by Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL No. 63
May 2006

 


  Atma
 Knowledge
 Creation
 God
 Spiritualism
 Sanatan

 Questions
 e-mail

ATMA- PARAMATMA- Part 2

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

QUESTION 1 FROM Dr SEEMA GHOSH

Respected Swamiji; (May I address you this way?) I believe in God (Brahman) and spiritualism. But in my small family we seldom sit down together to discuss God or pray together. My husband, my children etc are so occupied with their own affairs and I have not been able to bring into our lives some family-time together in praying or meditating. No one is serious about such matters and it makes me unhappy. Can you kindly suggest any steps?

ANSWER: Thank you for your mail. You may address me in any manner you like. Adjectives such as ‘Swami’, ‘Guru’, ‘Holiness’ etc really mean so little. Follow your heart and you can address me even by my name.
The problem you face is the predicament of millions of families in this age. If more people in this world truly dedicate a little of their time in gratefulness to the Lord with the family together, what great happiness would they not have?
But sanAtan philosophy does not encourage us to lament over a problem. It urges us to ‘action’, to do whatever we can to work out the problem.
A ‘family’ as an organized structure of inter-relationship has great importance in every one’s sadhana towards his ultimate destination. Sanatan philosophy looks at family not only with right dispassion but also as an essential element for spiritual approach to life. It respects the usefulness of family ties. Please read “Relationships in the context of Spiritual growth” in the January 2003 issue of AHWAN to understand both these aspects.
You must continue to rally around your family towards the divine purpose. If it happens soon, it is the Lord’s grace. But if it is taking time, please do not despair. There is a divine purpose behind this too. The past sanskAra has to be given time to burn itself out.
It will then boil down to your own individual action in setting an example, as described in the above-referred article. Even if there is a single person in the family dedicated to the divine purpose, the benefits flow down to each and everyone in the family. It works in many different planes in their lives. Eventually the recognition dawns. We are all programmed that way.
When you display your own intense spiritual beliefs- even if all alone- you are indeed working on the psyche of everyone around you. Do not underestimate its power and its effectiveness.
In the Indian context of joint families, we have elderly persons whom we show great amount of respect. We do not banish them to old age homes. They apparently spend all their time in worship and other spiritual pursuits without being any contributor materially. But it is they who keep the Dharma alive in the family. They shape our conduct and shape our kriyamana and our praravdha.
Therefore, do not lament. Keep praying to the Lord for His grace to flow to you and to all. Set your example. Eventually the goodness of man recognizes what is the right path. The Lord sees to it. God bless you.

QUESTION 2 FROM SRI SANGRAM

What is the difference between mana and chitta?

ANSWER: The two words manah and chittah are used in our scriptures quite interchangeably and do create some confusion.

As we have discussed often, human beings, or for that matter all created beings, do not have a single dimensional identity. We are all very complex creations, possessing identities which are multidimensional. Broadly speaking, we exist in three dimensions of ‘physical’, ‘mental’ and ‘psychic’. ( In scriptures of course further sub-gradations of each dimension is given for finer understanding, but the three broad differentiations will suffice our understanding). The sum total of our characteristics in all these three dimensions make us what we all are.

These three levels or dimensions are differentiated by the level of consciousness of the spirit that we possess and have acquired. At the base physical level the divine consciousness is lowest and is highest at the psychic level.

Our faculties, of which manah or mind is the most predominant, also have these differentiations depending upon the proximity and consciousness of the spirit. Mind is a base physical faculty. It grows and with progressive enlightenment (or becoming more and more conscious of the divine ways) becomes enlightened. The root word chit from which chittah is derived, signifies as ‘being conscious’. Chittah is the conscious mind of all the dimensions of our existence. Mind’s sphere of activity is predominantly at base level guided by the sensory organs. Chittah transcends physical, is the character of enlightened mind and its sphere of activity covers all dimensions but predominantly at psychic level.

To understand more about it, please await a future article in AHWAN dealing with sthula sarira (gross body) and sukshma sarira (subtle body).

QUESTION 3 FROM SRI KANUBHAI SARKAR

Could you kindly let me know the ways & means to increase our level of consciousness in order to expand our limited sensory and mental capabilities. Is it beyond reaches of normal people and achievable by seers only?

ANSWER: Divine consciousness is in the nature of every one. No one is an exception as we all are derived from the Divine. Only the level of consciousness, acquired after going through lives after lives, varies from ‘being’ to ‘being’. Those who have acquired and dwell in a very high level of consciousness, we call them saints, seers, swamis etc. etc. But this state is achievable eventually by every other ‘being’. All can lift themselves to that exalted state one day where all the seers have reached. God consciousness is not only for a privileged few.
The process to reach that state is what Yoga is all about. In chapter 12 of The Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna gives many suggestions for normal people to follow. (please read slokas 8 to 11 or better still the whole chapter12) All branches of Yoga are meant to improve God consciousness only. (Please also see my answer to one of your own questions replied in the October 05 issue of Ahwan.)

QUESTION 4 FROM SRI AAKASH SHRIVASTAVA

Talking of Inner Voice of GOD and we here it in solitude. But I understand this to be true for those who ever in their upbringing went through stories, hearing, reading, teaching of morals, values etc through religion, school, parents etc.
But can one who from beginning has been brought up in evil environment and never ever felt a slightest remorse of evils, has always learnt that as the way of life, will ever hear his Inner Voice?

ANSWER: What a beautiful question. The inner voice, being always associated with Brahman or God, its voice is always the voice of God and this voice keeps constantly whispering to us all through our existence. It is true that being totally submerged in ignorance (Maya), we fail to pick up its messages and consequently keep on suffering.

But ignorance and suffering is not our nature. In our antahkarana ( mind, intellect and the performing self –ahamkara) is so programmed that it constantly keeps on fighting to come out this darkness of ignorance and seeks light. No one really likes to live in darkness forever. When due to these efforts the dormant seed of God consciousness germinates, we start tuning ourselves toards this voice. It then starts growing within every one who so ever ventures in his Yoga, meditates and contemplates. It is the beginning of the awakening.

External assistance such as influence of teachers, scriptures, satsangs etc. certainly helps. But the assistance from God Himself, residing within us, is always there constantly waiting for us.
Your apprehension about evil environment, bad upbringing, non-exposure to reading listening etc, certainly work as obstacles or dampers, but these are temporary dampers. All these can be overcome by determination and yogic efforts. Once the first step (sankalpa), is taken by the antahkarana, the shackles of ignorance keep falling off. The Divine grace ensures that.

We have many examples from our purAnas to illustrate the point that being brought up in evil environments does not deny anyone God consciousness. You must have read about Dhruva, Prahlada, Vibhishana etc. Nothing stopped them from reaching out to God. We are all built that way.

In any case, the environment that you speak of, relates to the present life only. With thousands of lives behind us, what makes us think that all our lives have been wasted under evil circumstances? We have all done many many virtuous deeds to deserve this human birth. We carry the effect of all that good karma within us. God supports all that good within us and when we decide to listen to Him, He willingly makes us hear.

QUESTION 5 FROM Ms REBECCA TANG

If we always dream that we go to the temple to pray and sometimes we can hear voices talking to us, is this a good sign or something is going to happen? Is this kind of voices are God voices? Can I trust and believe this?

ANSWER: Any action or thought that crosses one’s mind, whether in the waking state or dream, if it is in any way associated with the Divine, righteousness (dharma) and related matters, is a good sign. These are like little nudges or silent whispers, reminding us of our true nature and urging us to renew or double our efforts to move on with our spiritual journey. These are graces from the Lord, continuously flowing down and touching us. All of us constantly get these messages. But most of us, ignorant as we are, and deeply engrossed with the world affairs as we are, ignore such messages or put off for some other time.
But some people, realize these indications as wake up calls and return to the right path with all seriousness and earnestness, without loosing further time. When their sadhanA begins, they start reaping the benefits in this life and in next lives. – If you are having such thoughts in your mind, be grateful to the Lord and strengthen your spiritual quest.

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