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by
Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL
No. 107
January : 2010
THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF BRAHMAN- THE PIVOT OF THE COSMOS
Based on lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty
As we have noticed recently, there is definitely a growing interest amongst people coming from different lands and background to understand the sanatan philosophy, its core concept and its impact on life. These are not the people who wish to get converted, or looking for a guru, or skeptical or even pure academicians. They do not come with any preconceived agenda. You might have noticed that they are ordinary people like you and me, saddened by the way of the present world, general deterioration in human behaviour, yet full of optimism and hope. The predominant thought in the minds of present generation seems to be more of an exploration. Can a philosophy flowing down from the earliest days of human consciousness, fortified by the collective wisdom of million minds possibly give them some answers?
Gurus may quickly jump to provide an answer that yes, the sanatan philosophy indeed has addressed and has answers to problems of life. But the persons we are talking about would like to discover and realize it themselves. They ask delightfully incisive questions not on mundane run of the mill problems, but on the ‘vicAra’ or basic foundation to verify. This is a very welcome sign.
It is true that for people born and brought up in this part of the world already possess a traditional foundation inbuilt unto them to understand adhyAtma or the knowledge of Brahman. For others it may be an initial challenge. But adhyatma does not remain confined to a particular level of consciousness or back ground. Everybody’s source is the same. The Hiranyagarbha or the cosmic womb is the womb of all. Hence eventually all have the potential to understand and realize their own source.
The pivot of sanatan philosophy is Brahman. Such people often begin asking the question ‘what is Brahman?’
For any person at that stage, Brahman does not mean much as it may be understood by people like us who at least have some traditional background. As it is, to understand Brahman is like an unlit lamp trying to understand the effulgence of the sun in the sky. But to ask a question like what is Brahman which is the very basis of sanatan philosophy is also quite natural. The problem is, what answer do you give to people who have no basic idea, yet which should be somewhat comprehensible to keep their interest alive yet shall be true enough to that intricate subject?
Some will surely say there is no such definite answer that can cover the full concept of Brahman which is true. But what should be first lesson to begin with?
Let us take some help from the Vedas especially the Yajurveda. Remember that I have often said that there is no question which might cross the human mind that has not been addressed in The Vedas. I say this with great amount of pride as well as humbleness.
In Yajurveda we have an Upanishad called Taittiriya Upanishad. This Upanishad is very appropriate for students – students who are desirous of acquiring the knowledge of Brahman. To the beginners what good it is to say Brahman is Om or Satchidananada or Purushottama? To understand these concepts one needs some basic lessons.
The first portion of Taittiriya Upanishad is called very appropriately SiksAvalli or treaties of lessons.
There, one definition of Brahman given is:
Satyam jnAnam anantam Brahma.
The foremost thing to understand about Brahman is that it is satyam or truth absolute. Brahman is the inherent truth about every thing as opposed to falsity, un reality, impermanence etc. But what indeed is truth absolute? Everything in a way is truth. It is day now or night now is truth. I am happy is truth or I am unhappy is also truth. But these statements of truth are conditional truths as they are true under particular conditions of place, time and individual perception -sthAna, kAla or pAtra specific. They change as conditions change.
But only that statement which remains unchanged under all conditions, unaffected by arguments, can only be truth absolute. Whatever evades logic, does not satisfy intelligence and fails to answer all questions is not Brahman.
Then it is JnAnam. The translation of jnAnam as knowledge is not exactly correct. Gnosis is a better word. It is not information but awareness and consciousness. It is that state of mind where everything has an explanation- where all contradictions dissolve away.
Definitions of truth and knowledge of ten confuse us. They happen to be both sides of the same coin. I give you this example- Jiva or individual soul going through birth and death is truth. But each birth and death has a divine purpose as cyclic stages of development for betterment towards Brahman realization is jnAnam.
Kasmin nu vijnAte sarvamidam vijnAtam bhavati iti? What is that when known, everything is known? What is that knowledge that holds answer to all questions? The answer is Brahman.
All questions like who am I?, all ‘why’s , ‘what’s, and ‘how’s of everything are answered there.
That leads us to the third definition. If Brahman has to be truth about everything –repeat everything- and source of all jnAnam – repeat all, then He can not be limited. He is Anantam, limitless. That which encompasses all – repeat again all – is Brahman. Everything emanates from him. He contains everything and remains as everything.
If this were not so and something is left outside the purview of Brahman then truth will not be whole truth but partial truth. Knowledge will not be full knowledge but partial knowledge only.
When this limitless one ness concept is applied, all questions and all contradictions are set to rest.
Punam adah – Brahman is the totality of everything.
Purnam idam. Purnat purnam udacyate – All that we see around in their totality is Brahman as they are all extensions of Brahman. Everything is Brahman.
When one understands Brahman, one understands Allah, one understands God. Nothing remains further to be understood. There are no conflicting views. Is’nt the true state of peace is cessation of all contradictions?
The Upanishad goes on to say:
EtasmAdAtmana AkAsah sambhutah. AkAsAt vayuh. Vayorgnih.AgnerApah.Adbhyah prthivi. Prithivya osadhayah. Osadhivyah annam.AnnAt purusah etc.
From this, that is Brahman, space came to be. From space air, from air came energy or fire. From fire came water. From water came land and from land food is produced. Food is the source of man and therefore all beings. Thus everything came from Brahman and Brahman is everything.
Thus the question is not what is Brahman. But the question is ‘what is not Brahman?’. The answer is ‘nothing’.
This oneness concept, revealed to us from earliest of times is the mantra for the world- nay the whole creation.
How does this oneness concept affect us in our personal lives?
When there is negative vibe between two people we often wonder why does Brahman in one aspect can have ill feeling against Himself because the otherside is also HIM in another aspect?
Here is our ignorance playing the trick. Brahman undergoes no feelings –either good or bad. When such vibes come to surface both the embedded souls are always responsible because of their own levels of understanding. We have discussed this before. What is more, from practical view there is a significant point to ponder here.
Ill feeling between the jivas is never permissible in God’s way of things- mutual cooperation is. So when there is ill feeling between the two, even if one feels he is right and the otherside is wrong, both are indeed acting against Brahman. Both the bodies are not fulfilling their respective responsibilities and wrongly playing their roles.
This is a very pathetic situation to be in and rationalize. To tackle this, one must understand that all feelings arise from the physical sense organs located in the body. The signal here from Brahman is quite clear. Eschew hostility and return to love. It is required from both sides but each being at different levels of spiritual consciousness each takes its own time. The embedded soul which heeds the signals and goes into the correction mode, rises spiritually to become a better being. If this does not happen, the present bodies show up their incapability to do so and eventually need to be discarded. There is no need for individuals in this creation who do not contribute to the purpose of the creation. If the present body under the present conditions can not overcome the negative effects, then it is time for changeover to a different body under different conditions- a different environment where such negativity looses its effect under new conditions. The bodies are then destroyed for their betterment.
Once evil feeling has set into a relationship, unless it is quickly removed, is a sure sign that the end of that life is near and staring at you. All evil jiva’s meet their ignominious destruction without the gain in their spiritual stature. How we feel about others, affects our very life span. As mutual love towards all supports life, feeling of hostility destroys our life.
To understand the importance of non-enmity towards all The Bhagavad Gita gives clear advice. When the Lord revealed to Arjuna his cosmic universal vision He showed how the entire cosmos is included in his grand design all constituents being inherent parts of Him only. Then in the final sentence He says:
Nirvairah sarvabhutesu yah sa mAm eti pAndava
Those who want to reach me, (mAm eti) they have to be Nirvairah sarvabhutesu- without enmity or hostility towards all jivas – inter-alia towards Brahman too. When everything is Brahman alone, where is the place for hostility?
How much more telling a message could be!
Is it possible to eliminate all hostility? Perhaps it is extremely difficult. But peace and happiness is where nirvairahbhava (absence of enmity) is there. Misery and destruction lies where vairabhava (enmity) is there. Vairabhava propels you towards your doom. The intelligence to chose is with you.
