ANSWER:  This is very interesting and exciting, because this strikes at that oft repeated question of the clash between physical verification (mental is also physical) and spiritual realization. You can also say that it is a clash between reason and faith.

But indeed there is no clash. In spiritual parlance we see it as a “progressive continuation”. “Progressive continuation” is a great concept original to Sanatan philosophy.

We have said that we all are not single but multidimensional ‘beings’. (read AHWAN October 2006 and November 2006 issues). The consciousness at the physical level will be commensurate with the power of the mind and will be partial compared to its nature at the psychic level. 

When we talk of consciousness of that ultimate reality Brahman, (hopefully you have gone through the series of articles ‘Attempts to describe Brahman”) we are never satisfied until the total consciousness or purna chaitanya is grasped. It comes only at the culmination of sadhana.

The difficulty is when we expect this total consciousness or purna chaitanya to be understood at the base level of our physical mind. Unfortunately that is what the ‘practical science’ or ‘reason’ only believes and accepts.

However this consciousness is different at different levels of our mental growth. If someone asks you today about God, it is not that your mind will go complete blank. You do and shall have some knowledge of this consciousness. But the perception you will have shall be half baked. But as the mind raises itself higher to ‘higher mind’ and ‘super mind’ the perception gets clearer and clearer. Even in one’s limited lifetime, the perceptions that we have in our green years change considerably in our matured years.

So this strengthening of consciousness is what yoga is about and is achievable by means of Yoga alone. If not in yoga, one will never reach there. There are no other means.

Contrary to belief, this can not even be imparted by one to the other, not even by the Guru to the disciple. Guru only assists but the chaitanya comes only by self effort and the Lord’s grace.

The statement ‘consciousness can not be grasped’ is both true and untrue. At the end of Yoga you grasp this purna chaitanya. But when you achieve this you ‘lose’ yourself and become that chaitanya itself. Then who remains to ask what and to whom?

QUESTION 2   FROM SRI Sri Mupparthy Ravindranath

 Dear Sir! Despite Sanatan Dharma being so clear to understand, why the religions like Hinduism, Islam and Christianity etc have more followers resulting in the present state of affairs?

ANSWER: In the answer given to the question on the issue, it is explicitly acknowledged that it will be wrong to presume that pujas and rituals have no beneficial effect. But the moot point is that all activities in the creation- from the movement of a blade of grass to super galactic spectacles- all take place directed by the Lord following the divine principle of cause and effect. (mayA adhyaksena… etc and yantrArudhAni mAyayA etc – see The Bhagavad Gita).

And, there is always an intermediate agent or nimitta because Brahman is akartu and asanga- non-doer and non-involved.

In matters involving the jivas, the nimittas are the jivas. It is the jivas who make things happen.

The karana or the implementing force for the jivas is their mind or manah (more precisely it is antahkarana i.e mind, intellect and egoself combination). It is rightly said  manah eva manushyAnam kAranam bandhamokshaye. Mind is the cause of man’s bondage as well as liberation.

The wise seers of the past knew exactly how to use manah to get things done. They were the original psychologists. Antahkarana has to be motivated and strengthened. A conducive psychological atmosphere has to be created to excite the manah to think clearly and wisely and allow the ego-self to act.

Pujas and rituals came to be recognised as the right recipe. The Divine intervention was conceived to assure success.

The whole concept of the process of intelligent use of worships and rituals is practical spirituality at its par excellence.

QUESTION 3 FROM Ms Ms Mamatha

 I am devotee of Lord Shiva. .. I dreamt that, I was sitting with some people.. Suddenly I realized that, Lord Shiva was sitting … opposite. I observed a snake around my neck. I got frightened, but my mother sitting beside me asked me not to fear… Can you please tell me why I am getting these kind of dreams.

ANSWER:

Such projections of mind as they happen in our dreams, are quite natural. They occur often to new initiates and even to enlightened souls at all stages and at all levels. But they have little significance unless understood intelligently and with spiritual logic as part of the process of our development and the mind’s efforts to come to grip with our evolving nature.

Spiritual sadhana is a very logical process of our continuous development, supported by the mind or more precisely the antahkarana (mind, intellect and egoself), which the human beings are only capable of. Intelligent understanding of the nature and working of mind helps strengthening the  Yoga.

You say, you are a bhakta and worship your ‘Ishta’ in the form of Lord Shiva, with whom you are comfortable.

How does one become a bhakta? Contrary to popular belief it does not happen as a flash of light or with a touch of a Guru etc. Bhakti grows out of sanskAras spanning one or more lives and is indeed an inevitable part of human development process.

Once it is kindled, it is the Lord (in your case in the form of Lord Shiva) who in many ways of his, strengthens it and protects it to grow.

As our scriptures say:

Yo yo yAm yAm tanu bhaktah shraddhayA cintum icchati

Tasya tasya acalAm shraddhAm tAm eva vidadhAmy aham.

-Whatever form the devotee worships with faith, I strengthen that faith.

As our bhakti starts gaining strength, the mind starts getting attached more and more to the form of the Lord, subconsciously or in dreams and feels happy. The sadhak feels a growing closeness. It is surely a positive psychological feeling. Thank Lord Shiva for that. You will see Him alone, you will see Him in a crowd, and in more advanced stage you will see Him everywhere.

Snakes are associated with Shiva. They are always close to His body. In one aspect when you see them also in your own body, that is a desire of your closeness. Also from another point of view, humans normally fear snakes and are averse to them, whereas Lord Shiva adorns them. How can you love Shiva if you are afraid of things close to Him?

May be it was a subtle message to you to grow out of any aversion, not only to snakes, but to all lowly creatures and cultivate empathy with them. They are also God’s creatures as all humans, animals, plants etc are.

Your mother being near you and protecting you from your fright is very interesting. Normally psychologists say it as ‘mother fixation’. From spiritual view point, why do we have relations in life? Why a particular soul is your father, mother or brother? And no one else?

The specific families to which we are born in, is in line with God’s infallible judgement that each member is chosen to assist each other (by both positive and negative reactions too) to make us understand life, God, and help us develop towards our final destination. Your mother was doing exactly that and so you should understand. Everything is well planned, is part of a divine process and never a biological accident. We should understand and respect that divine arrangement and profit by it.

Welcome everything, every happening and every incident, whether in your waking state or in dreams, direct or subliminal, as part of the process of development, but only as long as the same can be related to the Divine. Then it is a sure sign of the hand of the Divine working on you.

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