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by
Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL
No.98
April: 2009
IN SEARCH OF GOD –The Illusive one- Part 2
QUESTIONS FROM READERS
QUESTION 1 FROM Mr JIM KUPECZ
I believe the word you meant to write in your title is "elusive," meaning something like "difficult to locate," "illusive" would suggest "unreal" or "Illusory."
ANSWER: It is fascinating to see how apparently(?)trivial things set an intelligent mind thinking in a different plane, when it comes to spiritualism. Thank you.
Yes, what you say is not wrong at all.
Yet, when you think of that supreme state of satchidananda, it is both elusive and illusive.
Realisation of Brahman has never been easy for a jiva. When you think you know, you do not know. The 'without limits' lies beyond human cognizance. It is therefore always elusive.
But for normal human beings, the existence of the presence of that omnipresent is undeniably true. But until the right conditions have been acquired it is always hazy and unclear- an illusion of sort.
I wish we had a word that would cover both elusive and illusive.
No words can describe the essence (tattva) of Brahman in totality. Scriptures describe Him as anirvacaniya- beyond physical description.
Only the consciousness has the power to reach Him. Then you have Brahmachetana. The entire life's endevour is to try all means to reach there.
Then comes the eternal question: Is Brahman elusive, illusive and ungraspable? It can not be so. If that were the foregone conclusion why should there be a desire to know Him in the human heart? The mumukshya or the intense craving to reach him is a programme in-built in every jiva’s psyche. Why? Some one put it very aptly. If the door in front of you were never to be opened, why there should be door and not a solid wall?
Eventually through the process of yoga, the door opens. (Please read about it in the current article.)
QUESTION 2 FROM SRI EKNATH ACHARYA
The statements and observations in our scriptures are often so vague leading to any kind of interpretations and for some one like me trying to understand becomes totally confused. Is it meant to be that way, vague and unclear?
ANSWER: No it is not the intention, but admittedly for any beginner it is confusing. The problem arises from the very nature of things to be known and the seeker to know. By definition, what is to be known has no limitation or boundaries of any kind. This, that and anything beyond this or that at physical, mental or psychic plane is included and nothing is conceived that is not part of this concept of Brahman which all our scriptures primarily deal with. It is so all-encompassing that when you say something about Him you also leave out a vast amount of things lrft unsaid. It is safer that we simply refer to Him as ‘Tat’ or that one which includes everything said and everything unsaid.
Now imagine, if such a thing we try to view with a small aperture of mind’s window that is with unopened mind. How much can we see? We can only describe what we can see and then try to open our mind wider and wider to get a larger view. Therefore whatever has been said, is being said and will be said in future, does not do justice to that object to be known. The only final stage is when the seeker of the knowledge loses himself with the knowledge itself, dissolves himself in the knowledge in a unique kind of satiation. Then there is neither prasna (question), nor a prasnakara (questioner). Who remains to be confused?
The beauty of sanatan philosophy lies in its continuous attempt to expand the aperture of the mind, in continuous expansion of the horizon of mind, its development and becoming a better and better being. The inherent dynamism sets it apart. And by that dynamism the veils of vagueness and confusion gets lifted.
How it is done? By application of mind only. That is yoga. In the first understanding if there is vagueness, the mind must be given freedom of imagination. Any inhibitions or restrictions in sadhana must be removed by understanding. Here the guidance of a teacher, the Guru, is of immense value. The constant association of Guru and the disciple as in the sanatan dharma is a proven part of the process.
Most words and expressions in the Vedas, and most certainly in brahmasutras are suggestive. They provide unlimited freedom for the play of mind with one central concept of Brahman. No body argues about Brahman. But each wise man has his own experience out of the unlimited facets of Brahman. Viprah vahidha vadanti- wise describe Him in many ways depending upon their own stage of conscious understanding as suggested by the scriptural words. That is Brahman by definition –limited by nothing.
Sri Aurobindo also observed it this way. While talking of sanskrt used by our vedantins, he said: quote ‘It was not only the actual etymological sense or the actual sense in use but the suggestions of the sound and syllables of the words which attracted them; for they found that by dwelling on them new and deep truths arose into their understandings’ unquote.
It is indeed a very exciting experience.
QUESTION 3 FROM SRI TRIVIKRAMA VENKADESHAR
I am caught with … causing me lots of mental trauma..somtime I feel life is worthless. I have done lots of charity …. without expecting anything in return,… done lots of puja …. without asking any boon, and yet why I have been pushed to this extent….left out by my god…..wouldn't the lord forgive me?
ANSWER: Yes, these unhappy times of yours will pass as every situation in life for everyone else passes.
But it takes longer time for those who get perturbed and are influenced by a bad situation and refuse to analyse and work for its remedy.
To complain is natural, but to remain complaining is very unnatural. God does not put us in any predicament. The great many mistakes that we have committed in the past, in previous lives force us into such situations in life. God only gives us the chance to clean and redeem ourselves and usher a better life. He does not act on our behalf. He only helps us to come out successful.
Na dadAti duhkham daiva sukham na dadAti bibhu
Balam dadAti Ishwara svachestaya sukham labhet.
God neither gives pain nor removes pain. In His grace, He gives us enabling power to face life. We overcome all with our own efforts.
At this time what is needed is, much stronger faith, tremendous personal effort and great confidence in yourself.
Good things done in past as well as mistakes committed are all accounted for. If miseries still persist, one should counter balance them with great amount of right actions. One should never lose his mental balance, very difficult though it may be. Analyse every action of yours. Take only right steps, righteous steps, even if difficult and unpleasant.
Search out people who may also be unfortunate. Go all out to help them any way you can. All that will be reflected in your life.
God never abandons any one. He only waits till man develops the right attitude and takes his own first step. That is what is lacking in the lives of most of us. We fail to communicate sincerely and intelligently with God, abandon meditation and only seek for miracles which never come.
As I said before, all situations change. If you do not believe in change, the change will take a very long time to come. But have no doubt- the change will come. God bless you.
QUESTION 4 FROM Sri PANDU
Respected Sir, You say every one is a Yogi as all life is yoga. But generally we understand yogi to be so different from the worldly people. What is the difference?
ANSWER:: As we have discussed all along, the whole creation and all ‘life’ in the creation is in an evolutionary mode. It is part of a process that approaching the ultimate perfection. That perfect state is satchidananda, the truth, its realization and the ensuing bliss. That is Brahman the final destination of all life.
Thus living ‘life’ itself is a continuous linkage with Brahman. As long as we live, we live maintaining this linkage and therefore we are all yogis or yukta –connected with our source.
But most people, including the atheists, do not understand or are not aware always of this connection. It is like a hidden or untrodden path leading towards a treasure trove which they have temporarily forgotten in their diversion.
A yogi as the world understands, is the one who is conscious of this linkage and puts on efforts more than the others and thereby as it were on a continuous treasure hunt. With enhanced effort he acquires knowledge that enriches his life. Quite simply again, a yogi is a better human being.
In the world of misery and unhappiness only a yogi experiences times of peaceful calmness. One can test it in one’s own life.
He is characterized by the extent of his knowledge and is recognized by the depth of his knowledge. Please read ‘Purushartha, Tapasya, Tyaga, Sanyasa and Yoga – the householders’ confusion’ in Mrach 2007 issue of AHWAN for further elaboration.
QUESTION 5 FROM Ms KALPANA RAJESH
It is beyond me to understand that I am Brahman. Is it ok if I just keep away from wrong things and evil ways? Is that not enough in life?
ANSWER:: That is a very honest question. On the face of it most religions will answer ‘yes’ to your question. But as we have often discussed, the sanatan philosophy is never satisfied with the simple obvious and always dives deeper into all life’s problems to discover the unalloyed truth.
There is always more to life than just a good and righteous life. While it always discards evil for good, it also asks ‘then what?’
Prajapati, the creator of all beings, conceived them in three categories. The suras or the divine ones with enlightened consciousness with goodness of character, the naras or humans who have immense intellectual capacity to analyse the duality of good and evil and potentially capable of raising themselves to the highest Brahmatva or satchidananda i.e. absolute truth, its realization and thereby earn perennial bliss, and finally the asuras or demons who revel in evil ways.
Only naras understand, using their gift of intellect (viveka) that evil asuric ways are to be shunned and divine ways of suras are the ideals.
But the naras also understand that to be a sura or divine is not the goal of existence. There is no permanent bliss even with suras or devas. But humans have that potential to achieve though yoga that permanent bliss, eternal ananda, the final goal. That is defined as brahmattva – oneness with Brahman- the satchidananada – the absolute truth, its realization and the ensuing ananda as the reward. Nothing less is acceptable. Evil ways are to be ofcourse rejected but so also the desire to become simply good. They are only parts of the process before the ultimate.
In no other philosophy you will find this lofty ideal.
