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by
Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL
No.87
May: 2008
KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, REALISATION AND CONSCIOUSNESS
QUESTIONS FROM READERS
QUESTION 1 FROM Ms VIMLA SESHADRI
Respected Sir, As I have understood, no one can predict his or her next birth. I am a little scared. I think I have been a good hindu. Could my next birth be in a muslim or Christian household instead of hindu?
ANSWER: The God does not recognize a muslim from a hindu or a christian from a jew. These are our creations and per se have little spiritual significance.
The sanatan philosophy with its universally applicable laws, is quite clear about our entry into the next phase of journey. Our birth in this life has been determined by the influence (sanskaras) of all our previous lives. The over-riding principle governing the cycle of births is our continuous sadgati or journey towards the ultimate destination – the satchidAnanda.
Depending on the way we have conducted ourselves in our past lives, the level of understanding, refined mental caliber and consciousness of Brahman that we have cultivated, the conditions and environment of this life, this form, this household, relatives and social atmosphere, - every little bit that concerns us- has been predetermined by us literally. With infallible judgement, and commensurate with our needs, The Lord gifts us our specific life situations, with the only objective of furthering our spiritual evolution. We indeed earn all our next lives.
If the past lives, as well as the present one, are ill spent, running after goals borne out of warped understanding, engaged in actions counter to universal conduct (sanatan dharma), we are born with negative sanskaras. These have to be atoned through trials and tribulations associated with births in inferior environment, till the understanding becomes clear, bringing us back to the right path.
To acquire a fruitful and comfortable journey lives after lives, the sanatan dharma gives two mantras for all jivas (individual souls).
Brahmam smara
Dharmam chara .
‘Fix your mind constantly on your final destination- The Brahman’ and ‘always walk the path of dharma or righteous conduct’. If you do, then the conditions in the next life are always better, more conducive for you, more fruitful.
In clear words, the Bhagavad Gita assures all. Read chapter 6 (Dhyana Yoga) verses 40 to 45.
Your actions decide what kind of household you will have next. Instead of feeling miserable and apprehensive about the next life’s conditions, concentrate on your actions of now and here.
Brahmam smara
Dharmam chara .
QUESTION 2 FROM Ms ASHA MANOHAR
Namaste, I wish to quit my bad emotions like anger , hatred. please lead me.
ANSWER:Anger, hatred etc are diseases of the negative aspect of human ego. They always remain- in small and large measure – inseparable from our character. Even great and enlightened saints fall victims. I bring this up because, very often we get into a self destroying mood by getting frustrated with our own anger. Instead of understanding and trying to reduce anger, we get into depressions of mind. Then the cure becomes worse than the disease.
Whenever a person realizes that anger is bad, it is the first intelligent sign that one’s ego is aware and keen on curing itself. One’s own anger has to be observed and contemplated upon with a detached view. That is the first step.
The root cause of anger invariably starts from an obsessive attachment to a particular desire or a particular outcome of events to satisfy our ego. At that moment we are thinking only of ourself, our own interest and think every one else as alien to ourself, in other words we are blinded by selfishness.
How to see things without attachment and with the knowledge that we are all part of a universal collective system and not isolated individuals where only common good and not our own interest should prevail? That happens when we realize that we looking at only our own view point, where as there is a greater force that looks at a universal view point which may not coincide with ours.
When we believe this, we develop a trust with that omniscient, omnipotent and benevolent power that looks after every one’s view point including ours. We call that God, Brahman etc.
In other words, anger can only be combated by constantly remaining conscious of the ways of the Divine Brahman and surrendering all our thoughts and actions to Him. This does not come easily and swiftly but by constant discipline of mind. That is what Yoga is all about.
When the Lord enters your mind the ego automatically becomes weak. Know about Brahman, establish Him in your heart and the ego is no more your enemy. It is cured of its diseases and is healthy.
To establish awareness of Brahman in your heart sadhana is essential. There is no short cut but the results are guaranteed.
Get occupied in trying to understand the ways of God and orient yourself conforming to His ways. You will soon see the benefits.
QUESTION 3 FROM Sri RAKESH SAIDHA
Why are people so abusive to each other?
ANSWER: Yes, we see people are so abusive to each other now-a- days. On the streets, in the campuses, in work places, political debates lot of abusive language is used. If that was not enough, even followers of different faiths keep on abusing each other.
It is all due to the fact that we have been systematically abandoning the spiritual approach to life and have accepted the distorted view of dharma in life. The rise of ‘rajas’ and ‘tamas’ and depletion of ‘satva’ is evident.
Sane advice against such maladies are abundant in our scriptures for those who care to follow. There is beautiful sloka in Kathopanishad:
Yacched vak manasi prajnyah tat yacchet jnana atmani
Jnanam atmani mahati niyacchet, tat yacchet santa atmani
This is quite effective. Before you utter an evil word, an abuse, enter your mind to pause and think. The moment you mentalise and pause, the mind gets guidance from the intellect or conscience. The conscience seeks the ‘self’ for soul within, for guidance. The self unites with the Supreme Self – The Mahat or Pramatma- the controller of all actions. Under that influence conflicts do not flare up. Shanti prevails.
Does it sound to be theoretical? Not really if one practices it. It is natural and self triggering process.
That first act of entering into your mind, pausing to think, is all that is needed.
On the contrary, if you shut out your mind and act impulsively giving vent to anger, even if you are right, you are still a loser.
What happens when you are at the receiving end? The same moment of silent pause when you enter into your within, works. See for yourself, the power of your silence over the other. It also cools him down.
Check another thing for yourself. Most people who are prone to quick temper and impulsive action, invariably suffer a lot physically and have short life spans. Nature does not tolerate what it has not designed. Most such people die early.
But those who are conscious of the Brahman and lead a life of right conduct, controlling their mind and emotions, have a useful life to continue their spiritual development longer.
QUESTION 4 FROM Ms JILL CAMERA
Hello I was wondering if there was a Sanatan Dharma writing or "position" on the question of fetal abortion.
ANSWER: The position of sanatan philosophy in the context of abortion is quite unambiguous. It is not considered an act of dharma at any stage. We may consider the following logic.
Creation of any ‘entity’ or ‘being’ is a part of the overall grand divine design, which is this entire universe.
Every bit of action, and the effect thereof, whether creative or so-called destructive, strictly follows the divine scheme of things and is controlled by the Lord as the ultimate cosmic force who is the absolute controller (niyanta).
Nothing whatsoever is unwanted in the creation of the Lord or comes to ‘be’ without a reason and purpose decided by the omniscient. Not even a tiny creature comes to be, not even a blade of grass moves unless it has a purpose justifying it. Nothing in the creation is a purposeless accident.
The Lord is the eternal seed of all that is created in His wisdom. Parents are only agents (nimittas)
A willful killing or abortion negates and runs counter to the Lord’s wisdom and His divine principles of srsti, sthiti, bilay- coming to being, exist to serve its purpose and then get mutated or transformed to some thing else.
If any one with his limited know of things, and ignorance, or myopic self interest, interferes with the grand design (the mahayajna), he creates the inevitable disharmony resulting in direct or indirect fallouts.
Coming to specific human perspective, the act of creating a life is a sublime and sacrosanct need and should be indulged in with wisdom and responsibility. All unwanted pregnancies are results of our falling prey to pure physical enjoyment and devoid of this wisdom, reasoning and responsibility. Resorting to abortion is like trying to correct one wrong by another wrong. It is never right.
However, ignorant human beings succumbing to sensual pleasures do commit mistakes. When this happens, the noble act is to own up the responsibility and act with reason and wisdom again. Snuffing out a life (as also creating a life) is not sanctioned to us. No ‘means’ should ever justify a ‘wrong end’.
QUESTION 5 FROM SRI DHRUBA SEN
Sir , You said answering a question (see AHWAN February 2008) that ‘Vedas speak of things which are the roots of all things which modern science keeps on rediscovering’. Did our ancient munis and rishis knew everything?
ANSWER:: Brahman is the source of everything that we call knowledge or jnana. Only he knows everything who knows Brahman. Then again who ever knows Brahman becomes one with Knowledge itself or Brahman itself. Brahmavit Brahmeiva bhavati.
The Vedas speak of all about Brahman, or all about knowledge. To the extent one understands the Vedas that becomes the extent of his knowledge. This, our ancient seers and sadhaks knew and therefore, were constantly engaged in understanding the Vedas.
In the answer to the question you refer to, we spoke of the expanse of knowledge in The Vedas. Though not yet fully fathomed, it is amazing that what ever we are discovering today, the root is found in The Vedas.
Very recently there was a news item of the passing away of the eminent Professor Edward Lorenz (connected with MIT), vis a vis the ‘chaos theory’ and ‘the butterfly effect’ attributed to him. Look at a very similar concept derived from Vedic knowledge. Since ancient times, the Vedic theory has conceived the entire universe or creation as a single homogenous and dynamic entity, interconnected and interdependent with each constituent, small or large. That is "The Brahman manifested". In its interlinked dynamic nature, every action produced by anything anywhere, causes an effect that influences the whole.
This concept is not limited to only gross physical activities, the vedantins went further. Even subtle actions like mental thoughts emanating from anywhere affect every thing and every one in this wholeness. Projecting good thoughts has positive effects as evil thoughts add to negativity. Sanatan Dharma extols constant cultivation of Satvik actions and thoughts for peace all round.
By and by the modern man is coming to understand more and more of the age-old Vedic theories. There are endless examples.
