KNOWLEDGE AND “I” CONSCIOUSNESS

On the Atmopadesa Satakam

The Atmopadesa Satakam is a unique text based on the personal experience of Narayana Guru. Hence there is no need to quote any other authority or scripture. It is a highly original work of contemplative literature.

Instead of reading a book, we utilise the natural psychological and cosmological structure of both the individual and the cosmos to attain the higher Self, or atman. While the title mentions atma, there is no mention of the word “Brahman” in the text. The composition ends with the words, “One should gently, gently merge in sat-aum.

The first verse begins with the word arivu which is translated as Knowledge. Since we are always aware of our knowledge, we have a ladder to ascend and descend to various levels of consciousness. For example we can use the language of physics to relate with the wakeful world (jagrat); we can use poetic language to explore the dream world (svapna); and we can use prophetic mystical language to explore the deep sleep state (susupti); finally we keep silent and absorb ourselves into the fourth state (turiya).

Thus all states are transformation of Knowledge, which is the same as our atman assuming many nama (name) and rupa (form) modifications to shine as the world “outside” and the “idea” inside. Actually there is no inside or outside but when mind loses its concentration tri-basic error, triputi splits consciousness into knower, knowledge and known. The limiting adjuncts, upadhis, of space and time limit the infinite and eternal nature of consciousness.

The tad-padartha is always infinite and eternal; its own non-existent negative state is the cause of the appearance of the universe. This is like the shadow that is cast by an object. Only light exists, the shadow is an absence of light. We know very well that the solidity of material objects dissolves when analysed. Finally the search does not attain certainty, but comes to probability.

In the case of sat-aum we have an ontological basis of our own existence. This is absolutely certain. The scientific notion of time and space is flawed. Even Einstein did not differentiate between space and time. Henri Bergson pointed out that time is not measurable like space. Time is a quality and not a quantity. Time is a mood and not the ticking of the clock. Space is curved and the universe can be thought of as a sphere. Now we can revalue our understanding of ananta the Infinite becoming limited due to the upadhi of space which allows things to exist, including the universe. This aspect of creation is mechanical and repetitive like a machine. Due to entropy it will eventually transform all its energy.

Eternal time, anadi, is the witnessing consciousness, the eternal present, the dialectical moment, the saksi silently witnessing like the bird which does not eat fruit in the Munduka Upanisad (verse 1). The different times (geological, historical, cosmological) are a product of the human intellect and are based on movement in space. It is not real absolute time at all, but an artificially designed system to manage the transactional world. This brings us back to Knowledge as the unifying factor, since we cannot stand apart from our knowledge and say that we know. Who am I? I am my knowledge. My knowledge and my “I” are the same. Therefore I am my Knowledge.

Verse 99 of the Atmopadesa Satakam says:

Knowledge and I-consciousness (the self spoken of as “I”) are one and the same to a person for whom the veil of ignorance is removed. To one whose intelligence is still veiled, there will be many hesitations to admit this identity. If the “I” could stand apart from Knowledge, there would not be anyone to know Knowledge.

ISLANDS OF NEUTRALITY

A century is less than a wink of the eye in the flux of eternity. But for humanity a century encompasses an entire lifetime.

Public mindedness is avoided by a contemplative. At the same time, a glance at the contemporary Weltanschauung will be helpful. Marshal McLuhan had realised that the medium used to transmit information influences the message. From oral traditions to hand-written books, to the printing press to radio, then television and now social media, genuine knowledge gets submerged in a tsunami of information making it difficult to distinguish between the pleasing and the truthful. Culture is abstracted in terms of ancient, medieval, modern, post modern, post-post modern and now transmodernism, which is founded by Argentinian-Mexican philosopher Enrique Dussel. Instant global communication influences the opinion of young minds, not mature enough to understand the dialectical basis of conflicting issues. Space is no longer considered absolute and blends with the digital dimension into what Manuel Castells terms “space of flows”. Al Gore’s documentary on climate change titled “An Inconvenient Truth” highlighted the adverse effect of modern living on the environment. In an increasingly fragmented, multipolar world, belligerent leaders grab headlines, and speak in aggressive tones. Strife and conflict arise out of basic ignorance of the Self, and “when Self-knowledge shrinks, then ignorance is fearful”. (Darsana Mala I.7). The valorisation of vita activa, “the active person”, encourages people to push and shove “the other” out of the way. Where “might is right” contemplation, the source of culture all over the world, is smothered, resulting in the loss of inner peace, outer harmony and creative imagination. The contemporary Korean-German philosopher Byung-Chul Han describes the relentless striving for achievement and excessive positivity as the “burnout society”.

During the 16th century the collaboration between mathematics and physics enabled scientists to gain control over nature. Technological innovations improved the standard of living in material terms, and much ‘wealth’ was accumulated by exploiting natural resources and setting up market economies. There is a dangerous hubris lurking in modern man’s technological ability, and in the midst of material abundance hides deep discontent, insecurity, and unhappiness. The institutionalisation of knowledge in the form of universities catering to utilitarian values overlooks the humanities in favour of science, technology and commerce. In an expanding market economy, knowledge itself becomes commodified. Specialisation fragments and compartmentalises knowledge. The absence of a common frame of reference makes it difficult for integral understanding. Metaphysics and aesthetics have been replaced by analytical subjects. Ritualism and commercialism creep into the domain of pure contemplation. A dilemma looms before humanity due to the failure of science to provide certitude regarding fundamental questions, which should correctly be a philosopher’s domain. Traditional Vedanta texts, on the other hand, lack scientific knowledge, crucial for understanding the modern world. A priori wisdom is rooted in traditional lore, while a posteriori science is formulated in the laboratory. To correctly correlate the two and arrive at unitive understanding, normalisation and renormalisation is necessary. A healthy sober-mindedness is called for in the present age when norms must spell one world understanding.

“Where is happiness? Where is rest from the fever of life? Where is the image of perfection? Where is the fountain-source of wisdom from which a thirsty traveller can drink? Where is that luminous something, in which we can live apart and be free — free from a sense of want and suffering”? (Word of the Guru p.3). “Vita contemplativa”, the contemplative, follows a negative rather than a postive form of teaching and a weaning process so as to avoid error in thought and thereby error in action. By paying attention to the problems of the individual all conflicts can be resolved. The absence of clear norms leads to a confusion of values. The authoritative Word of the Guru saves humanity from aimlessly drifting in the ocean of phenomenality. Narayana Guru’s Universal Prayer, Daiva Dasakam, begins by addressing God as the navigator who steers the devotee out of the ocean of becoming.

Necessity is an inevitable and unavoidable aspect of life. It is to be kept at the minimum without encroaching into contemplative life. The Roman philosopher Cicero said, “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” The poet Wordsworth lamented, “Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers”. A human being is not a machine, or a computer, nor a product of Artificial Intelligence. The Self is the value-substance residing in the innermost core of each and every human being. These values are universal and intrinsic to life. Even animals can differentiate a kind person from an unkind one. The “good life” is therefore not cluttered with material possessions, but enriched with contemplation.

Perennial wisdom is preserved by the collective unconscious of humanity. Wisdom is readily accessible to the intuitive eye of the compassionate Guru, who penetrates the veil of the ever-transforming phenomena, and guides humanity towards universal brotherhood, peace and lasting happiness. This is not a mere fancy, but a well-grounded Science of the Absolute, available to each and everyone, irrespective of their background. In fact, wisdom is the underlying fabric of humanity. Nobody is denied entry into the palace of wisdom. All that is required is to shed one’s false identification and conditioning, abandon any personal axe to grind, and open one’s contemplative inner eye to perceive the numinous core which shines within and without. One should adopt the attitude of Absolute Neutrality to Truth without any one-sided exaggeration or distortion.

Structuralism, dialectical methdology, and Unitive Understanding are terms used aid the thinking process. “Revaluation” and “restatement” refer to the methodology used by all teachers which gives continuity and relevance to humanity’s precious and ancient wisdom heritage. In this way wisdom is taken forward, breaking new epistemological and methodological ground. If such a way is not popular, it is, as John Locke said, “. . .without any other reason but because they are not already common”. In his Autobiography Nataraja Guru himself noted “. . .these views of mine stood isolated because of the new lines of epistemology, methodology and axiology that I had developed with some bold originality derived from the Guru wisdom of ancient Upanishadic lore”.

It is therefore imperative that perennial wisdom be available in the contemporary idiom so that a “revolution in understanding” is more widely appreciated. While imitation is easy, it takes courage and a genuine love for the welfare of humanity to delve into the foundation of Truth, refresh the epistemology and correct the methodolgy regarding fundamental principles. In the Introduction to his commentary on the philosophical masterpiece, Atmopadesa Satakam, Nataraja Guru describes a new world outlook “which is neither Eastern nor Western, neither ancient nor modern, neither academic nor religious, neither pragmatic nor sentimental. Let the Guru be praised for such and open and dynamic outlook”. Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati’s writings are a prime example of lingua mystica translated into lingua scientifique. The response to the basic question, ko aham, “Who am I?” is, “I am a questioning, recalling, figure-structuring, ensemble-interpreting, experience-evaluating consciousness, which becomes elated or sick through its own ability to project divine or diabolical phantoms that pass for the reality of the here and now”.

Universal Selfhood includes all opposites which is none other than that value of all values the Absolute. There is need for “islands of neutrality”, as havens for truth seekers, lovers of humanity, anyone eager to breathe the atmosphere of freedom in living terms, those who abhore violence in any form, and care for the welfare of all. It is a neutral space that abides in the measurlessness, timelessness, pure duration of eternity. One has to neutralise those tendencies which promote divisiveness arising out of ignorance, engender people endowed with a philosophical eye, trained and enabled to speak without ignorance, prejudice or bigotry. Guru wisdom is actualised by its application in the here and now. Thus happiness prevails within these islands of neutrality set in the troubled sea of restless humanity, and are sanctuaries for lovers of truth and wisdom.

AUM TAT EVA SAT

HEARTBEATS OF HAPPINESS

HEARTBEATS OF HAPPINESS

Every beat of my heart is a pulsation which both seeks and fulfils  the meaning of life. The source and the destination are the same.  The end is also the beginning.  

Happiness is the fundamental motivation behind every decision I make.  The thirst  for Knowledge underlies all my activities.  Seeking Truth is  a lengthy process where consistency matters more than haste.  One has to be relentless. 

The march of time matures my mind, and ages my body.  Time  spent in self-cultivation, meditation and contemplation enriches me and deepens my understanding, while the consequences of sensual indulgence result inevitable bitter fruit.  The world  is a vast, spread out in all directions, offering myriad opportunities for enjoyment. The hierarchy of Values is also a hierarchy of enjoyment ranging from the crude to the refined.  We appreciate the company of highly cultured people while we tend to avoid the noisy and the vulgar. 

But life  is not so simple and straightforward. It has the unpredictability of a mystery, and a lurking uncertainty of a paradox.

When I ask myself what is the most cherished value in my life? I respond that my most precious value is Wisdom and Happiness. I would like to live in peace and goodwill.  I would like to enjoy my own creativity, experience my own uniqueness. At the same time I would like to be in the fraternity of the Universal in which all differences are effaced into unity. 

An oscillation takes place between the generic and the specific.  This is similar to a pulsation which is the structural foundation of life itself, ranging from the beat of the heart to the expanding Galaxy.  A pulse of thought emerges from  the deep unconsciousness, to which we return again and again in deep sleep.  We aspire for  transcendence which lifts us above duality and grants us liberation  from the bondage of necessity. Journeys need not be linear, it is important to make quantum leaps.  

The Absolute is the Unlimited, beyond  categories.  One keeps silent and becomes a listener. One moves away from the chaos of the busy world.  By turning one’s gaze inwards one discovers one’s true “home”. This is like sitting in your cottage in the countryside which has doors, windows and mirrors.  Aldous Huxley called the senses “the doors of perception.”  In the Upaniṣads an individual is described as having  ‘nine doors’.

But the ‘doors of perception’ are also the “projectors of the phenomena we call  ‘the world’”.  This is a great wonder! The mind is a great magician, which has the capacity to conjure up names for the objects we perceive outside and for the thoughts and emotions that arise within.  This “naming process” in turn generates  the world experience.  This is like a cybernetic feedback loop in which the mind and the world participate.

This also means greater generalisation and abstraction as we go deeper into fundamental  principles,  while descriptive words give content to the variety of our experiences. In this process the mind and senses act like handmaidens and artisans. 

Tracing our personal knowledge back to its source is called contemplation. Again we are in a cybernetic feedback loop, this time within ourselves. We study the Upaniṣads to remove our ignorance which misleads us; in turn the Upaniṣads provide us with knowledge about Brahman which guides us. All relationships are dialectical with reciprocity and complementarity between counterparts. There is symmetry. Where there is symmetry and harmony, the heart beats in happiness.

TWO PATHS

TWO PATHS

In the Philosophy of Yoga, Swami Veda Bharati says, “Yoga philosophy believes that nothing happens in the body without its first happening in the mind. Nothing whatsoever. You sow certain seeds in your mental personality. You drop a seed in the soil of your mind, where it grows; it becomes either a mango tree or a Mulberry tree, poison ivy or a rose, whichever one you wish to sow. If you sow a rose, it is a rose that grows from you. You have placed in your mind the raw material of you thought.  Each thought once placed in the mind becomes the raw material for a further thought. For example, the very sentence you have just read has now been placed in your mind. It’s impressions having been stored in the mind becomes the raw material for a subsequent thought. Some other thoughts will arise out of it, consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly, depending on how much the seed thought is watered, how much you contemplate it, how much you strengthen it. Every act you perform with your body is a thought.  Every act you perform with your speech, too, is a thought planted in your mind.

This is where hatha yoga and meditation connect. Every act a person performs with his body becomes a thought planted in his mind. It is a new karma, a new act being planted in the mind. A person plants lazy thoughts in his mind every time he slouches. That lazy thought becomes the seed or raw material for a further thought. So it becomes a habit. So he lies comfortably on a pillow and does not want to get up for the next morning‘s asanas. And when he finally does get up it is too late, and hungry or not hungry, by force of habit he reaches for the mother’s breast, or a substitute called the refrigerator, to gain emotional security and treat himself to a surrogate suckling. That is the psychology of unnecessary eating. And we all do this sort of thing continuously.”

One has to set aside time for self discipline. The most auspicious time is “brahma muhurta”, about 1 hour and 36 minutes before sunrise. To remove ignorance, one has to ponder over wisdom teachings. The Gita (Chapter 2, verse 40) says that even a little knowledge of brahmavidya, or the science of the Absolute, saves a person from great fear:

“In such (a path) there is no forfeiture of any merit, nor is there involved any demerit by transgression.  Even a little of such a way of life saves one from great apprehension”.

The Bible says a little leaven leaveneth the lump. We use only a teaspoon of curd to convert a pot full of milk. It is said that spirituality is an intention, an orientation, towards a certain goal in life. In actual life we are faced with Necessity with a capital N. Spirit is enmeshed in Prakriti or Nature and so everybody is human to begin with. We live happily when we respect the laws of nature. Conversely we suffer when these laws are violated.

The Gita (Chapter 4, verse 22) refers to a person who is satisfied by chance gains:

“Satisfied with chance gains, unaffected by conflicting pairs (of interests), non-competitive, remaining the same in gain or no gain, he remains unbound in spite of having been active.”

The psychologist Jung distinguished personalities as extroverts and introverts. In the Gita there is reference to pravrtti marga, or positive way, and nivrtti marga, the negative way. Wisdom seekers tend to be introverts following the nivrtti marga, or the negative way. This method was known to pre-Socratic philosophers in the west as well. The “negative way” refers to a certain unforced, non-interfered-with naturalness wherein situations arrive by themselves within the normal or natural course of a person’s life. Each person has to decide which of these paths he or she will take.

Pra means ‘different’ and vrtti stands for ‘citta vrtti’, or thoughts. During normal, everyday activity the mind is occupied with something or other and thoughts are constantly changing. Procuring more and more things such as building one house after another, buying one car after the other; pursuing many activities, and meddling in the affairs of other people are sure signs of pravrtti.  On the pravrtti path one constantly experiences suffering, misunderstandings, disappointment, changes and pain. 

To be on the path of nivrtti means that we have accomplished our tasks or fulfilled our desires and have deliberately chosen a life of peace and quiet. To be sure, there are still things to do such as making meals, washing, and cleaning house, but one does not allow oneself to become too involved in activities. 

One must become ‘nivrtt’ not only outwardly, but also inwardly. The antahkarana (inner organ) is full of desires and until one is free of them, one cannot come to nivrtti. One must gradually free oneself from pravrtti and settle in the nivrtti path, which leads to liberation and quenches the soul’s thirst for knowledge.

One is reminded of Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken,”

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

The Gita teaches that even though one is active and in the thick of affairs, one should adopt a certain detached attitude which keeps one free from entanglement. One should allow life to follow the natural course of events.

The answer to the question whether a person is happy or not depends on whether he or she is still harbouring desires or whether one has arrived at inner peace.  Happiness is the natural consequence of peace. The negative way of renunciation and relinquishment is at odds with modern trends which promote competition, goal oriented action, acquisition, individualism, scepticism, and materialism.  

The Bhagavad Gita is the best guide to attain peace and happiness through a proper understanding of oneself and the cosmos in which one dwells. The words of Krishna lead us safely through the complications and contradictions of the world. India’s greatest contribution to the world is the wisdom enshrined in the Upanisads and systematised through the Vedanta philosophy.

CONTEMPLATION

The body acts, the mind doubts and the intellect contemplates. The organs of action, like restless horses, eagerly engage with the objective world. The mind emerges as a series of questions and doubts, “why, how, when, where”, etc. The intellect comprehends, and is the seat of contemplation. The Self is the hidden splendour, the foundation of existence, subsistence and value (sat-cit-ananda).

When the mind and body are active, contemplation is subdued; and when a person contemplates, the mind is withdrawn and the body remains passive. The psychophysical functioning of the body/mind complex is the basis of transactional life. Modernity has created a world dominated by machines which amplify and outperform human physical actions. Artificial Intelligence is beginning to engage in mental tasks. Consequently, human progress is measured in terms of the machines that are designed, owned, operated, or intrigue one’s imagination. Under such circumstances the self-sustaining peace of contemplation is replaced by the overt, restless demands of mechanistic life, which transforms organic life into a functioning cog in the complex world of machinery.

Machines are dumb; contemplation opens doors and windows of the mind, welcoming intimations of transcendence. Contemplative values fill us with wonder and joy, which eclipse the urges of the mind and impulses of the body towards fleeting values. Contemplation is qualitative, while action is quantitative. Action is measured in terms of how much, how many; contemplation belongs to the domain of timeless value, free from quantification. 

Action implies agency, and hence the question arises, who is the doer? According to the Bhagavad Gita, Nature does all action. Human beings deluded by their ego identity, imagine themselves as doers. The sense of agency crystallises the stream of consciousness forming an existential ego. Contemplation, on the other hand, dissolves the ego, releasing a person from the snares and temptations of the phenomenal. Verse 9 of the Atmopadesa Satakam describes the contemplative as passively witnessing both the art and science of phenomenality. 

The hustle culture of the modern world sends the wrong message and traps young people into endless cycles of slavish work. The goal of happiness vanishes like a mirage in the desert. Instead, contemplation merges the personal ego with the transcendental witness through a process of osmosis. The transcendental and self-luminous witness is fully aware of the changeless reality that appears to be the changing universe, ranging from a cosmic nebula or the birth of an individual. 

A life well-lived intertwines action moderated by contemplation. The contemplative individual merges their personal ego with the transcendental witness, fostering a profound awareness of the changeless reality underlying the apparent flux of the cosmos. This synthesis allows the contemplative to express genuine happiness through their actions, transcending the superficial pursuits that often trap individuals in the relentless pace of the modern world.

SELF INQUIRY

Self-inquiry matures into self-mastery. When Knowledge is liberated from the stupor of Self-forgetfulness, one realises one’s true nature. Ignorance is not static. It has the power to confuse one’s understanding, leading to the error of mistaking the unreal for the real. The illusion is perpetuated through the senses and the mind, which are the instruments of a cosmo-psychological projection. The basis of illusion is beginingless ignorance, anadi avidya. The antidote is positive Self-remembrance (atma-vidya) to overcome the negation of forgetfulness. 

A normative notion provides the beacon to navigate the ocean of phenomenality. A normative notion is a priori and axiomatic, established by a reliable source. Time is the test of reliability. Perennial philosophy is the treasure house preserving the gems of word wisdom. Faith is unconscious insight, and insight is conscious faith. Insights are founded on faith wherever culture has established a foothold. Wisdom is universal, and wisdom resources are preserved in the collective unconscious of humanity. Dr. Mees writes, ”Humanity has a treasure-bourse with many rooms, full of monuments, images and scriptures, containing teachings in the language of symbols, and further rituals, ceremonies and customs, and orally transmitted traditions to draw upon”.

Modern society has become overtly positive and has obscured the value of negation. The polarised opposites of positive and negative have a simultaneity of origin and a binary interaction between them. Thus waking and sleeping, work and rest, study and recreation, subject and object, necessity and freedom, are interdependent dialectical counterparts. They have parity. Any lopsidedness leads to disharmony. When the polar opposites are balanced, we experience a neutral harmony which is the same as joy. 

The same dialectical principle applies to the Self and non-Self. These are known as atma and anatma in Sanskrit. Self-knowledge is atmavidya.  Avidya, ignorance, is beginningless. Positive instruction from a Master is needed to dispel its negative influence. The words of instruction are, “tat tvam asi”, “That Thou Art”. Darkness may exist for thousands of years but light needs only a fraction of a second to vanquish darkness. Darkness is not dispelled in stages, but disappears all at once on the arrival of light. Similarly, a person may be ignorant about the Self, but the moment right understanding dawns, ignorance vanishes instantaneously. 

Inspite of receiving instructions, there is no guarantee that ignorance will be removed. For the instructions to be effective, a person needs to discipline himself or herself. This is like preparing the soil before planting a seed. If the soil is fertile the seed germinates. Otherwise it perishes. Words of wisdom also need a receptive mind that has been cultivated, purified and cultured. Guidance is provided by those who have travelled the path before, in the recorded wisdom of every culture, in fables, myths, and of course, scriptures. Over the course of human history, several authorities have claimed to envision truth. The test of truth is its validity over time. Perennial truth is eternal. Phenomenal time flows continuously like a stream. The stream of consciousness is not constant, but continuously undergoes fluctuations such as waking, dreaming and deep sleep. In fact, the universe itself is a continuous process with a complexity that is impossible to grasp holistically. All creatures acquire partial understanding of particular aspects, but nobody knows the totality. In searching for total knowledge, one is faced with a profound mystery and sense of wonder. 

The universe is governed by the laws of nature. Matter is deterministic. Freedom emerges with sentience, having a hierarchy from plants to human beings. Human being possess the faculty of understanding with which they are able to understand and master the forces of nature. But there lurks danger of misunderstanding which does not afflict the animal or vegetable world. A plant follows sensation, and there is no possibility of error; an animal follows instinct and therefore does not make mistakes. There are possibilities of accidental destruction, but plants and animals do not wilfully make mistakes. They do not doubt. 

Human beings, on the other hand, are prone to errors in judgements, and mishaps in their actions. A glance at the daily newspaper is enough to convince us of human folly.. Therefore every culture inculcates dharma, or principles of right conduct. As long as cultures developed independent of each other, several modes of living were practiced. But modernity has “flattened” the world creating a criss-cross cultural pattern so complicated as to confuse sane people. With the too much stress on utilitarian values and a positive outlook, humanity is in danger of a “burnout.”

Happiness is the universal goal, and joy is inherent within the person. Due to ignorance a person imagines happiness to inhere in the inert world of objects. Self-enquiry is the first step to liberate oneself from the labyrinth of inner and outer illusions, proliferating due to ignorance of the meaning of life. The basic question is ko aham? “Who am I” ?

In response to this basic question, Guru Nitya writes, “I am a questioning, recalling, figure-structuring, ensemble-interpreting, experience-evaluating consciousness, which becomes elated or sick through its own ability to project divine or diabolical phantoms that pass for the reality of the here and now”.

MEDITATIONS ON DARSANA MALA

THESE NOTES ARE FROM OTHER SOURCES

The Darsana Mala presents us with both a vision, darsana and a structure, a garland, mala. A garland is suggestive of several symbolic values, held together by an invisible string. In the Bhagavad Gita Chap.7 verse 7 we find:

“In Me all this is strung as a classified series of precious stones on a string”.

There is an invisible string which unites the individuated values, which are placed in a linear fashion, in a hierarchy, in a reciprocal manner, with a symmetrical descent and an ascent. There is a pendant which is the most precious aspect of the garland. The two ends of the string are tied to form a complete circle, somewhat like the ouroboros symbol of a snake devouring is own tail. Thus the end is also the beginning, and vice versa, indicating eternity, a cancellation.

The first chapter is based on “adhyasa” (superimposition, false attribution), which is due to “a-dhi” or absence of the discriminative faculty or buddhi. Under such circumstances the colourful variegated world is seen as a projection from various points of view, ranging from divine will, innate potential, to the imaginative expression of an artist. This dynamism functions both at the manifest and unmanifest realms.

To arrest this hypnotic spell of the phenomenal, we point out the contradictory nature of the thought process. If we say it exists, it is sat; if we say it does not exist it is cit.

The first half of the Darsana Mala is looking inwards from outside; and the second half is looking outwards from inside.

WAVES IN THE OCEAN

Knowledge being the essential nature of human beings, the understanding of life necessarily involves knowledge. Knowledge is of two kinds: Eternal and transient. The reports read in the daily newspapers are largely transient, sometimes of a persisting kind, but non-eternal and subject to change. We know that problems will be solved, but the restless phenomenal world will give rise to new problems. These are like the waves of the ocean, rising and subsiding. Between the rising of events and their reemergence, human understanding interprets them with the help of various branches of knowledge. Each discipline will interpret events according to its own nomenclature. Thus the world presents a matrix of often competing or conflicting ideologies which influence the life experience of individuals in different ways. Often people maintain their superficial differences and are unable to integrate the universal.

The key to integration is found within the human personality itself. Know yourself, as Socrates said. Self-analysis reveals two centres: the Self, or atma, the immortal essence, and the ego, the non-Self, which is the locus for the changing world, with gross physical objects, and subtle mind which operates by thinking, willing and feeling. At one pole there is the changeless Being, and at the other the ceaseless, continuously changing Becoming. The ocean offers a good analogy: The continuous movement of waves on the surface of the ocean represents Becoming, while the changeless ocean is Being. They are both one, and different at the same time. This is the paradox of life in which opposites come together. There is a coincidence of opposites. There is a Witness, and also the continuous stream of thoughts and events that are experienced. In this way one can distinguish the characteristics of the phenomenal world “outside” and the psychological interpretation “inside”. It is a cosmo-psychological functionalism. Science has been concerned with studying the outside world, the objective side, usually by delimiting their study into various fields, such as physics, chemistry, sociology, etc. Scientific knowledge is gained through observation, through experiments. Interdisciplinary subjects bridge the divide. Spirituality has been traditionally concerned with studying the inner world of consciousness by closing one’s eyes, shutting out the outside world, by meditation and self-exploration.

Today science has made great progress, consequently the outer world has made inroads into human consciousness uprooting contemplative values that nourish the deeper recesses of life. To reclaim the inner world we need to integrate both poles by absorbing them into the neutral Self at the core of manifestation. Instead of getting distracting by accumulating information, we should experience the wonder of being alive, with its spontaneity and joy. Both the outside world and the inside world are transformations of one’s consciousness. One has to feel the great wonder of one’s own consciousness that is continuously modulating as the world outside and the idea inside. We are participating in the cosmic manifestation of the Absolute. It is a great wonder that the manifestation outside can reciprocate one’s innermost dreams and desires.

WORLDS OF DELIGHT

Culture is rooted in the land, blossoming like a fragrant flower, richly endowed with nectar and a source of delight. A flower is an expression of nature’s essence, with form, flavour and fragrance, symbolising creation’s innate beauty. The lotus is a prime example with its roots in the mud while its blossom unfolds into the freedom of the sky and reaches for the light of the sun. Flowers do nothing, but they change everything by their mere presence. Human being too have their negative roots mired in emotional sentimentalism, while they consciously or unconsciously aspire for the freedom of the spirit. The negative drag of life must be neutralised by compassion, empathy, friendliness, kindness and generosity. This will establish the basis for happiness, which is the chief end and final good of life, and is the same as Self-knowlege.

The blossoming flower expresses the essence of the botanical world, which itself is the essence of the physical world. The fragrance, form, and flavour, scent, beauty and sweetness, is a direct experience of the essence of creation. The gross enshrines the sublime. The ancient philosophers conceived an elemental gradation, from earth to ether, from gross to subtle. From the heavens, the radiation of sunlight and the influence of the altering phases of the moon, from the atmosphere the circulation of air and the moisture of rainfall, and from the earth nourishing nutrients, synthesised into nectar stored in the nectary of flowers.

Plants are considered the essence of the earth, human beings are the essence of plants and the essence of human beings is consciousness, with a content permeated with beauty. Amongst the elements luster, brilliance, dispersion, refraction and scintillation attribute to a gemstone’s overall beauty. The beauty of flowers relate to intricacy, specificity and consistency in shape. When it comes to human beings, beauty is deeper than mere physical form. Truth, goodness and beauty go together. Virtuous qualities give depth to the personality. Depth is the penetralia, an introspective parameter, into which the spread-out outer objective world collapses and metamorphoses into the meaning of the heart. Objective material things are converted into human values. Depth is the domain for an introspective dialogue. An attitude of reflection rather than reaction. Thinking before acting. Understanding before doing. This is the crucible of wisdom.

Human beings are endowed with the ability for inverse thinking, introspection, contemplation, and intuition. These innate faculties helps to avoid errors of various kinds, from optical illusions to philosophical fallacies. Our feet rest on the solid earth, providing stability while our minds soar into the realm of pure ideas. Everything is consciousness circulating and manifesting endless worlds of delight.

APPLIED WISDOM

APPLIED WISDOM

The Vedas, often regarded as the oldest scriptures in the world, originated from oral traditions before being transcribed into written form. The exact origin of Vedic culture remains a subject of debate among scholars, as its historical location has proven elusive to date. The mystery deepens with the discovery of the Harappan civilisation in the 1920s, which thrived along the Indus River. Archaeological findings reveal well-planned cities with advanced sanitation, public baths, and evidence of a society that enjoyed jewellery and children’s toys. However, the script of the Harappan civilisation remains undeciphered, creating a paradox where there are scriptures without archaeological evidence (Vedas) and archaeology without scriptures (Indus Valley Civilization). Indian culture can be seen as a fusion of these two distinct cultural streams.

The Vedas laid the foundation for Karma Kanda, the ritualistic aspect of Hinduism that many are familiar with. Originally, Vedic seers were poets who composed mantras extolling the gods, essentially saying, “You are great, and your deeds and gifts are great.” They believed that by reciting these mantras, the gods would be inclined to attend their sacrifices, known as yajnas. In return, the gods were expected to grant the worshippers’ requests. This deepened the significance of the spoken word, the mantra, and the utmost care was taken to avoid any mispronunciation. Over time, a reciprocal relationship developed between the gods and the sacrificers, with prominent deities such as Indra, Agni, and Soma. This established the basis of Karma Kanda, which persists today with various rituals performed for various purposes. However, as time passed, the prominence of Vedic gods waned, giving way to the worship of the Vishnu, his avatars, along with Lakhmi, and Shiva family with Parvathi, Ganesha Subrahmanya and Nandi the bull.  Bhakti too is understood by Karma Kanda as Upasana, or worshipping a deity by adoration and offerings, in the hope that ones wishes will be fulfilled,  and in Jnana Kanda as continuous reflection on one’s true nature,  the atman, and thereby dispelling  ignorance, the cause of the world phenomenon, samsara.  

A pivotal development that challenged the Vedic way of life was the emergence of Upanishadic teachings. These texts formed the foundation for Jnana Kanda, the path of wisdom. They were appended to the four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva) and collectively referred to as “Vedanta,” signifying the “anta” end or culmination of Vedic teachings. The central theme of the Upanishads is “brahmavidya,” the knowledge of Brahman, emphasising that understanding the nature of reality surpassed the importance of rituals. The argument was straightforward: why expend time and resources on temporary gains when enduring peace and lasting happiness can only be attained through “atma-vidya” or self-knowledge? Immortality, which is not the outcome of rituals, can only be realised through Self-knowledge by correcting one’s wrong identification with the transient world. Life inherently presents the problem of identity – the timeless questions of “Who am I?” and “Where did this world come from?” have intrigued seekers for ages. Even today, scientists explore the origins of the universe and the genesis of life, seeking to understand how it all transpired and for what purpose.

The Bhagavad Gita, Brahma-Sutras, and the Upanishads stand as the canonical texts of “Brahmavidya” or “The Science of the Absolute,” a term which makes this concept relevant to modern scientific thinking. While ancient societies readily accepted revealed knowledge, the contemporary mind has grown skeptical and impatient, expecting rapid results. Self-knowledge, however, requires time and introspection. The Upanishadic way emphasises meditation, contemplation of Guru’s teachings, and introspective thinking, characteristics shared with numerous ancient cultures, including Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, and Roman. This inward-looking, wisdom-centric culture promotes non-violence and renunciation.

In contrast, the industrial age fostered an expansionist mindset, leading to the conquest of vast territories and the exploitation of natural resources. This “might is right” approach has contributed to numerous global problems that threaten human existence. Today, the world faces a challenge in restoring humanity to the path of peace. The specific path of rituals and the universal path of wisdom should work together toward this shared goal.