by Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL No. 58 December . 2005

 


  Atma
 Knowledge
 Creation
 God
 Spiritualism
 Sanatan

 Questions
 e-mail

MANAH, MANTRAH, MAUNATVAM- Some discussions on mind, mantra and silence of mind

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

QUESTION 1 FROM Dr VARUN PRASAD

Respected Sir, What really is ‘time’ or ‘kala’. They say Brahman is Kala or time. Is it a simple conclusion from what we accept as Brahman being everything or is there a spiritual significance?

ANSWER: The concept of Kala or time has great esoteric significance in sanAtan philosophy as the very name sanAtan, meaning ever-existing, defines its spiritual character. Later we may devote full discussions on this, but for many seekers (jijnasu) like you perhaps this short explanation will keep the interest alive.

There is no dichotomy in accepting both explanations as suggested in your question.

As we have discussed on many occasions in AHWAN, we all exist in Brahman, the only substratum for the entire creation. (Mat sthAni sarvabhutAni. All beings exist in Me.- The Lord said). Since Brahman is everywhere, there is no place where ‘beings’ can exist excepting in Brahman.

We also exist in time. At one level of understanding, we all have a past, a present and we shall also have a future in the frame of time. So logically the understanding becomes simpler, if we see the oneness of Brahman also with ‘time’.

Some confusion crops up when we probe deeper to find the meanings of the words ‘past’, ‘present’, ‘future’ as well as ‘existence’. As we know from our discussions, we never were or will be non-existing. We only have changes of state and are essentially ever-existing. Any particular form or state passes through the states of ‘unmanifested’ (avyakta) to begin with, ‘manifested’, (vyakta) as you and me presently appear to be, and then proceed again to the ‘unmanifested’ (avyakta) state.

The unmanifested state merges with another modified state of manifestation or vyakta state as our evolutionary progress continues on and on.

All these happen against the backdrop of time. The ‘unmanifested’ (avyakta) state is our past, ‘manifested’ (vyakta) state is our present and the next ‘unmanifested’ (avyakta) state or the modified manifested state will be our future.

The very significant point of interest here is that, - what we call present, past or future, these are indeed fleeting expressions in a continuous stresm. Past, present or future have no duration as all manifestations, are ever changing and continuous. Although we fail to recognize, none of us are really the same as we were a fleeting moment before, nor will be the same a fleeting moment later. Everything has changed. The terms ‘past’, ‘present’ or ‘future’ are mere convenient expressions. But the ‘time’ (or kAla or mahAkAla) as the backdrop, ever exists.

We also, being derivatives of Brahman, exist ever, in different forms and different states in the backdrop of Brahman. So kAla is only a derived characteristic of Brahman and does not exist separate from Brahman.

Both have neither beginning nor end. Both have no divisions either.

Some people say ‘past is gone and lost’, ‘future is not existing’ hence one should be only occupied in present. This is a myopic understanding. We draw from past to exist in present. With our present we move to our future. We live in past, present and future all the time as we live in Brahman.

QUESTION 2 FROM MS REBECCA TANG

In US there's a lot of disaster happening. Are all these incidents due to karma? Is God punishing them all? As I know, we have to do good and charity to gain good karma in life. US citizens a lot are very kind and most of them does charity too. There are good people there and everyone are trapped in a situations. Does this mean if we do good , we are punished too?

ANSWER: That Questions of this nature have been agitating the human mind all the time. It is not of a disaster in any particular part of the world. Whenever and wherever a large scale natural disaster happens affecting the lives of so many people, such questions arise in the minds of people.

This again is due to a myopic understanding by the limited human thinking. Most people look at all things not in a cosmic plane and always view in respect to their immediate surroundings and group. This may be natural but nevertheless not the complete picture. All our feelings are therefore influenced by this limited horizon and we can not see things in their totality, in their spiritual context.

If we bring to our mind some of the universal (and divine) truths about how this creation works, what governs every activity, the dynamics of cosmic movements, then not only we will stop getting disturbed but also chalk out our own actions in the event of every such calamity. We have of course discussed all these in the pages of AHWAN.

If you have been going through the pages of AHWAN, you would have understood that nothing indeed happens in The Lord’s creation out of the blue and without a rhyme or reason. The principle of cause and effect always operates. For every happening there is a trail of contributing factors behind and a stream of future events to follow. Major events may rattle us more but even they are governed by causes in the past. From individual contributions to collective involvement, it is always causes multiple and multidimensional behind every happening. Our limited intelligence and comprehensive power may not be able to see through all, but nothing happens out of nothing. Man may not be able to trace it back but even natural happenings have contributory causes from long way past and unaccountable contributors.

The happenings also affect people individually or collectively depending upon their own sanskar or karmic influences from their own actions of the past. Whether it is a natural disaster or social upheaval, nothing is confined to a single victim or a single perpetrator. In this divine matrix system every ‘being’ is affected by every cause and every effect.

So what should be our reaction after understanding this eternal truth? Every philosophy or religion of substance harps on one theme, which is to conduct one self in the right way, follow the right path and thereby live in harmony with the activities that govern this creation. Being in harmony and avoiding disharmony of any kind, in thought or action will bring peace all around. It will make many such happenings bearable.

Ofcourse it does appear to be a tall order. Every one can not be so true and harmonious to everything around. But the philosophy says as many steps as you take in the right direction protects you from many troubles that are nipped before they happen.

Dissasters, small and big are not God’s punishments. God has no motive to punish. His love flows out to every one with the only purpose of assisting them to cast away their imperfections and ignorance and acquire back their original blissful nature. All happenings around us are mere lessons from which we are supposed to learn this truth.

Many people ofcourse conduct themselves rightly and in harmony with the Divine. But as I said, the creation is an interconnected matrix and every one’s action affects every one else. No one exists alone. It is the net result of good actions by some and bad actions by some other, that contribute and produce either good or bad situations. Some people who are doing good in this life seem to suffer also. But who can say about their past actions and past lives? It is again the net balance sheet that matters.

Everything boils down to one thing. Harmonious relationship with the Lord’s creation and Right conduct under all circumstances. To the extent we follow this, lesser will be our suffering and nearer shall we be to a blissful existence.

QUESTION 3 FROM Mr P WILSON

Your concept of Brahman sounds acceptable in many ways. If Brahman or God is everything why can not all faiths accept this?

ANSWER:You They do, but each in their own way. All faiths in their essence believe in Brahman. No one really and honestly refutes that pronouncement from Taittiriya Upanishad:

Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahman

The knowledge of infinite truth is the very recognition of Brahman. Who denies? The truth is expressed in various ways. The true spiritual enlightenment is unquestionably in finding the commonality in all human beliefs. The similarities in human thoughts are much more attractive and constructive than the forced differences that we interpret and indulge in with motives behind them. By not recognizing the essential truth that binds everyone and everything we merely delay our own as well as collective development. That undeniable truth the Sat, whose realization in the chit –within the innermost depth of your heart (yo veda nihitam parame vyoman- known to realize in the core of every heart) and the ananda or bliss that is yours on this realization, is universal to all. Which the sanatan dharma describes as satchidananda- is asti (exists always, everywhere and for every one) bhati (enlightens everything) and bindati (identified as benevolent towards all)

QUESTION 4 FROM Ms M A SHAKUNTALA

Thank you Sir; Sanatan philosophy is so inspiring. But when I see so much abuse and evil propaganda directed against it by other religions, I feel so angry. I know anger against such people is bad but I find it difficult to control my anger

ANSWER: You are very right. Anger is futile and serves no purpose. _Expression of anger of any kind, for any justification has no place in the core philosophy of sanatan dharma. Eschewing of anger, and practice of tolerance are its bed rocks.

Abuses and viscious propaganda are nothing new to sanatan dharma. It has withstood all these since the beginning of the creation and will also survive till the end of creation and will then to revive all over again.

Also side by side with evil thinkers, there is never a dearth of right thinkers in every age and time that keep the flame of truth kindled. The truth (or The Lord Himself you may think) has its own way of coming to their assistance and re-establish the faith.

Remember, it is the tree that is laden with fruits, receives most missiles. No one is interested in throwing stones at bare trees. And sanatan philosophy is laden with so many luscious fruits for all to enjoy.