by Sri Bmal Mohanty
VOL No. 24
Nov.& Dec. 2002

THE PATH OF PROGRESS

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

And finally if every thing is enveloped by Isa-the Lord, where is the question of any one remaining outside Isa?

So when we talk of our efforts to be with Bramhan, one thing gets established, that we are already in Bramhan.

So what is it we are trying to explain in the name of development or evolution?

When we are talking of merging with the Bramhan we are not talking of any kind of mixing of two ingredients. We simply mean the full realization of this fact that we are indeed in Bramhan. It is the degree of this Chetana, this realization, this transformation of mind into an exalted superior state, where everything is full and pure knowledge, total consciousness or Sampoorna Atmabodha is how Mokshya is explained. It is already there. The mind and the inner soul or Jivatma have only to realise the state of Satchidananda.

How does the inner soul - the Jivatma- progresses in its path towards Satchidananada? It does not happen overnight. Contrary to popular belief that the enlightened ones get a sudden vision and then become enlightened, it is really not so. The journey from here to the ultimate is indeed a continuous process of development. It is as Sri Aurobindo implies it, is a case of evolution and involution of mind. Other philosophers have also expressed similar views.

We are constantly walking on the path of development which happens to be our very nature, and our unquestionable goal is the union with Paramatma. There is never a break in this journey. There may be setbacks but never a halt.

In our Sanatana philosophy this Goal of ours, which is also described as Brahmatva, is explained as attaining a state of Brahmavastha. What is this state of Brahmavastha? It is a state of attaining supreme consciousness. The ultimate, all knowing, all capable and all encompassing consciousness of total knowledge. It is the Chetana ( consciousness) of all Chetanas. Chetana chetananam. Amongst all Chetanas the supreme Chetana beyond which nothing further is there to know.

That supreme consciousness is synonymous with Bramhan. As a matter of fact the definition of Bramhan is the sum total of all consciousness without any limiting factor.

This entire universe around us, every creation, whether living or non-living, is endowed with some consciousness. That is because everything that is created, phenomenal or subtle, is simply an expression of chetana or expression of this consciousness. Every element such as humans, plants, animals, mountains, earth, metals or elements each has a consciousness. Depending on the stage of development, they vary in degrees. But none is devoid of Chetana or consciousness. In humans this Chetana is more developed, more evolved than insects. But insects are also endowed with the same consciousness of the Bramhan in some small degree.

The process of development is nothing but gradually increasing this level of consciousness to that final level of total consciousness .

Body changes, mind develops, Viveka or the discerning power gets accentuated, knowledge grows and the development process continues non-stop and without a break.

This journey is a continuous journey - a spectrum of change. It is not like one chapter closing and another chapter opening.

In many of our spiritual writings we come across description of various demarcations of stages to explain, so to say, one stage of development being different from the other. The reason for this is precisely to highlight the dominant principles of such states of development.

This is perhaps understood more easily if we take examples from our own life. From the birth to the end of our present life, we have been undergoing constant and continuous changes all the time. What we were twenty years back or one month back, we are no more the same. Nor shall we be the same tomorrow or next year. A person passes through childhood, adolescence, youth and old age all so gradually. No one can say on such time and date the child became an adolescent or the youth became old. Yet we differentiate the various stages of life by giving them a name.

Same thing happens in this journey of development.

Understanding this various stages of development and their interlinking features helps the Sadhaka to watch his progress and keep his or her mind steady on the journey to the destination.

When we talk of development, we ofcourse talk about a total development and not development in parts. It is the spiritual evolution of the entire being that we all are. Development to be holistic must get registered in both body and mind .i.e in all the constituents that we are made of.

Earlier we have understood the various constituents of which we are all made of. Lord Krishna explained this in Bhagavad Gita these eight constituents .

Bhumiraponalo vayuh kham mano Buddhirevacha

Ahamkara itiyam me bhinna Prakritirastadha

Apareyamitastu anyam Prakritim biddhi me Param

Jivabhutam mahabaho yadyedam dharyate jagat.