by Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL No. 31
September. 2003

ATTEMPTS TO DESCRIBE BRAMHAN - Part 5

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

The nature is manifested around us in the form of this phenomenal universe, as this vishwa. So the creation itself becomes the classroom where we learn our lessons, so essential it is for our development. If we were not part of this creation, we would have no development, no where to learn, no where to atone our mistakes. Every obstacle, every setback, every happening around, brings us a lesson to learn. Those who learn quickly, develop faster.

What is the tool that we have? As agents we have been also provided with tools to carry out our work. Our bodies with their sense organs, their inherent qualities, the intellect, and the ego-self are indeed the most powerful tools with us. All our activities, our development is achieved by the use of our physical bodies, physical faculties and with divine guidance. Our body is our tool in our hands.

Dharmasadhanaarthaaya sariram.

As long as we maintain in good condition and make proper use of the body and its faculties in carrying out the ordained task and work towards our development, this tool remains with us. We remain ‘alive’ as commonly understood.

What does a worker do when he has not maintained his tool in good condition or has made improper use of it or there is natural wear and tear? He changes the tool and acquires a new tool, even perhaps with different features. Also if he has excelled in his skill and the work is being well performed, he may even deserve a better tool or a more sophisticated one. If he is unable to make proper use of it, he may get a simpler or inferior tool for some more time. It is like when you find your child good with numbers you give him a calculator. If he spoils it you may give him another rugged one. On the other hand if he is excelling you decide that he now deserves a computer.

This is what exactly happens with our bodily existence. As long as the body with its faculties are used and kept usable for the purpose it has been given to us, it remains with us. If there is misuse, decay, wear and tear or if we have not fared well, it is time for this tool to be taken away and a new tool to be given to us. So this physical existence is destroyed or changed to another more appropriate body for us to continue.

Ordinary people understand it as death, destruction, dissolution etc. where as it is a mere change of state for our benefit and for the universal benefit as well.

The important truth here is that, if I do not die at the appropriate stage there will be a halt to my development. ‘No death’ means ‘no further development’. Every death leads to another life, a vital necessity for me. It is so with everyone and everything in the creation. Sristi, sthiti and pralaya are thus merely different stages in this process. The cycle goes on.

That is indeed the Bramhan as the lilamay- the so called sporting Bramhan and it is not a purposeless child’s play.

The theory of Bramhan being the ultimate source of everything, is declared by Lord Krishna in The Bhagavad Gita in a rather straight forward and practical way in the

chapter on karmayoga.

Annaad bhavanti bhutani parjanyat anna sambhavah

Yajnyat bhavati parjanyah yajnya karma samudbhavah

Karma bramhodbhavam viddhi bramha aksharasamudbhavam

Tasmat sarvagatam bramha nityam yajne pratisthitam.

Here he explains the basics of every existence in the creation, all physical existence that we encounter before us, which we normally understand.

All the physical beings that we have including ourselves evolve from nothing else but food matter. Food is the physical source, the material constituent of everything. Wherefrom matter emanates? Matter is mere transformation of its source material which is energy, or the essential element that contains energy for it. This energy that provides basis for matter is drawn from the cosmos in action within which we all exist. This cosmos is not static but an ever-dynamic endevour. Every moment around us, everywhere around us, this cosmos is in a state of "happening". A well organised dynamic endevour in which every constituent is totally engaged in activity. This is the divine yajna of yajnas The Mahayajna. The entire creation is the result of this Mahayajna.

Yajna is nothing but a coordinated effort of right activities. The right activities are what in spiritual parlance termed as Karma. The Yajna flows from karma.

Who defines what is karma- the right action as opposed to akarma and vikarma, bad work and prohibited work? It is the spiritual canon, the Vedas.

Veda means The Knowledge. Who is the source of all knowledge? The immutable Paramatma The Supreme Bramhan.

So everything finally boils down to Bramhan. Tasmat sarvagatam Bramha. That is the final deduction.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

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