actions and habits or Svabhava are formed according to those atoms.

What does it matter if none has accepted the soul- Atma—as a compound or divisible substance? Even then reality remains as it is. All have understood it according to the level of their understanding. The Vedantins, the  Sankhyas, the Yogins — nay, even the sages and seers have been deceived in understanding it. Even the Shastra accepts the existence of the three bodies but it could not be known that the causal body is the soul itself. Now we shall have to think over the etymology of the word Atman.

The Sanskrit word Atman is formed of 'Ath' and 'Ma(na)n'. 'Ath' means movement and 'Ma(na)n’ means thinking. That in which there is movement and thinking is Atman. The soul itself is the causal body which is in seed form, and which is a compound substance. The same thing expresses itself at the physical or gross body and mental or subtle body levels. When it wakes and enters the conscious level, movement sets in, in the sense organs and organs of perception by the movement of its flow; when it comes to the mental level (dream state) it remains thoughtful; and when it withdraws its flow (current) to the state of deep sleep it remains in its original form and enjoys bliss. So, how can a thing in which there is movement, thinking and absorption be simple and indivisible? It must necessarily be a compound.

Action or Karma is the nature or Dharma of the gross body. Just as the formation of body is natural, its movement also is natural; and so also the law of good and evil fruit is natural. Every embodied being is called  Jeeva, the characteristic of which is movement. In this movement works the principle of development or growth, and contemplation.

Jiva is soul, because that in which there is movement (Aath) and thinking (Man) is soul. This soul is Brahman. Brahman is developing and thinking creation. In Sanskrit Brahman is derived from 'bruha' to grow or to expand, and 'man' to think. That which moves and thinks is Atman; and that which grows and thinks is Brahman. From this view point, wherever there is Jiva it is all Brahman. Movement and growth are almost synonyms. Agreed that there is growth and diminution in movement; but both of these are said to be the laws of development or evolution. Growth is progressive and diminution is regressive. Both imply development. The one jets upward and pushes forward. The other pulls downward and drags backwards. But in both these falling or diminishing, i.e. creeping or contracting, the sense of development alone is implied without even the slightest sense of diminishing. Just as the wheels of a vehicle move forward, inspite of their apparent backward and forward movement, even so is the condition of Jiva, Atman or Brahman.  Movement and growth are the characteristics of the gross body; and thinking and understanding (knowing) are the characteristics of the subtle body or  Sookshma Deha. Both these combine and function together. So if their direction is in accordance with natural combination and quality, they function properly. But if the thought of personal individuality occurs in the mind or subtle body, the concept of right and wrong intention takes root in the form of thought. The thought of good and evil itself is implied in right and wrong intention. The man with intention knows that right (Virtue) is good and wrong (Vice) is bad. And wherever there is this thought the law of good and evil fruit operates and, accordingly, the Jiva automatically gets the good evil fruit of action. This is good and evil fruit. It is as natural as development and thinking. That individual existence which has no conception of right and wrong, i.e. which has neither good nor bad intention, does not also have either good or bad result thereof. It only grows, thinks and moves just as an infant does.

All the three bodies are found in each and every individual manifestation. But according as their characteristics vary in degree in different beings, certain stages have been clearly marked off.

i. In minerals the causal body itself is gross. The other bodies are included in it. Though it is outwardly insensible it draws, combines and absorbs the atoms in the same way as a man in deep sleep is fed milk. In minerals the causal body and the state of deep-sleep or Sushupihi are in a gross condition.

ii. Plants have gross body, along with the causal body which also includes the subtle body. They draw and combine the atoms—both mobile and static—and absorb them in a way similar to the condition of a new born baby. Both the dream state and deep sleep state or Svapna and Sushupthi are found in them.

iii. In animals all the three bodies, the gross, the subtle and the causal exist. They eat, drink, sleep and wake, and experience joy and sorrow in all these three bodies. The conscious, dream and deep sleep states — all these are found in them.

iv. In men also there are the three bodies — the gross, the subtle and causal. Their nourishment, growth, progress, thought and happiness get strength in connection with these bodies. Some among them have a kind of fourth state which will be discussed at the end of this series. Those in whom this condition is started are also to be counted among men. Otherwise they are as good as animals. They belong to the category of beasts. If you observe the movements and actions of such men you will find that they do all those things that animals do.

Narapashu, Gurupashu, Striyapashu, Vedapashu Samsara

Manusha Soyi Janiye jahie Viveka Vichar

"Those who workship or follow man, Guru, woman and the Vedas are all beasts. He alone is man who is capable of thinking and discriminating.”

Those who do not know the status of god and their own status, and worship God, not with their own but with God's view point, to them Vishnu becomes Rudra and makes them weep. Those who do not know the status of deities and their own status, and worship the deities not with their own but with the view point of deities, them the deities make beasts of burden. Those who do not know the status of Guru and their own status, and worship the Guru not with their own but with Guru's view point, to them Guru becomes Satan in the form of Kal. Casting off the form of a Dayalu, (kind person) he swallows whatever earning the worshipper has, making him a beast. Such men have no salvation. They always remain beasts among, the beasts until they experience suffering, and calm their rights of humanity by means of heartfelt sentiment. They attain this condition after a very long time. The Sage Yajnavalkya, in the Brahadarnyaka Upanishad, explains to his wife Maitreyi thus:

"Oh ! Maitreyi, those who know Brahman,

Ishvara, Veda, sons and the Atman

not with their own viewpoint but with the

viewpoint of Brahman, Ishvara etc.,

are destroyed by them."

The aim of Yoga is concentration of mind and changing its states from point to point. One would gain experience automatically and know the truth by making the mind stay on spiritual centres in the brain. As these Jivas are bound by action or Karma, and religious and ethical codes, their approach is limited upto this only.

We shall now proceed to consider the kinds action and their rewards and punishments.

According to the law of Nature there are two kinds of action for which the Jivas are neither rewarded nor punished. Their aim is movement, contemplation, and happiness, which are all related to the three bodies.

Jiva is really Atman and Brahman, and its characteristics are (i) thinking along with movement, and movement along with thinking, and (ii) thinking along with growing and growing along with thinking. The first is the characteristic or definition of Atman, and the second is that of  Brahman. The difference is that Atman is limited and Brahman  is unlimited. That is why Brahman is called Param-Atma. There is no question of reward or punishment for Brahman, because He is whole. The question arises only with regard to the Part. That which has limited Knowledge is called Part, and that which has omniscience is Brahman. The omniscient being is a complete law in itself, and this is a mark of perfection. In the part there is the short-coming which can be made up or defect by way of having limited knowledge; and questions and answers arise only in the state of imperfection. Imperfection means short-coming which can be made up or filled. Perfection itself is always full. Nobody can fill it anymore. Therefore there is neither reward nor punishment in the state of perfection.

Atman is called Jiva when there is the desire for life in it.  Jiva is that which has a desire for life. The attention of this Jiva  is always towards short-coming or imperfection. It always feels want and dependence which is the cause of sorrow and suffering. That is the reason why the Jiva finds its life full of sorrow, and due o the impression of this sorrow it creates many defects in itself such as wishing its own good and harming others, and so on. This view of duality, its thought and action creates otherness in it. That is, the Jiva begins to think of itself as useless, poor, inferior and low, and of others' position as superior to its own. It condemns its own position and praises that of others. That is seeing itself as other than the others (or otherness).

Inferiority throws the Jiva in a state of multiplicity which it begins to like. It sees all others as different many and innumerable. This is called love of multiplicity.

The Jiva does not see itself but it sees others. This defect throws it in illusion. It remains extrovert and not introvert. Due to extroversion its position becomes like that of a person who has stepped out of his home in the rainy season. Then it begins to perform actions arising from and maintaining, the living organism, which contain wonder, greed, envy, hatred, competition, enmity, selfishness and desire. Wounding others' feelings is the worst among these. In short, punishment is ordained for all these actions. The  Jiva begins to think of the right path and right action after undergoing punishment, and experiencing sorrow and suffering. It then desires amelioration and the good of all. In other words good comes out of the womb of evil as it were; and then the Jiva kindles the desire of benefaction, forgiveness, humility, good of others, etc., and experience brings it to the right path. There is reward for all these actions, and then the Jiva knows that virtue is good and vice is bad. It compares both and gives superiority to right action over wrong action. From here are created the mutually opposite states of right and wrong. For some time it remains in a tug between these; and it completely relinquishes (gives up) the wrong and becomes totally good, it begins to perform actions arising from, and maintaining, the creative Nature. But even then it has the faculty of Knowledge and experience of right and wrong, which is not free from defect. It always concludes that non-violence is the greatest virtue and violence is the biggest sin.

Two Kinds of Action:

There are two kinds of action: Legitimate Action and Illegitimate action. That action which gives happiness legitimate or right action, and that which does not give happiness is illegitimate action.

Now the question arises whether actions like robbery and dacoity really give happiness or not. A man can do anything he likes if he gets happiness without the least sorrow thereby. Nobody can forbid anyone from doing so. But the real thing is, that which a man thinks as happiness due to his ignorance ultimately results in sorrow. The environment in which we all reside is replete with the ideas of virtue and vice. Firstly, its influence itself is becoming universal. Secondly, everyone engaged in committing theft and murder is influenced by the idea of virtue and sin. That is why action is not done with courage. The thief hides self and commits theft. When such is the condition, a man doing the wrong thing takes the bad effect in his heart first, and then does bad things to others.

Wickedness spoils the heart and makes it heavy and unholy, which results in sorrow. Besides this, the person on whom it is inflicted no doubt experiences sorrow. But a current of sorrow flows from his heart and makes the person inflicting sorrow sorrowful. To take an example, if your neighbour is sorrow-stricken and unhappy, you cannot in any way escape from the influence of his sorrow. This sorrow is just like the smoke of poisonous fuel, so to say. Burn it in any home and its bitterness spreads in the neighbouring homes. The same is the case with goodness or virtue. If you are virtuous, persons around you are bound to be benefited by happiness. This world can be compared to our body. If any organ (part) is diseased the whole body is affected. Therefore good people always keep themselves away from sin, and engage themselves in right action. This is a simple truth.

Characteristics of Virtue and Sin:

That act is sinful in performing which there is fear, hesitation and shame, and that action is virtuous in performing which there is fearlessness, courage and valour. But there is also the influence of education, personal ethics, group-etiquette and individual experience. This influence of education, principles and ethics etc. is generally directed towards virtue. So one should not do anything against these. All those things on which religion, the Guru, the Shastras and one's own conscience agree are legitimate, and those on which they differ are illegitimate.

Religion, the Shastras, the Guru and one’s conscience unanimously never agree on bad things. This is the test of right and wrong action. If this is not accepted one should neither do a thing of his own liking nor of others' liking. There are many such acts (things) by doing which there is neither merit nor sin. For example taking the daily bath, washing hands and face etc. But there is the fear of our health being spoiled by not doing these. If we do not respect elders we do not acquire any merit, but on the other hand we will be committing sin by violating social etiquettes. The same thing holds good with regard to the Vedic and worldly customs. All these are legitimate acts. Performing Sacrifices (Yajna) does not, really speaking, lead to bondage. Bondage lies in the mind, in ideas and in convictions. Yajna — Sacrifice — in fact is worship. One should keep the elders, youngers and sub-ordinates happy by one's actions and manners. One should keep the environment and surroundings beautiful. Fire, air, water, earth and ether should not be polluted as far as possible. All this is Yajna. Following of these rules is quite essential in the primary stages of life. These do not lead to evil. Of course, other kinds of sacrifices which are performed with a particular motive to harm an individual or class should be objected to. The purpose of action is only to express life. If life expresses itself in a natural way without harming anyone it is allowed. There is neither merit nor sin in it. Where right and wrong are involved in a relative state, there merit and sin exist. Thus merit and sin create the fetters of bondage, freedom from which becomes quite essential. Otherwise, even the idea of freedom and bondage does not probably occur in the mind. The remedy to save oneself from this is to convert evil intention into good intention and then act. Serving the fellow-beings of the world in the light of this experience without any selfish motive is the best kind of sacrifice and worship. One who acts in such a way will be free from the bondage of Karma (action). Such action is the nature — dharma — of this gross body.

It is the ignorant who reap the fruit of reward and punishment. Those who know and understand something are called ignorant, and those who do not are not called so. The word Moodha is used for them. Those who are outwardly bereft of the faculty of understanding are called Moodha. They have not yet risen higher than the animal level. All the rest — scholars, kings, laymen, the rich, ministers, intelligent men and logicians are ignorant. They are called ignorant and are fit to be called so.

They have their abode over the gross body and carry on the ordinary affairs of life. They restrict themselves to physical and mental activities. They strengthen the impressions of the body and mind, ideas and feelings, rules and regulations. The term 'ignorant' is quite apt for them.

Devotees, saints, pious men etc. all these people are ignorant. They are called body-minded, desire-minded, and multiplicity-minded. The world of the bodies is the plane of multiplicity. Their attention is always fixed on this. Even the religious persons do not think of any other thing except the world, bodies and desires. Their heaven is nothing but sense-enjoyment, and enjoyment of pleasure with the fairies and slaves. Those who aim at attaining heaven think that it is a subtle form of this world, and they are engaged in strengthening this aspiration. Likewise, those who aspire for Vaikunth think it to be a place of enjoyment. Such persons too are unable to see higher than body and senses. That is why persons having some knowledge and understanding are called ignorant. They alone are called ignorant in whom the conviction regarding this world and the other world is strengthened. This world and the other world are one and the same. Both are the worlds of multi-feelings.

Firstly, religious men, saints and devotees of God — none of them have any knowledge of God. Secondly, their God enjoys no better position than that of a great man. Observe the words of prayer of these men. Some have called Him Master, Tyrant, Judge and some others have called Him as Merciful, Kind and Gracious. All these are the qualities of men. Thirdly, these persons have not seen God with His eyes, but He has remained for them an object of flattery and an instrument of getting their sensual desire fulfilled. This very flattery is called 'prayer' and 'devotion' by some. It is a matter to be thought over. Here is the prayer of the devotees:

"Oh! Creator! You are the bestower of

mercy to the world. Give me work.

Give me abode of wealth. Give me

pleasure and happiness. Give me

honour. Oh! Lord of Vaikunth! I

shall chant your name. Give me Dharma

and Wealth (Dharma-Artha). Give me

prosperity in life."

Here is the prayer of Moulvi Roomi:

"The worldly ones are absolute infidels.

They are involved in the prattle and

Babble day and night. If one is caught

Up in the ideas of selfishness, another

Is ensnared in Abu Baker and Ali.”

These, and persons like these, are ignorant and are immersed in multiplicity. They alone get reward and punishment. For them alone is the law of duty and action (Dharma-Karma).

Spirituality

Man is made of three bodies and the influences of all the three bodies are found in him. As has been already stated, they are the Gross, Subtle and Causal bodies.

They are called Trigunatmak being composed of the three attributes Sat, Raj and Tam. Generally, all the three attributes are always found in all the three bodies. But their speciality, nature and influence are determined by the predominance of a certain attribute. Hence their names also become different.

Tam is gross, Raj is subtle and Sat is causal. The property of Sat is being at the top; that of Raj is being in the middle; and the property of Tam is remaining at the bottom. This gross body is of the attribute of Tam on account of its being gross and dense.

The causal body is of the attribute of Sat on account of its material being refined. Both density and fineness are found in the subtle body and, as such, it is of the attribute of Raj. For the same reason individuals are of three kinds of disposition or temperament: (i)Silly, idiotic, (Moodha), (ii) Fickle—(Chanchal), and (iii)ignorant (Ajnani).

1. The body-minded worshippers of body, careless, or indolent persons etc. are called Silly- Moodha. The worshippers of body, though having a body, do not know anything about it. One who is body-minded has his attention always fixed on the body. He performs the activities of the conscious plane only. The attention in the conscious state is on the body only. He does not understand the purpose of the body. This is the individuality (separate existence) due to which he is silly — Moodha.

2. Worshippers of mind along with body, hard-working, irritable, retaliative, sane, thoughtful and selfish persons are called fickle — Chanchal. The worshippers of mind, though having mind, are devoid of the knowledge about it. One who worships the mind along with body, has his attention fixed on mind as well as body. He performs the activities of the waking state and the dream state. The attention is on the body and mind in the waking and dream states respectively, even though he does not understand the purpose of the mind in the real sense. This is his condition (or position). As he does not understand feelings and has no control over them, he is fickle, restless and disturbed.

3. Worshippers of soul along with body and mind — just, selfless and far from being violent — such persons are called 'ignorant' — Ajnani. The worshippers of soul, though having some knowledge about the requirements of body and mind, do not know the truth about the soul, even though they crave for peace and happiness. Such men feel inclined towards spirituality when they read, think and hear others talking about it, and yet they are negligent, as is the nature of each and every individual full of desires. It is such an individual who is called ignorant.

One who worships the soul along with body and mind has his attention fixed on the body, mind and the soul as well, even though he does not know the purpose of the soul. He performs the activities of the waking, dream and the deep-sleep states, and in spite of performing the activities of these three states he is unaware of the truth about the soul. As such, he is ignorant. Such is his condition.

The words body-minded, mind-minded and soul-minded are abstract terms. The words 'having body', 'having mind' and 'having soul' can be used instead. From the point of view of grossness, subtleness and causal form, all the three coverings are found in all, and on all Jivas. The subtle mind occupies the middle place which brings, and can bring, the tidings from above and below. But as the mental and intellectual practice of meditation of ordinary man is on the body and mind alone, he is confined to these planes only. So although the mind rises high it finds itself lost there, and returns in an unconscious state because it does not know how to remain up there and have control over that state. Therefore such a man hardly knows any­thing about the deep-sleep state of Sushupthi, nor can he know about the soul. Every man indulging in desires experiences all these three states day and night during all the twenty four hours. But he does not know about the third covering, the soul.

First there is the seed and then the tree. As the causal body is the seed it comes first. The soul is not concerned with knowledge or Jnana. There is steadiness, composure, comfort and peace in the soul. Many people think it to be steady and yet call it knowledge. This is nothing but an error in expressing the thought.

There is no movement in both Tam and Sat. Movement is only in the middle state Raj. If so, why is it said that action is the nature of the body which is gross and is constituted of Tam? Action is in movement, and there should be no movement in stupefied condition.

Action and knowledge, Karma and Jnana, both are in the mind. They are the characteristics of the subtle body. Truly speaking action, knowledge, and their purpose which is happiness, all these three are the characteristics of the mind which is constituted of Raj.

Action, Knowledge and bliss – all these three are intermediary states, and they are the characteristics of the mind. The only difference is that action is lower, bliss is higher and knowledge is the middle state. The gross body is lower, the casual body is higher and the subtle body is the intermediate condition. Action is expressive, and is outer movement. Bliss, comfort and peace are stationary; while thinking and understanding are intermediary.

When two things combine a third state is produced in which there is mixture and combination. This admixture and combination is the state of mind and is in the mind. Discrimination, Knowledge and Judgment of result are governed by it.

Where there is only one thing there is no motivation if idea. Nor is there any opportunity for discrimination, addition or subtraction, multiplication or division. Where is action and where is bliss when there is only one? When there are two, a third state is produced by their combination, as also discrimination between this and that, you and me. The knot is in the middle, and at one end there is one head and at the other end there is another. Mind is the middle knot at one end of which there is the higher state of consciousness, and at the other end there is the lower state of inertness (unconsciousness). The mind, taking the shadow and influence of both, becomes a knot of consciousness and inertness, and is compelled to think and understand. This is its characteristic. Sometimes it goes up and sometimes it goes down, and sometimes it remains static in the middle. These three are its natural characteristics.

The head is at the top, the legs are at the bottom. In the middle there is mind imparting movement to both. There is Sat at the top while Tan is at the bottom. In the middle there is mind which imparts movement to both and carries on its work.

The first state is action, the second is understanding and the third is bliss. It moves in all these three states and so result movement, understanding and steadiness. Movement is action, understanding is knowledge, and steadiness is bliss. Knowledge is a mixed middle state. Therefore that person is ignorant who dwells with multiplicity in the field of mind, gross body and multiplicity, and carries on the affairs with discrimination, and is intelligent. That man who is immersed in multiplicity is ignorant, whereas he who is merged in unity is wise and possessed of spiritual wisdom. He who dwells in the field of opposite pairs of the gross body and mind, and thus carries on his affairs and is merged in it, or has a leaning towards it, is ignorant. Whereas he who, leaving the field of the gross body and mind, conjoins his heart in the causal body or the soul is merged in its bliss, peace, happiness and steadiness or has a leaning towards them, is wise and is possessed of spiritual knowledge.

Neither the ignorant nor the wise has risen higher than the field of the body or the physical plane. Both of them are in the physical plane. The only difference between them is that one is possessed of multiplicity and the other is possessed of unity. One finds peace and steadiness in the soul whereas the other finds peace in the body, physical organs and their activities. Neither of the two has the knowledge of real peace and steadiness, because the ignorant man loves multiplicity through action and knowledge and enters the field of unity every day. The wise man loves unity and is compelled to return to the plane of multiplicity. Neither can the wise cast off the body, nor can the ignorant be denied the happiness of the spirit. Both are similar. But, of course, the condition of the wise man in comparison with that of the ignorant man is relatively superior because the gross body is the field of multiplicity whereas the soul is the field of unity. Multiplicity is the conscious and waking state, and oneness is the state of deep-sleep. Both are bodies. There is no ignorant man who, carrying on the affairs of the waking state, does not enter the state of deep sleep; and there is no wise man who, dwelling always in the state of deep-sleep, sushupti, does not return to the waking state. In other words contraction and expansion are found in both. The only difference is that when there is multiplicity there is no unity, and vice versa. But both have to return. The diver controls his breath and remains under the water for some time. The water pushes him up or throws him out after some time. Both dive. Of course, one is cautious whereas the other is not. The difference is that of multiplicity and unity only. This difference is such that multiplicity is found only in the physical field. The body of one individual is not similar to that of another individual. Nor is the waking condition, or physical condition, of one the same as that of another. All appear to be different and dissimilar. But in the state of deep-sleep i.e., in the state of the spirit, there is the condition of one-ness. All become similar there. Whether one be a king or a commoner, rich or poor, emperor or beggar - all become one (alike) there. In the body the attention of the body-minded person is on the body, the organs of the body and so on. In the soul the attention of the spiritual man is on the spirit only. But there is not the threefold condition of the seer, the seen and the sight. Whatever is there, it is one and only one, the knowledge of which also is not there. Otherwise the defect of duality creeps in. There is everything in the body — the root, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers, fruit etc. and inside the fruit, seeds lie hidden beneath many coverings. There is only the seed in the soul, and outside this seed are the root, trunk, branches, leaves and flowers which lie in a covered and contracted state at the top. The body always finds its expression and growth from the soul, and vice versa, in the same way as the process of production of seed from the tree, and vice versa, goes on continuously.

The ignorant man counts the leaves, flowers etc., and eats, or may not even eat, the fruit, whereas the wise man is interested in eating the fruit without paying any attention to these details. The ignorant man is literate and learned and if, by chance, he comes across the Gita (Bhagavadgita), he begins to examine it and find out its author and so on.

Really speaking there are three conditions of the mind: Stupefied condition, Fickle condition and Ignorant condition. These are due to three coverings, which are the three bodies. First, there is the gross body with its senses and organs which is outwardly motionless and dark. Second, the soul is another body which is called the causal body. This is full of light but there is no movement in this also. This is the root cause of ignorance. The third body is the subtle body or the mind which lies in between these two. There is movement in this which, by its own movement, gives movement to stupefied state (stupor) and ignorance.

There are three rings. The first is the ring of ignorance, or of the soul, which is full of light. The condition of grossness is also there. The second ring is very dark and this is called stupor. The third is both luminous and dark. There is light above and darkness below. It carries the shadow, influence and impressions of both of them i.e. light and darkness, because they are necessarily reflected in the intermediate condition.

The first portion is light; the second is darkness; and the middle has the combination of both light and darkness. This creation or universe of the three attributes is exactly of the same form, and all the creatures, men, animals, angels, the sky and the earth — all are made of unequal proportion. This will be known on seeing even an ant or white-ant. All the three rings are distinctly found in it.

Although the word 'creation' is wrong, yet it adequately expresses our idea. The word Brahmanda or Macrocosm is used for it. These three states are found in it and whatever beings or creatures are in it are its miniature copies. Their bodies, or the sum total of their bodies, are called Pind or microcosm. This microcosm is the copy of the macrocosm, all the qualities of which are found in it in miniature, as is shown in the example of the ant and white-ant. The first luminous ring is the North Pole or the Arctic region. The second dark ring is the South Pole or the Antarctic region. The Hindus never sleep stretching their legs towards the South Pole except at death.

The luminous ring belongs to the ignorant and the spiritual; the dark ring belongs to the stupid and the materialistic; and the ring of the combined states, which is in the middle, belongs to the fickle minded and the intermediary. At the top is the spirit, at the bottom is matter. In the middle is the state of combination of matter and spirit.

The mind embodies the mixed state and receives impressions from above and below, due to which it gets movement. It is called fickle on account of this movement. As it is a mixed state, being in the middle, it has the natural qualities of effecting similarity, equality and harmony. So, when it turns its face downwards it becomes likewise and, being fickle, it absorbs the influence for doing stupid things along with stupidity. Then it is called 'one engaged in action', and assumes a body.

In the same way when it turns its face towards the spirit which is called the causal body, it absorbs spirituality and becomes spiritual. There is ignor­ance in the spirit or soul, and as such, it becomes similar and equal to it, (i.e. ignorance) and is called ignorant.

Now remains the third and its own condition. We must remember in this connection that as it is the sum total of the mixed condition of light and darkness, it gets motion when it remains in its own position due to the effect of both the rings. So it becomes fickle in this peculiar circumstance and is called as such.

Why have the people of this world been afraid to say that the soul is ignorant? There have been many wise men, saints, sages, prophets and devotees in this world so far. But none of them have ever said that the soul is ignorant, because:

(i) to deviate from the old and trodden path would take their breath away!

(ii) those who wanted to say something new feared infamy. They were more mindful of the punishment inflicted by the society. They dared not come out of the social or religious circle. Going against the decisions of community, religion or society was considered to be a sin!

(iii) All of them have said so, no doubt, but none has said it openly. None removed the veil. A curtain of mystery and secrecy was dropped on the face of Reality. Even if they hinted at this they did so in their inner circle, and to a limited society. A man who understood it was eulogised, and one who did not understand it was also praised.

(iv) They introduced such practice and meditation by which man's mind would rise high, and his heart would become magnanimous. Contact with the pure and the holy was considered essential. It may just be possible that with such practices a man would know the reality of his own accord. No clarification or elucidation of reality was made except these practices. They restricted their mind only to such proverbs and stories, but reality cannot be known if there is fear or scepticism.

Not knowing a thing is ignorance. Knowing is the function of the mind, which is in the middle, and is a combined state. Where there is mixture and combination there arise differential categories. How can there be any necessity and possibility of contemplation and thinking where there is only one thing? Spirit and matter - both are devoid of the attribute of knowing. Or even if there is this attribute it is in the seed form. The mind above can pierce through it and is capable of knowing them. There is oneness and steadiness in spirit, which is called Causal Body here. When the mind leans towards it, it absorbs its impressions and becomes like it.

You go into the state of deep sleep every day. What do you know there? Nothing! This is the daily experience, but on waking up from deep sleep the mind is reminded of its existence. The reason is that the mind takes with it the particular mixed influences in the form of impressions. There is no doubt that it merges in the soul, but it conveys its impression on its return. And what is that impression? Awareness of unconsciousness, a sense of senselessness, and knowledge of ignorance! What does it say excepting this? Ask and it would explain to you of its own accord. One's own personal experience, though it is empty knowledge, is a thousand times better than book knowledge or hearsay knowledge.

When two things combine a third condition is produced, and that thing gets its work done through both with the help of discrimination. These three things are clearly found in the mind in working condition. But all these three things lie suppressed in the soul in the state of ignorance in seed form. All these things appear like one only. Mix the dung of a buffalo and the urine of an Ass and keep it in the sun; Scorpions are born and they will begin to eat the dung and drink the urine. The mind too does the same thing. The peculiarity of being Jeeva is, in reality, related to the mind only. If there is no mind how can it be a Jeeva? This mind is the mixed condition of three kinds of bodies. As long as this mind exists Jeeva also exists. But the mind is not called Jeeva. The combination of the Soul, mind and body is called Jeeva. If there were no soul and body there would not have been the mind at all. It has no independent existence. Its existence comes into manifestation only on their combination.