by Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL No. 36
February. 2004

ATTEMPTS TO DESCRIBE BRAMHAN - Part 10

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

But how and when we notice that such and such thing is changing or changed? A change can only be noticed relatively. To 'see' change there has to be a 'seer' who is not changing. That is the logic. We realise change because there is someone within us which is changeless. To see changes all around in the entire creation, there has to be someone overseeing that creation, who is changeless, who is within everything and is also without and all pervading everything. That is Bramhan. Bramhan is the changeless entity witnessing all changes that are taking place. He is the nitya amongst all anityas. Nityonityaanaam

In this discussion of nitya and anitya, there is a very interesting observation you can make and a very profound conclusion comes out. Why in Sanatan philosophy, so much of stress is laid in trying to understand this reality and illusiveness etc? If things keep changing, why not let it be it so? If that is the nature of things then trying to search an element of permanency, does it not become a mere game, that the mind is trying to play? What practical benefit this bit of knowledge can have for me? What do I gain? After all if you look at other established philosophies, they keep clear of this mental game and why then the sanatan philosophy gets obsessed with this idea?

The answer lies with the very character or the foundation of sanatan philosophy. The sankalpa or determinant of this philosophy is that, the only goal before it is the ultimate truth and nothing but that absolute truth. What we get or what we do not get during the progress of our journey is unimportant. What we shall get at the final destination is only important. The truth has to be pursued for the sake of truth alone, because my greatest benefit lies only with the truth. A yogi is only a satyakami or seeker of truth. That is what the script of Kathopanishad says loud and clear. To Nachiketa the seeker of truth, Yama says "I shall grant you eternal life, sons and grandsons, unlimited wealth, properties, fair maidens, fulfilment of all desires. Be satisfied and leave." "No" - says Nachiketa. I want the truth and the truth alone and not all these.

Within each of us we have this Nachiketa. He wants nothing but satchidananda- the truth, its realisation and the bliss or ananda that flows only on realisation of that truth.

So ananda or true happiness is my goal. Happiness is associated with praapti, or getting the desired objective. Unhappiness is apraapti or "not getting". But unfortunately,- every one of us,- we often hanker for things which are not gettable- apraapya. Since non-gettable can never be got, we create our own unhappiness due to sheer ignorance of the nature of things. If a certain object of desire simply does not exist or by nature is unsustainable, there can be no question of that object ever coming into our reach. If that object happens to be unreal or anitya how can it be obtained? We can not possess a thing, which is ever changing or running away from us all the time. The moment I say that I want this, that "this" has already gone into oblivion. That is the concept of Sat and Asat - the one real which has existence and the other unreal which is an illusion. I can only be happy, when I can hold on to the thing that gives me happiness. Therefore happiness can come from that which is real and has existence. The Sat which is asti.

So I should never foolishly waste my energy, running after a thing, which has no existence and which is not gettable. The only real thing which is Sat is the Bramhan. Any happiness that we desire can possibly come only from Bramhan. Not from the illusory worldly things around us. That is practical wisdom.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

THIS ISSUE OF AHWAN HAS BEEN SPONSORED BY Sri Suresh Chandra Pahwa and Ms Geeta Chandra Pahwa. Gurgaon.

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