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by
Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL
No.86
April: 2008
FROM ATHEISM TO THEISM OR FROM TAMASA TO JYOTI
QUESTIONS FROM READERS
QUESTION 1 FROM SRI SUDHIR KALRA
Respected Sir, …you stated Sanatan philosophy… is an evolved religion ….evolved with the mankind and … the … creation itself. …. is based upon multitude of peoples’ personal experiences at different times. That seems like it is not a God given religion… it is contrary opinion to Shri Krishna ….experience… during different Yugas could be different due to different intellect and spiritual levels of human race …but that does not change the tenets of Sanatana Dharma…
ANSWER: The apparent contradiction really does not exist. It is perhaps due to our understanding of the spiritual principles on one hand and the sanatan dharma at the other. Although both are inseparably co-related, there is a subtle difference. It is necessary to appreciate the difference to avoid confusion.
The spiritual principles are the principles of creation. As the creation is Divine so are its principles. It is the basic truth – the tattva of all things. The words ‘satya’, ‘adhyatma’, ‘Brahma svabhava’, ‘darshana’, ‘vicara (the core principles)’, etc are often used in explaining it. These principles are eternal, brahmasambhuta (originating from Brahman) and apauresheya (not of human creation).
But what good are the principles until they are understood, translated to actions and become guiding principles of life? This is what the seers saw and experienced. This is the evolution of dharma. When vicara turns to acara it becomes the dharma to be followed by the ‘beings’.
The truth is unchanging. Its expanse is so vast that it is not comprehensible by a single mind or confined to a specific time frame. The seers who saw and experienced, handed down to the posterity their perceptions collectively by many. Only those became the unquestionable tenets of sanatan dharma, which are derived from that eternal sanatan philosophy and not any which are conceived by human minds.
Dharma is applied truth, but only that truth which is absolute. Yoga is the link between truth (synonymous with Brahman) and applied truth (i.e dharma) At one end of the spectrum - so to say - is Paramatma and at the other is Jivatma.
That truth which is Brahmanihita (established in Brahman) was explained by Lord Krishna as Bhagavad Gita says. The rishis saw and experienced it and merely recounted it for others to follow.
What is dynamic character of sanatan dharma? One very good example that comes to mind is ‘isavasyam sarvam idam’ or ‘Sarvayonishu kaunteya murtayah sambhavanti yaah tAsAm brahma mahadyonir’ ‘sarvam khalvidambrahma’ etc. etc. and ‘vasudheiva kutumbakam’ taken together. The darshana says that all are derived from Brahman and the dharma says that the best way to practice this for the benefit of all, is the concept of thinking that all belong to one family and by that we orient all actions to uphold that concept. That is how darshana is applied as dharma. There is no contradiction.
More and more the truth was seen and experienced, more and more it got applied to life. That is how dharma evolved. As it evolved hand in hand with life, it became the way of life. The substratum is always the eternal Brahmasvabhava (that is the eternal or sanatan Brahman). This relationship alone imparts the sanatan charater to dharma.
About the question whether sanatan dharma is any different from other later day schools of faith, please read the article “The Dweller in the inner Lotus” Part1 in the December 2006 issue of AHWAN, wherein we have discussed this.
QUESTION 2 FROM Mr ALBERT NETTY
Please I need your help to break free of Black Magic and witchcraft. Thank you.
ANSWER:Influence of black magic, witchcraft etc, all these exist in one’s mind. Therefore, more than any external help, you need your own self confidence to fight it out and live normally.
There are two ways all of us live by. One way is to live by the ‘divinity of our soul’, and the other way is to live by subservience to our ego-self.
The ego-self with its limited knowledge of things and total dependence on the demands of our sense organs running out of control, always oscillates between pain and pleasure, happiness and unhappiness, high and low confidence, fear and foolhardiness etc. The ego simply does not have the knowledge to protect itself against the mistakes it commits, and in such situations drags the mind into sinking depths of misery and low confidence level. In the process it tries to find solace in blaming external forces – a totally purposeless exercise.
At these weak states of mind, there are unfortunately, people who are ready to take advantage of. Black magic, witch craft etc. are indeed games the unscrupulous play on weakened minds.
What is needed at these times, is to strengthen one’s antahkarana, - the mind, intellect and ego combination.
How does one do it? – By analyzing the situation through knowledge, by recognizing the presence of all-powerful Divinity within us and drawing strength from it.
Along with our ego, we also have within us the divine self. Living by the divinity of our soul is by recognizing this presence and live by its support. For more detailed explanation please read “Listening to inner voice” in May 2001 issue of AHWAN.
This recognition is achieved only through yoga – literally meaning joining with The Divine. Once that is done, all black magic, all witchcraft lose their nefarious hold.
We are all capable of doing that. That is the spiritual approach to life.
QUESTION 3 FROM Dr ARPITA YAGNIK
Do the Vedas indicate presence of life in other planets in the outer space?
ANSWER: The concept of life as understood and accepted by the scientists and cosmologists, is different to the concept held by spiritualists. The former know ‘life’ within their known organic dimensions which can be verified and accepted within our own physical powers. They have a clear definition of a living organism and by discipline can not accept anything beyond that.
A spiritualist- or vedantin if you may- has a different concept beyond the physical or organic dimension.
Starting from the point that the entire cosmos is nothing but Brahman, He is omnipresent.
Life, prAna, jivabhuta are all Brahman Himself. Thus prAna or life is available in everything and everywhere in the universe- in grossness, subtlety et-all. It is ‘viswabharA prAn’ as articulated by poet Rabindranath Tagore. The essence of life is everywhere. It was always there and shall always remain. That is the axiom.
So why can not we see the kind of perfoming life elsewhere as we know?
The prAnashakti or energy that is the life force, transforms itself under specific conditions into gross or organic life form – which is another form of energy only. The ‘ essence’ to manifest, creates a set of conditions, a combination of many things. In an ever changing phenomenal universe a particular form as we know may appear or disappear under specific conditions. We do not find it when our knowledge boundary is too limited or the conditions are yet to set in.
But as we keep expanding our knowledge base, and the universe being ever dynamic in its character, surely discovering ‘life’ elsewhere can always be a certainty.
The Vedas imply, ‘life’ is always present- as present as Brahman Himself.
QUESTION 4 FROM SRI ASHOK T JAISINGHANI
Must Hindus Drink Cow's Urine ? Is it necessary for Hindus to drink cow's urine.. eat cow-dung ….force their children…. to prove their belief in Hinduism? …
ANSWER::No it is not necessary. Such things are not conditional to the belief in Hinduism.
Believers in so called Hindu philosophy or more precisely the Sanatan philosophy, are identified with its core philosophy or adhyatmavada. That is the true identity of a Hindu.
Hindus ofcourse, respect all things in the Lord's creation for their inherent usefulness, believing that if a thing is there, it has to have its usefulness. As per the common faith, the science of Ayurveda went deep into the nature of everything to discover this. As they say, there is no vanaspati which is not an ausadha- there is no herb which does not have any therapeutic value. Even the usefulness of poison was established long before science came to recognise it. Everything has its usefulness.
Unfortunately, although many things have been in traditional usage, the details of research and experiments done and documented proof thereof, is to day not available. Under the circumstance, the skepticism of the common man is not only understandable but even to be appreciated.
But fortunately also, now a days due to the dedication of many good people in India and elsewhere, tremendous enthusiasm and effort is on to arrive at the truth, one way or the other. We shall know soon.
Forcing some one to accept anything until he totally believes –or has faith in it, is quite illogical. One should not sit on judgment either over those who believe or over who do not believe in it. In sanatan (or hindu ) thinking everything eventually has to be buddhigrahya.
QUESTION 5 FROM Mr FRED WRIGHT
Are yogi and sadhak two different categories?
ANSWER:: As we have discussed elsewhere in the pages of AHWAN, sanskrit words are very precise in their content and when transliterated into a different language, the confusion is understandable.
A yogi is anyone who ever is in yoga. Is there a difference between a sadhak and a yogi? If yoga is all about connectivity with the Supreme Divinity, a sadhak is one who is constantly refining and intensifying the very process of his yoga. Everyone is in yoga. You, me, the animals, the plants, the elements and objects in the cosmos, all are in yoga. But a sadhak takes his yoga beyond a surface engagement and deeper into his psyche. Most of us do a little meditation, some study of scriptures, a few yogic practices like asanas, pranayama etc. Yet how much its influence penetrates beyond our surface mentalisation? If the mumukshya or obsession has not set in within, then the sadhana is yet to be really effective. A sadhak is constantly analyzing himself, trying to bring in this refinement and intensity. The Sanskrit root word sadh implies effort and practice. That only sets him apart from the rest. The character of sadhana is the character of sadhak.
Further suggested reading: ‘Transforming ourselves’ in AHWAN April 2001 issue, ‘Measuring Spiritual Progress Parts 1to 3’ in AHWAN in June/July/ August 2005 issues.
