Gaurahari Dāsānudās Bābājī

En un retiro privado en lo alto de las montañas de México, un maestro autorealizado habla acerca del significado esotérico del famoso sermón de Jesús. Este video pone la escena e introduce las Beatitudes (“Benditos los…”). Los temas incluyen las bendiciones de Dios, una relación directa con Dios, el significado de la depresión, alivio del sufrimiento, conciencia espiritual, liberación del apego y el deseo, y mucho más.

 

Este video continúa nuestro análisis de las Beatitudes (“Benditos lo que…”). Los temas incluyen la relación entre la lujuria y el enojo, aceptando la responsabilidad por nuestra condición, libertad de culpa, mala identificación del cuerpo con el yo, desapegándose de objetos y designaciones materiales, las tres dimensiones del mundo espiritual, prevenir parálisis producido por emociones negativas, como salir del mundo material, y curar la enfermedad de la existencia material, obtener la felicidad aun en este mundo, y mucho más.

Este video continua nuestro análisis de las Beatitudes (“Benditos los que…”). Los temas incluyen conciencia dual espiritual y material, compasión por ateístas, educación en valores espirituales, actividades eternas espirituales, convertir lamentación y tristeza en alegría y celebración, prevenir las caídas, el beneficio eterno de las actividades espirituales, deseando completar el camino de la iluminación, Dios el completo, aliviar nuestras heridas emocionales con el amor perfecto de Dios, el karma de la crueldad como matar animales, los beneficios de ser amable, y mucho más.

Este video continua nuestro análisis de las Beatitudes (“Benditos los que…”). Los temas incluyen el fin inevitable de la civilización material, armonía con la ley eterna de Dios, justicia y rectitud, Verdad Absoluta incondicional e inmutable, entendiendo a los vedas como la enseñanza raíz de las religiones en este planeta, la diferencia entre verdad material relativa y Verdad Absoluta espiritual, porque el conocimiento espiritual es secreto, y mucho más.

Este video continua nuestro análisis de las Beatitudes (“Benditos los que…”). Los temas incluyen la campaña de desacreditación Británica contra los Vedas, evidencia que soporta la validez de los Vedas, incluyendo descubrimientos arqueológicos e imágenes de satélite, información científica avanzada en los Vedas como la velocidad de la luz, la tierra esférica, la realidad de un Dios personal, estudio de las escrituras a comparación de la autorrealización, pureza del corazón, la Autorevelación de Dios, liberta del deseo material a través del deseo espiritual, el pacifismo de Ghandi, el ejército de Jagadish Chandra Bose, y mucho más.

Este video continua nuestro análisis de las Beatitudes (“Benditos los que…”). Los temas incluyen la necesidad de castigar lo maligno, deberes de un Rey, tolerancia y el regaño, reyes Santos aceptan instrucciones de los sabios y siguen las instrucciones de Dios, la fuente de la maldad en el mundo actual, ser perseguido por la ley de Dios es el precio para entrar al mundo espiritual, deseando el placer de Dios, quien es Jesús realmente, su perfección, la imagen completa de Jesús en los Vedas, Jesús y sus discípulos están conectados con los Vedas y profecías tempranas, beneficio espirituales y eternos, y mucho más.

maya, illusion, hinduism
could someone fill me in on the hindu conception of “maya”? Can you relate it to “kantian” metaphysics about perceptions versus the “thing in itself”?

Hinduism « ALAIWAH!
One thing those years have made clear to Doniger is the difficulty of defining Hinduism. The term itself lacks any roots within India—only after the seventeenth century can we find the first usage of the title ‘Hindupati’ or Lord of the …

COLOURlovers :: Palette / Hinduism
Hinduism color palette by Lerner. … Hinduism. Hinduism. Comments 1. Avg. Score 9 (1 Votes). Palette Ranking. 1011513. out of 1011516. 7 COLOURlovers viewed this page and think Lerner is a color master. Add a Tag. No tags, add some! …

Tao Wow: Hinduism vs Taoism
We all know of Zen and its predecessor Chan is just that; Hinduism, boiled down to Buddhism and boiled in a bag with Taoism. Taoism is straightforward and direct but the Hindus spiritual vocabulary is very useful for people to describe …

Spurious: My Hinduism
My Hinduism has no depth, says W. He can’t really believe in it. – ‘Convince me’, he says. ‘Convince me you’re a Hindu. Of what does your Hinduism consist?’ He still remembers when I told him of my Hinduism. I’m…

Spurious: My Hinduism
‘You were never religious, were you?’, W. says. Im a Hindu!, I tell him. ‘But you were never really religious, were you?’ My Hinduism seems all too easy to W. It seems to bring me no anxiety. It fails to…

The Difficulties of Studying Hinduism
The texts on Hinduism developed by Western scholars dwell lavishly upon a certain set of topics that are a big turn off to students interested in Hinduism – These topics are Caste Discrimination, Tantric Sex, Animal Sacrifices, …

Swadharma › Moral Interpretation in Hinduism
Recently, Santosh generated an interesting email thread by asking “What is ‘Hinduism’s official stance’ on premarital sex?” I saw this as an opportunity to explore how Hinduism approaches moral issues, what the consequences of …

Bangladesh and the destruction of Hinduism and Buddhism
Home > Bangladesh and the destruction of Hinduism and Buddhism. Bangladesh and the destruction of Hinduism and. Buddhism. By Lee Jay Walker. Created 09/06/2009 – 21:00. By Lee Jay Walker. Image of Vishnu ? Vishnu is the Supreme God in …

What Are The Seven Holiest Places To Hindus?
I am in need of a person to interview that their faith is Hinduism. This is not to do my homework for me, I just need somebody who can answer a few questions for me for my paper purposes. 1. Have you converted from another religion to be of the Hindu faith? If so, why? 2. Does your religion effect your everyday life? 3. Are people baptized in to the Hindu faith? 4. How are the marriage ceremonies? 5. What are they sacred writing of the Hindus? 6. Describe what Hindus believe the afterlife is like? Anybody who helps me thank you so much for your time!

Questions on Hinduism?
I have been reading a lot about Hinduism, meditation, self awareness, etc. I watched The Razor’s Edge recently and in it the lead character read the Upanishads, which began his journey to self awareness, and led him to an ashram in India (great great movie, by the way). But I am concerned it may be too much to start with. Any thoughts?

I want to learn more about self awareness. Is the Upanishads a good place to start?

What are modern conflicts without Hinduism? (conflicts with an outside group vs. Hindus)?

What are modern conflict within Hinduism?

What are religious symbols/architecture in Hinduism?
Do you go to hell if you believe in god but don’t know which religion ? Do you got to hell if you beleived in the wrong religion e.g Hinduism? Please don’t tell me Gods not real, it’s not your place to say because you have no proof either.Yeh A who are you to judge?

Do you go to Hell if…..?
hi, Hey i got a doubt about performing pooja and rituals to god(Hinduism). I am in my 20s. I am god fearing and I do prayers and aarti to God twice a day(morning and evening). So as I am in my 20s, I happen to watch some movies or shows during the part of the day which might have some obvious sexual content in it.This tend to let the male changes happen in the body and me let out semen by natural process. So in this case can i perform aarti in the evening. Or should I take bath before i do aarti. I am concerned about this. Then one more thing is like when we wake up in the morning and if the same had happened in the previous night then in the morning are we not supposed to touch our new clothes(that are to be worn for the day)without taking bath (or)Should we take the towel and clothes using a stick or so into the bathroom so we dont touch them. It seems silly but I am very confused if what is right and wrong as I am god fearing.. thanks very much.

Hinduism Pooja and Rituals?
Are you proud of your Hindu heritage? How do you feel about secularism in India? Have foreign religions had a polluting effect on the pure and ancient culture of India?if yes why do you think so? How can India once again be a Hindu nation built and sustained purely on Hindu principles that are laid down in our scriptures? Can this be achieved through peaceful means or does violence have to be used against those who practice foreign religions? Don’t you think that the freedom that Hinduism gives its followers makes it the only true religion in the world compared to other religions which are dogmatic and have been evolved more as a control mechanism rather than a spiritual guide for people. Hasn’t it become fashionable to call oneself a secularist in India? isn’t this trend only prevalent among urban high class people and that Hindus elsewhere want a Hindu rastra and despise the polluting effect of foreigners on our culture. If you are city dweller who is answering: do you believe in Hindu rastra or are you a secularist?jesus the only way: Indian civilization is 10,000 years old and there were universities in India when the rest of the world still lived like animals including the British. So the British did not give India civilization, in fact they stole a lot of ancient knowledge from India and tried to make it look like their own. They even propounded ridiculous theories to make Hinduism look bad and make followers feel ashamed of it. A famous example of such a person is Max Mueller who denounced the Vedas all his life and tried to convert as many Hindus to Christianity only to embrace the Vedas himself towards the end of his life. As far as the caste system is concerned it was an intelligent division of labor according to the mental physical attributes of the individual, it was first corrupted by the mughals and then the british polluted it with their own discriminatory class system which existed in their society. And sati was practiced by certain tribes in north india not by all hindus.

Do you want India to be a Hindu nation?
A) was Rama Bhargava rishi as quoted in Rig Veda (10.110) indeed is parashurama ? According to Sarvanukramani attached to adharvana veda says that Rishi Rama Bhargava was the real parashurama. B) According to Ithihas Ramayana, and Mahabharata, there appears parashurama and also to be a teacher to Kalki avatar

Hinduism – Who was the Parashurama indeed ?

2Philosophy · DharmaArtha · Kama · MokshaKarma · SamsaraYoga · Bhakti · MayaPuja · Temple
3Vedas · UpanishadsRamayana · MahabharataBhagavad Gita · PuranasDharmasastra · others
4Hinduism by countryGurus and saintsReforms · CriticismCalendar · Hindu lawAyurveda · JyotishaFestivals · Glossary Persecution
6Hinduism is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is often referred to as Sanatana Dharma (a Sanskrit phrase meaning “the eternal law”) by its adherents. Generic “types” of Hinduism that attempt to accommodate a variety of complex views span folk and Vedic Hinduism to bhakti tradition, as in Vaishnavism. Hinduism also includes yogic traditions and a wide spectrum of “daily morality” based on the notion of karma and societal norms such as Hindu marriage customs.
7Among its roots is the historical Vedic religion of Iron Age India, and as such Hinduism is often called the “oldest living religion” or the “oldest living major tradition”. Hinduism is formed of diverse traditions and has no single founder. Hinduism is the world’s third largest religion after Christianity and Islam, with approximately one billion adherents, of whom approximately 905 million live in India. Other countries with large Hindu populations can be found across southern Asia.
8Hinduism’s vast body of scriptures are divided into Sruti (“revealed”) and Smriti (“remembered”) texts. These scriptures discuss theology, philosophy and mythology, and provide information on the practice of dharma (religious living). Among these texts, the Vedas and the Upanishads are the foremost in authority, importance and antiquity. Other major scriptures include the Pura?as and the epics Mahabharata and Ramaya?a. The Bhagavad Gita, a treatise from the Mahabharata, spoken by Krishna, is sometimes called a summary of the spiritual teachings of the Vedas.
9Hindu is the Persian name for the Indus River, first encountered in the Old Persian word Hindu (h?ndu), corresponding to Vedic Sanskrit Sindhu, the Indus River. The Rig Veda mentions the land of the Indo-Aryans as Sapta Sindhu (the land of the seven rivers in northwestern South Asia, one of them being the Indus). This corresponds to Hapta H?ndu in the Avesta (Vendidad or Videvdad 1.18)—the sacred scripture of Zoroastrianism. The term was used for those who lived in the Indian subcontinent on or beyond the “Sindhu”. In Arabic, the term al-Hind (the Hind) also refers to ‘the land of the people of modern day India’.
10The Persian term (Middle Persian Hinduk, New Persian Hindu) entered India with the Delhi Sultanate and appears in South Indian and Kashmiri texts from at least 1323 CE, and increasingly so during British rule. Since the end of the 18th century the word has been used as an umbrella term for most of the religious, spiritual, and philosophical traditions of the sub-continent, usually excluding the religions of Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism as distinct.
11The term Hinduism was introduced by the English people to denote the religious, philosophical, and cultural traditions native to India.
12Early European travelers and Christian missionaries coined the word “Brahmanism” to refer to Hinduism because the brahmin caste’s domination of Hindu society and religion. Hindus prefer to call their religion either the Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Religion, because it is based upon the eternal principles, or the Vaidika Dharma, the religion based upon the teachings of the Vedas. The country of the Hindus is traditionally known to them as Bharata or Bharatavarsa, derived from Bharata, an ancient king of India.
13Hinduism as we know it can be subdivided into a number of major currents. Of the historical division into six darshanas, only two schools, Vedanta and Yoga survive. The main divisions of Hinduism today are Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Smartism and Shaktism.
14Contemporary Hinduism is predominantly monotheistic, but Hindu tradition includes aspects that can be interpreted as panentheistic, pantheistic, polytheistic and even atheistic. Other notable characteristics include a belief in reincarnation and karma, as well as in personal duty, or dharma.
15McDaniel (2007) distinguishes six generic “types” of Hinduism, in an attempt to accommodate a variety of views on a rather complex subject:
16Hinduism does not have a “unified system of belief encoded in declaration of faith or a creed”, but is rather an umbrella term comprising the plurality of religious phenomena originating and based on the Vedic traditions.
17The term Hindu in origin is a Persian word in use from the time of the Delhi Sultanate, referring to any tradition that is native to India as opposed to Islam. Hindu is used in the sense of “Indian pagan” in English from the 17th century, but the notion of Hinduism as an identifiable religious tradition qualifying as one of the world religions emerged only during the 19th century.
18The characteristic of comprehensive tolerance to differences in belief, and Hinduism’s dogmatic openness, makes it difficult to define as a religion according to traditional Western conceptions. Although Hinduism is a clear practical concept to the majority of its adherents, many express a problem arriving at a definition of the term, mainly because of the wide range of traditions and ideas incorporated within it or covered by it. While sometimes referred to as a religion, Hinduism is more often defined as a religious tradition. It is therefore described as both the oldest of the world’s religions, and the most diverse. Most Hindu traditions revere a body of religious or sacred literature, the Vedas, although there are exceptions. Some Hindu religious traditions regard particular rituals as essential for salvation, but a variety of views on this co-exist. Some Hindu philosophies postulate a theistic ontology of creation, of sustenance, and of destruction of the universe, yet some Hindus are atheists. Hinduism is sometimes characterized by the belief in reincarnation (samsara), determined by the law of karma, and the idea that salvation is freedom from this cycle of repeated birth and death. However, other religions of the region, such as Buddhism and Jainism, also believe in karma, outside the scope of Hinduism. Hinduism is therefore viewed as the most complex of all of the living, historical world religions. Despite its complexity, Hinduism is not only one of the numerically largest faiths, but is also the oldest living major tradition on earth, with roots reaching back into prehistory.
19A definition of Hinduism, given by the first Vice President of India, who was also a prominent theologian, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, states that Hinduism is not “just a faith”, but in itself is related to the union of reason and intuition. Radhakrishnan explicitly states that Hinduism cannot be defined, but is only to be experienced. Similarly some academics suggest that Hinduism can be seen as a category with “fuzzy edges”, rather than as a well-defined and rigid entity. Some forms of religious expression are central to Hinduism, while others are not as central but still remain within the category. Based on this, Ferro-Luzzi has developed a ‘Prototype Theory approach’ to the definition of Hinduism.
20Problems with the single definition of what is actually meant by the term ‘Hinduism’ are often attributed to the fact that Hinduism does not have a single or common historical founder. Hinduism, or as some say ‘Hinduisms,’ does not have a single system of salvation and has different goals according to each sect or denomination. The forms of Vedic religion are seen not as an alternative to Hinduism, but as its earliest form, and there is little justification for the divisions found in much western scholarly writing between Vedism, Brahmanism, and Hinduism.
21A definition of Hinduism is further complicated by the frequent use of the term “faith” as a synonym for “religion”. Some academics and many practitioners refer to Hinduism using a native definition, as Sanatana Dharma, a Sanskrit phrase meaning “the eternal law”, or the “eternal way”.
22Hinduism refers to a religious mainstream which evolved organically and spread over a large territory marked by significant ethnic and cultural diversity. This mainstream evolved both by innovation from within, and by assimilation of external traditions or cults into the Hindu fold. The result is an enormous variety of religious traditions, ranging from innumerable small, unsophisticated cults to major religious movements with millions of adherents spread over the entire subcontinent. The identification of Hinduism as an independent religion separate from Buddhism or Jainism consequently hinges on the affirmation of its adherents that it is such.
23Prominent themes in Hindu beliefs include (but are not restricted to), Dharma (ethics/duties), Samsara (The continuing cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth), Karma (action and subsequent reaction), Moksha (liberation from samsara), and the various Yogas (paths or practices).
24Hinduism is a diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, monism, and atheism, and its concept of God is complex and depends upon each particular tradition and philosophy. It is sometimes referred to as henotheistic (i.e., involving devotion to a single god while accepting the existence of others), but any such term is an overgeneralization.
25Most Hindus believe that the spirit or soul — the true “self” of every person, called the atman — is eternal. According to the monistic/pantheistic theologies of Hinduism (such as Advaita Vedanta school), this Atman is ultimately indistinct from Brahman, the supreme spirit. Hence, these schools are called non-dualist. The goal of life, according to the Advaita school, is to realize that one’s atman is identical to Brahman, the supreme soul. The Upanishads state that whoever becomes fully aware of the atman as the innermost core of one’s own self realizes an identity with Brahman and thereby reaches moksha (liberation or freedom).
26Dualistic schools (see Dvaita and Bhakti) understand Brahman as a Supreme Being who possesses personality, and they worship him or her thus, as Vishnu, Brahma, Shiva, or Shakti, depending upon the sect. The atman is dependent on God, while moksha depends on love towards God and on God’s grace. When God is viewed as the supreme personal being (rather than as the infinite principle), God is called Ishvara (“The Lord”), Bhagavan (“The Auspicious One”) or Parameshwara (“The Supreme Lord”). However interpretations of Ishvara vary, ranging from non-belief in Ishvara by followers of Mimamsakas, to identifying Brahman and Ishvara as one, as in Advaita. In the majority of traditions of Vaishnavism he is Vishnu, God, and the text of Vaishnava scriptures identify this Being as Krishna, sometimes referred to as svayam bhagavan. There are also schools like the Samkhya which have atheistic leanings.
27The Hindu scriptures refer to celestial entities called Devas (or devi in feminine form; devata used synonymously for Deva in Hindi), “the shining ones”, which may be translated into English as “gods” or “heavenly beings”. The devas are an integral part of Hindu culture and are depicted in art, architecture and through icons, and mythological stories about them are related in the scriptures, particularly in Indian epic poetry and the Puranas. They are, however, often distinguished from Ishvara, a supreme personal god, with many Hindus worshiping Ishvara in a particular form as their i??a devata, or chosen ideal. The choice is a matter of individual preference, and of regional and family traditions.
28Hindu epics and the Puranas relate several episodes of the descent of God to Earth in corporeal form to restore dharma to society and to guide humans to moksha. Such an incarnation is called an avatar. The most prominent avatars are of Vishnu and include Rama (the protagonist in Ramayana) and Krishna (a central figure in the epic Mahabharata).
29Karma translates literally as action, work, or deed, and can be described as the “moral law of cause and effect”. According to the Upanishads an individual, known as the jiva-atma, develops sanskaras (impressions) from actions, whether physical or mental. The linga sharira, a body more subtle than the physical one but less subtle than the soul, retains impressions, carrying them over into the next life, establishing a unique trajectory for the individual. Thus, the concept of a universal, neutral, and never-failing karma intrinsically relates to reincarnation as well as to one’s personality, characteristics, and family. Karma binds together the notions of free will and destiny.
30This cycle of action, reaction, birth, death and rebirth is a continuum called samsara. The notion of reincarnation and karma is a strong premise in Hindu thought. The Bhagavad Gita states that:
31similarly an embodied soul enters new material bodies, leaving the old bodies.(B.G. 2:22)
32Samsara provides ephemeral pleasures, which lead people to desire rebirth so as to enjoy the pleasures of a perishable body. However, escaping the world of samsara through moksha is believed to ensure lasting happiness and peace. It is thought that after several reincarnations, an atman eventually seeks unity with the cosmic spirit (Brahman/Paramatman).
33The ultimate goal of life, referred to as moksha, nirvana or samadhi, is understood in several different ways: as the realization of one’s union with God; as the realization of one’s eternal relationship with God; realization of the unity of all existence; perfect unselfishness and knowledge of the Self; as the attainment of perfect mental peace; and as detachment from worldly desires. Such realization liberates one from samsara and ends the cycle of rebirth.
34The exact conceptualization of moksha differs among the various Hindu schools of thought. For example, Advaita Vedanta holds that after attaining moksha an atman no longer identifies itself with an individual but as identical with Brahman in all respects. The followers of Dvaita (dualistic) schools identify themselves as part of Brahman, and after attaining moksha expect to spend eternity in a loka (heaven), in the company of their chosen form of Ishvara. Thus, it is said that the followers of dvaita wish to “taste sugar”, while the followers of Advaita wish to “become sugar”.
35Classical Hindu thought accepts the following objectives of human life, known as the puru?arthas: dharma “righteousness, ethikos;” artha “livelihood, wealth;” kama “sensual pleasure;” mok?a “liberation, freedom (from samsara)”.
36In whatever way a Hindu defines the goal of life, there are several methods (yogas) that sages have taught for reaching that goal. Texts dedicated to Yoga include the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and, as their philosophical and historical basis, the Upanishads. Paths that one can follow to achieve the spiritual goal of life (moksha, samadhi or nirvana) include:
37An individual may prefer one or some yogas over others, according to his or her inclination and understanding. Some devotional schools teach that bhakti is the only practical path to achieve spiritual perfection for most people, based on their belief that the world is currently in the Kali Yuga (one of four epochs which are part of the Yuga cycle). Practice of one yoga does not exclude others. Many schools believe that the different yogas naturally blend into and aid other yogas. For example, the practice of jnana yoga, is thought to inevitably lead to pure love (the goal of bhakti yoga), and vice versa. Someone practicing deep meditation (such as in raja yoga) must embody the core principles of karma yoga, jnana yoga and bhakti yoga, whether directly or indirectly.
38Hindu practices generally involve seeking awareness of God and sometimes also seeking blessings from Devas. Therefore, Hinduism has developed numerous practices meant to help one think of divinity in the midst of everyday life. Hindus can engage in puja (worship or veneration), either at home or at a temple. At home, Hindus often create a shrine with icons dedicated to their chosen form(s) of God. Temples are usually dedicated to a primary deity along with associated subordinate deities though some commemorate multiple deities. Visiting temples is not obligatory, and many visit temples only during religious festivals. Hindus perform their worship through icons (murtis). The icon serves as a tangible link between the worshiper and God. The image is often considered a manifestation of God, since God is immanent. The Padma Purana states that the murti is not to be thought of as mere stone or wood but as a manifest form of the Divinity. A few Hindu sects, such as the Arya Samaj, do not believe in worshiping God through icons.
39Hinduism has a developed system of symbolism and iconography to represent the sacred in art, architecture, literature and worship. These symbols gain their meaning from the scriptures, mythology, or cultural traditions. The syllable Om (which represents the Parabrahman) and the Swastika sign (which symbolizes auspiciousness) have grown to represent Hinduism itself, while other markings such as tilaka identify a follower of the faith. Hinduism associates many symbols, which include the lotus, chakra and veena, with particular deities.
40Mantras are invocations, praise and prayers that through their meaning, sound, and chanting style help a devotee focus the mind on holy thoughts or express devotion to God/the deities. Many devotees perform morning ablutions at the bank of a sacred river while chanting the Gayatri Mantra or Mahamrityunjaya mantras. The epic Mahabharata extols Japa (ritualistic chanting) as the greatest duty in the Kali Yuga (what Hindus believe to be the current age). Many adopt Japa as their primary spiritual practice.
41The vast majority of Hindus engage in religious rituals on a daily basis. Most Hindus observe religious rituals at home. but observation of rituals greatly vary among regions, villages, and individuals. Devout Hindus perform daily chores such as worshiping at the dawn after bathing (usually at a family shrine, and typically includes lighting a lamp and offering foodstuffs before the images of deities), recitation from religious scripts, singing devotional hymns, meditation, chanting mantras, reciting scriptures etc. A notable feature in religious ritual is the division between purity and pollution. Religious acts presuppose some degree of impurity or defilement for the practitioner, which must be overcome or neutralised before or during ritual procedures. Purification, usually with water, is thus a typical feature of most religious action. Other characteristics include a belief in the efficacy of sacrifice and concept of merit, gained through the performance of charity or good works, that will accumulate over time and reduce sufferings in the next world. Vedic rites of fire-oblation (yajna) are now only occasional practices, although they are highly revered in theory. In Hindu wedding and burial ceremonies, however, the yajna and chanting of Vedic mantras are still the norm. The rituals, upacharas, change with time. For instance, in the past few hundred years some rituals, such as sacred dance and music offerings in the standard Sodasa Upacharas set prescribed by the Agama Shastra, were replaced by the offerings of rice and sweets.
42Occasions like birth, marriage, and death involve what are often elaborate sets of religious customs. In Hinduism, life-cycle rituals include Annaprashan (a baby’s first intake of solid food), Upanayanam (“sacred thread ceremony” undergone by upper-caste children at their initiation into formal education) and Sraddha (ritual of treating people to feasts in the name of the deceased). For most people in India, the betrothal of the young couple and the exact date and time of the wedding are matters decided by the parents in consultation with astrologers. On death, cremation is considered obligatory for all except sanyasis, hijra, and children under five. Cremation is typically performed by wrapping the corpse in cloth and burning it on a pyre.
43Pilgrimage is not mandatory in Hinduism, though many adherents undertake them Hindus recognise several Indian holy cities, including Allahabad, Haridwar, Varanasi, and Vrindavan. Notable temple cities include Puri, which hosts a major Vaishnava Jagannath temple and Rath Yatra celebration; Tirumala – Tirupati, home to the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple; and Katra, home to the Vaishno Devi temple. The four holy sites Puri, Rameswaram, Dwarka, and Badrinath (or alternatively the Himalayan towns of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri) compose the Char Dham (four abodes) pilgrimage circuit. The Kumbh Mela (the “pitcher festival”) is one of the holiest of Hindu pilgrimages that is held every four years; the location is rotated among Allahabad, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain. Another important set of pilgrimages are the Shakti Peethas, where the Mother Goddess is worshipped, the two principal ones being Kalighat and Kamakhya.
44Hinduism has many festivals throughout the year. The Hindu calendar usually prescribe their dates. The festivals typically celebrate events from Hindu mythology, often coinciding with seasonal changes. There are festivals which are primarily celebrated by specific sects or in certain regions of the Indian subcontinent. Some widely observed Hindu festivals are Maha Shivaratri, Holi, Ram Navami, Krishna Janmastami,Ganesh Chaturthi, Dussera, Durga Puja and Diwali.
45Hinduism is based on “the accumulated treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons in different times”. The scriptures were transmitted orally in verse form to aid memorization, for many centuries before they were written down. Over many centuries, sages refined the teachings and expanded the canon. In post-Vedic and current Hindu belief, most Hindu scriptures are not typically interpreted literally. More importance is attached to the ethics and metaphorical meanings derived from them. Most sacred texts are in Sanskrit. The texts are classified into two classes: Shruti and Smriti.
46Shruti (lit: that which is heard) primarily refers to the Vedas, which form the earliest record of the Hindu scriptures. While many Hindus revere the Vedas as eternal truths revealed to ancient sages (??is), some devotees do not associate the creation of the Vedas with a god or person. They are thought of as the laws of the spiritual world, which would still exist even if they were not revealed to the sages. Hindus believe that because the spiritual truths of the Vedas are eternal, they continue to be expressed in new ways.
47There are four Vedas (called ?g-, Sama-, Yajus – and Atharva-). The Rigveda is the first and most important Veda. Each Veda is divided into four parts: the primary one, the Veda proper, being the Sa?hita, which contains sacred mantras. The other three parts form a three-tier ensemble of commentaries, usually in prose and are believed to be slightly later in age than the Sa?hita. These are: the Brahma?as, Ara?yakas, and the Upanishads. The first two parts were subsequently called the Karmaka??a (ritualistic portion), while the last two form the Jnanaka??a (knowledge portion). While the Vedas focus on rituals, the Upanishads focus on spiritual insight and philosophical teachings, and discuss Brahman and reincarnation.
48Hindu texts other than the Shrutis are collectively called the Smritis (memory). The most notable of the smritis are the epics, which consist of the Mahabharata and the Ramaya?a. The Bhagavad Gita is an integral part of the Mahabharata and one of the most popular sacred texts of Hinduism. It contains philosophical teachings from Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu, told to the prince Arjuna on the eve of a great war. The Bhagavad Gita, spoken by Krishna, is described as the essence of the Vedas. However Gita, sometimes called Gitopanishad, is more often placed in the Shruti, category, being Upanishadic in content. The Smritis also include the Pura?as, which illustrate Hindu ideas through vivid narratives. There are texts with a sectarian nature such as Devi Mahatmya, the Tantras, the Yoga Sutras, Tirumantiram, Shiva Sutras and the Hindu Agamas. A more controversial text, the Manusmriti, is a prescriptive lawbook which epitomizes the societal codes of the caste system.
49The earliest evidence for prehistoric religion in India date back to the late Neolithic in the early Harappan period (5500–2600 BCE). The beliefs and practices of the pre-classical era (1500–500 BCE) are called the “historical Vedic religion”. Modern Hinduism grew out of the Vedas, the oldest of which is the Rigveda, dated to 1700–1100 BCE. The Vedas center on worship of deities such as Indra, Varuna and Agni, and on the Soma ritual. They performed fire-sacrifices, called yajna, and chanted Vedic mantras but did not build temples or icons. The oldest Vedic traditions exhibit strong similarities to Zoroastrianism and other Indo-European religions.
50The major Sanskrit epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, were compiled over a protracted period during the late centuries BCE and the early centuries CE. They contain mythological stories about the rulers and wars of ancient India, and are interspersed with religious and philosophical treatises. The later Puranas recount tales about devas and devis, their interactions with humans and their battles against demons.
51Three major movements underpinned the naissance of a new epoch of Hindu thought: the advent and spread of Upanishadic, Jaina, and Buddhist philosophico-religious thought throughout the broader Indian landmass. Mahavira (24th Tirthankar of Jains) and Buddha (founder of Buddhism) taught that to achieve moksha or nirvana, one did not have to accept the authority of the Vedas or the caste system. Buddha went a step further and claimed that the existence of a Self/soul or God was unnecessary. Buddhism peaked during the reign of Asoka the Great of the Mauryan Empire, who unified the Indian subcontinent in the 3rd century BCE. After 200 CE several schools of thought were formally codified in Indian philosophy, including Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Purva-Mimamsa and Vedanta. Charvaka, the founder of an atheistic materialist school, came to the fore in North India in the sixth century BCE. Between 400 BCE and 1000 CE Hinduism expanded at the expense of Buddhism.
52Sanskritic culture went into decline after the end of the Gupta period. The early medieval Puranas helped establish a religious mainstream among the pre-literate tribal societies undergoing acculturation. The tenets of Brahmanic Hinduism and of the Dharmashastras underwent a radical transformation at the hands of the Purana composers, resulting in the rise of a mainstream “Hinduism” that overshadowed all earlier traditions.
53Though Islam came to India in the early 7th century with the advent of Arab traders and the conquest of Sindh, it started to become a major religion during the later Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent. During this period Buddhism declined rapidly and many Hindus converted to Islam. Numerous Muslim rulers such as Aurangzeb destroyed Hindu temples and persecuted non-Muslims; however some, such as Akbar, were more tolerant. Hinduism underwent profound changes, in large part due to the influence of the prominent teachers Ramanuja, Madhva, and Chaitanya. Followers of the Bhakti movement moved away from the abstract concept of Brahman, which the philosopher Adi Shankara consolidated a few centuries before, with emotional, passionate devotion towards the more accessible avatars, especially Krishna and Rama.
54Indology as an academic discipline of studying Indian culture from a European perspective was established in the 19th century, led by scholars such as Max Muller and John Woodroffe. They brought Vedic, Puranic and Tantric literature and philosophy to Europe and the United States. At the same time, societies such as the Brahmo Samaj and the Theosophical Society attempted to reconcile and fuse Abrahamic and Dharmic philosophies, endeavouring to institute societal reform. This period saw the emergence of movements which, while highly innovative, were rooted in indigenous tradition. They were based on the personalities and teachings of individuals, as with Shri Ramakrishna and Ramana Maharshi. Prominent Hindu philosophers, including Sri Aurobindo and Swami Prabhupada (founder of ISKCON), translated, reformulated and presented Hinduism’s foundational texts for contemporary audiences in new iterations, attracting followers and attention in India and abroad. Others such as Swami Vivekananda, Paramahansa Yogananda, B.K.S. Iyengar and Swami Rama have also been instrumental in raising the profiles of Yoga and Vedanta in the West. Today modern movements, such as ISKCON and the Swaminarayan Faith, attract a large amount of followers across the world.
55Hinduism has no central doctrinal authority and many practising Hindus do not claim to belong to any particular denomination. However, academics categorize contemporary Hinduism into four major denominations: Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism and Smartism. The denominations differ primarily in the god worshipped as the Supreme One and in the traditions that accompany worship of that god.
56Vaishnavas worship Vishnu as the supreme God; Shaivites worship Shiva as the supreme; Shaktas worship Shakti (power) personified through a female divinity or Mother Goddess, Devi; while Smartas believe in the essential oneness of five (panchadeva) or six (Shanmata, as Tamil Hindus add Skanda) deities as personifications of the Supreme.
57The Western conception of what Hinduism is has been defined by the Smarta view; many Hindus, who may not understand or follow Advaita philosophy, in contemporary Hinduism, invariably follow the Shanmata belief worshiping many forms of God. One commentator, noting the influence of the Smarta tradition, remarked that although many Hindus may not strictly identify themselves as Smartas but, by adhering to Advaita Vedanta as a foundation for non-sectarianism, are indirect followers.
58Other denominations like Ganapatya (the cult of Ganesha) and Saura (Sun worship) are not so widespread.
59There are movements that are not easily placed in any of the above categories, such as Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s Arya Samaj, which rejects image worship and veneration of multiple deities. It focuses on the Vedas and the Vedic fire sacrifices (yajna).
60The Tantric traditions have various sects, as Banerji observes:
61As in every religion, some view their own denomination as superior to others. However, many Hindus consider other denominations to be legitimate alternatives to their own. Heresy is therefore generally not an issue for Hindus.
62Traditionally the life of a Hindu is divided into four Ashramas (phases or stages; unrelated meanings include monastery). The first part of one’s life, Brahmacharya, the stage as a student, is spent in celibate, controlled, sober and pure contemplation under the guidance of a Guru, building up the mind for spiritual knowledge. Grihastha is the householder’s stage, in which one marries and satisfies kama and artha in one’s married and professional life respectively (see the goals of life). The moral obligations of a Hindu householder include supporting one’s parents, children, guests and holy figures. Vanaprastha, the retirement stage, is gradual detachment from the material world. This may involve giving over duties to one’s children, spending more time in religious practices and embarking on holy pilgrimages. Finally, in Sannyasa, the stage of asceticism, one renounces all worldly attachments to secludedly find the Divine through detachment from worldly life and peacefully shed the body for Moksha.
63Some Hindus choose to live a monastic life (Sannyasa) in pursuit of liberation or another form of spiritual perfection. Monastics commit themselves to a life of simplicity, celibacy, detachment from worldly pursuits, and the contemplation of God. A Hindu monk is called a sanyasi, sadhu, or swami. A female renunciate is called a sanyasini. Renunciates receive high respect in Hindu society because their outward renunciation of selfishness and worldliness serves as an inspiration to householders who strive for mental renunciation. Some monastics live in monasteries, while others wander from place to place, trusting in God alone to provide for their needs. It is considered a highly meritorious act for a householder to provide sadhus with food or other necessaries. Sadhus strive to treat all with respect and compassion, whether a person may be poor or rich, good or wicked, and to be indifferent to praise, blame, pleasure, and pain.
64Hindu society has traditionally been categorized into four classes, called Varnas (Sanskrit: “colour, form, appearance”):
65Hindus and scholars debate whether the so-called caste system is an integral part of Hinduism sanctioned by the scriptures or an outdated social custom. Among the scriptures, the Shrutis do contain verses that mention the Varna system, but very sparingly and descriptively (i.e., not prescriptive). Indeed, the only verse in the Rigveda which mentions all four varnas is 10.90, the Purushasukta. The other varnas, the Brahma (i.e. Brahmins) and Rajanya (i.e. Kshatriyas) are mentioned separately in some other verses in the Rigveda (e.g. RV 10.80.1) and the other Vedas, and rarely in the Upanishads. Some—definitely including most Smriti texts—have interpreted these as prescribing the division of society in the four varnas. A verse from the Rig Veda indicates that a person’s occupation was not necessarily determined by that of his family:
66In the Vedic Era, there was no prohibition against the Shudras listening to the Vedas or participating in any religious rite, as was the case in the later times. Some mobility and flexibility within the varnas challenge allegations of social discrimination in the caste system, as has been pointed out by several sociologists.
67The Smritis, having interpreted the Vedic mentions of the varnas as prescriptive, clearly sanction the division of the society into the four varnas, and also mention various sub-divisions within these varnas, which would later emerge as the present birth-based caste system.
68Many social reformers, including Mahatma Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar, criticized caste discrimination. The religious teacher Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886) taught that
69Hindus advocate the practice of ahi?sa (non-violence) and respect for all life because divinity is believed to permeate all beings, including plants and non-human animals. The term ahi?sa appears in the Upanishads, the epic Mahabharata and Ahi?sa is the first of the five Yamas (vows of self-restraint) in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.
70In accordance with ahi?sa, many Hindus embrace vegetarianism to respect higher forms of life. Vegetarianism is propagated by the Yajur Veda and it is recommended for a satvic (purifying) lifestyle. Estimates of the number of lacto vegetarians in India (includes adherents of all religions) vary between 20% and 42%. The food habits vary with the community and region, for example some castes having fewer vegetarians and coastal populations relying on seafood. Some Hindus avoid onion and garlic, which are regarded as rajasic foods. Some avoid meat only on specific holy days.
71Observant Hindus who do eat meat almost always abstain from beef. The cow in Hindu society is traditionally identified as a caretaker and a maternal figure, and Hindu society honors the cow as a symbol of unselfish giving.
72Cow-slaughter is legally banned in almost all states of India. See further discussion at Cattle in Religion and Food taboo.
73Concepts of conversion, evangelization, and proselytization are absent from Hindu texts and in practice have never played a significant role, though acceptance of willing converts is becoming more common. Early in its history, in the absence of other competing religions, Hindus considered everyone they came across as Hindus and expected everyone they met to be Hindus.
74Hindus today continue to be influenced by historical ideas of acceptability of conversion. Hence, many Hindus continue to believe that Hinduism is an identity that can only be had from birth, while many others continue to believe that anyone who follows Hindu beliefs and practices is a Hindu, and many believe in some form of both theories. However, as a reaction to perceived and actual threat of evangelization, prozelyzation, and conversion activities of other major religions most modern Hindus are opposed to the idea of conversion from (any) one religion to (any) other per se.
75Hindus in Western countries generally accept and welcome willing converts, whereas in India acceptance of willing converts is becoming more common. With the rise of Hindu revivalist movements, reconversions to Hinduism have also risen. Reconversions are well accepted since conversion out of Hinduism is not recognized. Conversion into Hinduism through marriage is well accepted and often expected in order to enable the non-Hindu partner to fully participate in their spiritual, religious, and cultural roles within the larger Hindu family and society.
76There is no formal process for converting to Hinduism, although in many traditions a ritual called diksha (“initiation”) marks the beginning of spiritual life. A ritual called shuddhi (“purification”) sometimes marks the return to spiritual life after reconversion. Most Hindu sects do not seek converts, as they believe that the goals of spiritual life can be attained through any religion, as long as it is practiced sincerely. However, some Hindu sects and affiliates such as Arya Samaj, Saiva Siddhanta Church, BAPS, and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness accept those who have a desire to follow Hinduism.
77In general, Hindu view of religious freedom is not based on the freedom to proselytize, but the right to retain one’s religion and not be subject to proselyzation. Hindu leaders are advocating for changing the existing formulation of the freedom of religion clause in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights since it favors religions which proselytize.
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ShrIgurubhyo namaH

The seminal teaching of the Upanishads, also known as Vedanta, is directed at empowering those who are caught in the trammels of transmigratory existence, samsara, with the true knowledge of themselves.  This empowerment instantly releases them from the samsara and launches them in the eternal state of liberation, moksha.  In the run-up to this empowerment the Vedanta gives out the teaching in a systematic manner consisting of the knowledge of the goal and the means to attain it.  It also provides the seeker with the means to attain the means as well.  The central teaching, however, is Tat tvam asi, ‘You are That’.  Here, the ‘you’ is the spirit that is separated from the unreal superimpositions of the body-mind complex.  The ‘That’ is the All-pervading Existence – Consciousness that incidentally is shown as the Cause of the Universe.  The Consciousness, spirit, freed from its incidental attribute of creatorhood is what the seeker really is.

This Vedantic teaching of Tat tvam asi occurs in the Chandogya Upanishad Chapter VI in the famous UddAlaka-Shvetaketu dialogue.  In this discourse the teaching is given out nine times to the disciple, culminating in the disciple becoming enlightened.

In the process of sadhana, a stage comes where the seeker has just one primary engagement: contemplate upon the sense underlying this central teaching: Tat tvam asi.  The VivekachUDAmaNi (A crest jewel of Discrimination) is a famous work of Sri Shankaracharya that gives out the entire teaching of the Vedanta in some 550 verses.

Herein contains a decad of verses giving out the manner of contemplating on Tat tvam asi.  The eminently elucidatory commentary of the Jivanmukta Acharya His Holiness Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Swamiji of Sringeri is an invaluable aid in understanding these verses and deriving their best use.  First the ten verses in their original are presented so as to enable one to read, recite, memorize and joyfully contemplate.  Subsequently, each verse is taken up for a short elucidation.

जातिनीतिकुल-गोत्र-दूरगं नामरूपगुणदोषवर्जितम् ।

देशकालविषयातिवर्ति यद्ब्रह्म तत्त्वमसि भावयात्मनि ॥  (VC २५५)

यत्परं सकलवागगोचरं गोचरं विमलबोधचक्षुष: ।

शुद्धचिद्घनमनादि वस्तु यद्ब्रह्म तत्त्वमसि भावयात्मनि ॥ (VC २५६)

षड्भिरूर्मिभिरयोगि योगिहृद्भावितं न करणैर्विभावितम् ।

बुध्यवेद्यमनवद्य-भूति यद्ब्रह्म तत्त्वमसि भावयात्मनि ।।  (VC २५७)

भ्रान्तिकल्पित-जगत्कलाश्रयं स्वाश्रयं च सदसद्विलक्षणम् ।

निष्कलं निरुपमान-मृद्धिमत्-ब्रह्म तत्त्वमसि भावयात्मनि ॥  (VC २५८)

जन्मवृद्धिपरिणत्यपक्षय-व्याधिनाशन-मव्ययम् ।

विश्वसृष्ट्यवनघातकारणं ब्रह्म तत्त्वमसि भावयात्मनि ॥ (VC २५९)

अस्तभेदमनपास्तलक्षणं निस्तरङ्गजलराशि-निश्चलम् ।

नित्यमुक्तविभक्तमूर्ति यद्ब्रह्म तत्त्वमसि भावयात्मनि ॥ (VC २६०)

एकमेव सदनेककारणं कारणान्तरनिरासकारणम् ।

कार्यकारणविलक्षणं स्वयं ब्रह्म तत्त्वमसि भावयात्मनि ॥ (VC २६१)

निर्वकल्पकमनल्पमक्षरं यत्क्षरात्क्षर-विलक्षणं परम् ।

नित्यमव्ययसुखं निरञ्जनं ब्रह्म  तत्त्वमसि भावयात्मनि ( VC २६२)

यद्विभाति सदनेकधा भ्रमान्नामरूपगुणविक्रियात्मना ।

हेमवत्स्वयमविक्रियं सदा  ब्रह्म  तत्त्वमसि भावयात्मनि (VC २६३)

यच्चकास्त्यनपरं परात्परं प्रत्यगेकरसं आत्मलक्षणम् ।

सत्यचित्सुखं अनन्तमव्ययं ब्रह्म  तत्त्वमसि भावयात्मनि (VC २६४)

उक्तमर्थमिमं आत्मनि स्वयं भावय प्रथितयुक्तिभिर्धिया ।

संशयादिरहितं करांबुवत् तेन तत्त्वनिगमो भविष्यति ॥ (VC २६५)

In the sequel these ten verses are taken up for a somewhat detailed study.  The translation for each verse is taken from the site: www. shankaracharya.org

1. jAti-nIti-kula-gotra-dUragam nAma-rUpa-guNa-doSha-varjitam

desha-kAla-viShayAtivarti yat brahma tat tvam asi bhAvayAtmani  255

That which is beyond caste and creed, family and lineage; devoid of name and form, merit and demerit; transcending space, time and sense-object – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.

Caste, creed, family, lineage, name and form are all attributes of the body.  The body is inert, made of the five elements.  It has a date of arrival and departure.  It undergoes several modifications and is exposed to disease.  Merit and demerit could be ascribed to the body as well as the mind-apparatus.  This apparatus, too, is inert and is made of subtle elements.  The body-mind is subject to spatial and temporal constraints. The body and mind are themselves objects to the Consciousness that Sees them.  This See-er consciousness that itself is not an object of anything else is Brahman.  Again, Brahman is free of all the attributes that are listed above.  ‘The seeker I am Brahman in Truth and not the body-mind complex.’  Such ought to be one’s method of contemplation.

1. Yat param sakala-vAgagocharam gocharam vimala-bodha-chakShuShaH

Shuddha-chid-ghanam anAdi vastu yad brahma tat tvam asi bhAvayAtmani 256

That Supreme Brahman which is beyond the range of all speech, but accessible to the eye of pure illumination; which is pure, the Embodiment of Knowledge, the beginningless entity – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.

Everything that comes under the categories of species, attributes, action and relationship can be denoted by a word, coming as it is within the range of speech.  For example the animal cow belongs to the bovine species and can be thus designated.  A black cow is attributed thus and so is designatable as such.  A car driver is designatable with reference to his action.  A land-lord is referred as such owing to his relationship with the estate that he owns.  Thus all that comes within the range of words is limited, of the world and only a product and is perishable.  Brahman, on the other hand, being One Only and therefore not being a species, unattributed, actionless and relationless cannot be designated by means of words.  It is thus beyond speech.  Then how is It to be known at all?  The suitably cultivated and trained mind alone can grasp Brahman and that too not as an object by a subject but as the very knower-subject itself.  While everything that is objectifiable is perishable, Brahman is Beginningless and therefore Eternal.  ‘Such  a Brahman am I.’  Thus has one to contemplate.

1. ShaDbhirUrmibhirayogi yogi-hRd-bhAvitam na karaNair-vibhAvitam

Buddhyavedyam anavadya-bhUti yad brahma tat tvam asi bhAvayAtmani 257

That which is untouched by the six-fold wave; meditated upon by the Yogi’s heart, but not grasped by the sense-organs; which the Buddhi cannot know; and which is unimpeachable – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.

The six-fold waves that continuously afflict a born entity is: A. birth and death.  This pair pertains to the gross body, the anna-maya kosha. B. hunger and thirst.  This pair affects the life-sheath or prANamaya kosha. C. misery and delusion.  This pair affects the mental personality, the mano-maya kosha.  Any being endowed with these personalities is not free from these afflictions.  Brahman being without these is definitely the Goal, free of all misery born of all these afflictions.  While anything other than Brahman is full of defects, Brahman alone is beyond all defects and therefore the Goal Adorable.  ‘I am That Pure Brahman.’  This is the method of contemplation.

1. bhrAnti-kalpita-jagat-kalAshrayam svAshrayam cha sadasad-vilakShaNam

niShkalam nirupamAnam-Rddhimat brahma tat tvam asi bhAvayAtmani 258

That which is the substratum of the universe with its various subdivisions which are all creations of delusion; which Itself has no other support; which is distinct from the gross and subtle; which has no parts, and has verily no exemplar – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.

In the earlier verses the emphasis was on the ‘thou’ (Self) part of the mahAvAkya.  In this verse the ‘That’ (Brahman) part of the sentence is taken up.  Brahman is the support of the entire universe that is superimposed on It out of delusion.  There is no entity that supports Brahman.  All distinctions based on duality like gross and subtle obtain only in the world; Brahman being neither gross nor subtle.  In the world, the earth element is gross and the space element is subtle.  Again, the waking world is gross, the dream world is subtle and the causal sleep (potential) world is the subtlemost.  Brahman that transcends all the three states does not come under the category of gross and subtle.  ‘I am That Brahman’ is the mode of contemplation.

1. Janma-vRddhi-pariNatyapakShaya-vyAdhi-nAshana-vihInam-avyayam

vishvasRShTy-anavaghAta-kAraNam  brahma tat tvam asi bhAvayAtmani 259

That which is free from birth, growth, development, waste, disease and death; which is indestructible; which is the cause of the projection, maintenance and dissolution of the universe – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.

While anything that comes into being, sentient or insentient, is subject to transformations beginning from birth and ending in death/destruction, Brahman that does not come into being is free from these transformations.  That which is the Cause of the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the universe remains outside the realm of creation, etc. ‘Such a Brahman am I’ is the way one should engage in contemplation.

1. astabhEdam anapAsta-lakShaNam nistaranga-jala-rAshi-nishchalam

nityamuktam avibhakta-mUrti yad brahma tat tvam asi bhAvayAtmani 260

That which is free from differentiation; whose essence is never non-existent; which is unmoved like the ocean without waves; the ever-free; of indivisible Form – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.

Every object in the universe, being created, is not free from the three types of differentiation: 1. sajAtIya – an object similar to itself like a fig tree differentiated from another fig tree, 2. vijAtIya – an object different from itself like a tree that is different from a stone, and 3. Svagata: internal parts that are different like branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, trunk, etc. in a tree. Such differences are inevitable in anything that is created and subject to destruction.  Brahman alone is that un-created, imperishable, totally difference-free Entity.  While every object created will go out of existence, Brahman will never become extinct.  ‘I am Brahman that is thus described’ is the way an aspirant contemplates.

1. EkamEva sadanEka-kAraNam kAraNAntara-nirAsa-kAraNam

kArya-kAraNa-vilakShaNam svayam brahma tat tvam asi bhAvayAtmani 261

That which, though One only, is the cause of the many; which refutes all other causes, but is Itself without cause; distinct from Maya and its effect, the universe; and independent – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.

Everything produced can be seen to be caused by some other thing, which itself is a product of yet another produced object.  This makes all created things come under the category of products.  Brahman alone is the unproduced Cause of everything else that manifests, as a vivarta of Brahman, and appears as this universe of cause and effect.  This vivarta takes place through the agency of mAyA, the cause.  Thus, in the created phase, we have mAyA as the cause and the entire world of variety as products of mAya.  In dissolution all effects resolve in mAyA and emerge from it in the next cycle of creation.  Brahman is beyond even this creative-cause mAyA.  ‘I am That Brahman that transcends even mAyA and its effects’ – such is the mode of contemplation of a sincere aspirant.

1. Nirvikalpakam analpam aksharam yat kSharAkShara-vilakShaNam param

Nityam avyaya-sukham niranjanam brahma tat tvam asi bhAvayAtmani 262

That which is free from duality; which is infinite and indestructible; distinct from the universe and Maya, supreme, eternal; which is undying Bliss; taintless – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.

Everything created has divisions in it in the form of seer, seeing and seen.  This is a kind of vikalpam.  Brahman alone being uncreated is not subject to this kind of a division.  All worldly joy is finite, being produced in time due to contact.  The innate bliss of Brahman is uncaused, being secondless, advaitam.  While everything in creation is tainted by defects such as perishability, disintegration, etc., Brahman is untainted by any defect.  ‘I am Brahman of this description’- such is the kind of contemplation that a seeker engages in diligently.

1. yadvibhAti sat anEkadhA bhramAn-nAmarUpa-guNa-vikriyAtmanA

hEmavat svayam avikriyam sadA  brahma tat tvam asi bhAvayAtmani 263

That Reality which (though One) appears variously owing to delusion, taking on names and forms, attributes and changes, Itself always unchanged, like gold in its modifications – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.

A ring, chain, bangle etc. are all modifications of gold; they are gold alone appearing in their shapes.  Even though we use these ornaments differently, at the back of our mind we do not cease to be aware that they are all gold alone in truth.  Even so, all things seen in the world are appearances of the Cause, Brahman alone.  It is owing to ignorance of the underlying reality that we think that objects of the world are real things themselves.    It is with the help of the teaching of the Scripture and the Acharya that the truth is known.  The contemplation that leads to the direct realization of the truth is: ‘I am Brahman appearing as this variegated world.’

10. Yat chakAsti anaparam parAt-param pratyagEka-rasam AtmalakShaNam

Satya-chit-sukham anantam avyayam  brahma tat tvam asi bhAvayAtmani 264

That beyond which there is nothing; which shines even above Maya, which again is superior to its effect, the universe; the inmost Self of all, free from differentiation; the Real Self, the Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute; infinite and immutable – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy mind.

In this concluding verse on the contemplation of ‘Tat tvam asi’, Sri Shankaracharya points out that the all-pervading Universal Cause, Brahman, is none other than the inmost Self of all, the Atman.  The ‘Tat’ is shown to be the very ‘tvam’ that the aspirant thus far identified himself with.  This ‘tvam’, now cleansed of all the ignorance-based adjuncts (upAdhi) is verily the Brahman, the Consciousness.  The realization ‘I am Brahman, the Supreme Cause of the entire universe’ dawns as a result of constant deliberation and meditation.

The fruit of the above manner of contemplation:

uktamartham imam Atmani svayam bhAvaya prathita-yuktibhir-dhiyaa

samshayAdi-rahitam karAmbuvat tena tattva nigamo bhaviShyati 265

On the Truth, inculcated above, one must oneself meditate in one’s mind, through the intellect, by means of the recognised arguments. By that means one will realise the truth free from doubt etc., like water in the palm of one’s hand.

The exercise of hearing, cogitating and contemplating culminates in the direct realization of the Truth.  It is this realization that puts an end to bondage and confers liberation to the aspirant.  For the exercise to really work and result in liberating knowledge, the mind-apparatus where the exercise takes place has to be rendered pure, sharp and subtle.  When an aspirant strives with these prerequisites in place, the resultant liberated state will be distinctly discernible just as water put on one’s palm is clearly discernible.  The idea is that such an aspirant will be left without any doubt, miscomprehension and non-comprehension regarding his state of liberation.  It is the Guru’s constant care, blessing and guidance that enable this attainment.

Glory to the Guru!  Glory to Acharya Shankara!!

Read here an article: A Spiritual Journey Through the Vivekachudamani:

http://adbhutam.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/a-spiritual-journey-thru-the-viveka-choodamani/

‘Tat tvam asi’ Resources:

1. An article titled ‘Tat tvam asi Nine Times’ – a detailed study of the Chandogya Upanishad Chapter VI can be read here:  http://adbhutam.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/tat-tvam-asi-nine-times/

2.     Another article:  ‘The Flawless Advaitic teaching of Tat tvam asi’ is available here:

http://atma.sulekha.com/blog/post/2009/04/the-flawless-advaitic-teaching-of-tat-tvam-asi/comments.htm

3. Another Article: The Pre-eminently Advaitic ‘Atat tvam asi’:

http://adbhutam.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/the-preeminently-advaitic-%E2%80%98atat-tvam-asi%E2%80%99/

श्रीसद्गुरुचरणारविन्दार्पणमस्तु

Om Tat Sat

30/10

भूतानां प्राणिनः श्रेष्ठाः प्राणिनां बुद्धिजीवनः
    बुद्धिमत्सु नराः श्रेष्ठा नराणां सात्त्विकाः स्मृताः |
सात्त्विकेषु च विद्वांसः विद्वत्सु कृतबुद्धयः
    कृतबुद्धिषु कर्तारः कर्तृषु ब्रह्मवेदिनः ||

- मनुस्मृति – श्रेष्ठः

In this world of beings, the animals are better than other (plants, microbes etc..). Among the animals, those who think are better. Man is the best among those animals that can think. Among all men, those who follow honest (and other virtues) are the best. Among honest people, those who are knowledgeable are better. Among those who have knowledge, only those who practice are better than the rest. Among such people, the do-er is the best. It is no use just talking about knowledge. Among all the do-ers, the person who has the realization of the oneness in the universe is the best.

- Manu Smriti

Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna

He who is called Brahman by the jnanis is known as Atman by the yogis and as Bhagwan by the bhaktas. The same brahmin is called priest, when worshipping in a temple and cook, when preparing a meal in the kitchen. The jnanis, sticking to the path of knowledge, always reason about the Reality, saying, ‘Not this, Not this’. Brahman is neither ‘this’ nor ‘that’; It is neither the universe nor its living beings. Reasoning this way, the mind becomes steady. Then it disappears and aspirant goes into samadhi. This is the Knowledge of Brahman. It is the unwavering conviction of the janani that Brahman alone is real and the world is illusory. All these names and forms are illusory, like a dream. What Brahman is cannot be described. One cannot even say that Brahman is a Person. This is the opinion of the jnanis, the followers of Vedanta philosophy.

But the bhaktas accept all the states of consciousness. They take the waking state to be real also. They don’t think the world to be illusory, like a dream. They say that the universe is a manifestation of God’s power and glory. God has created all these – sky, stars, moon, sun, mountains, ocean, men, animals. They constitute His glory. He is within us, in our hearts. Again, He is outside. The most advanced devotees say that He himself has become all this – the 24 cosmic principles, the universe and all living beings. The devotee of God wants to eat sugar, not to become sugar.

Do you know how a lover of God feels? His attitude is: ‘O God, Thou art the Master, and I am Thy servant. Thou art the Mother, I am Thy child’. Or again: ‘Thou art my Father and Mother. Thou art the Whole and I am a part.’ He does not like to say, ‘I am Brahman.’

The yogis seek to realize the Paramatman, the Supreme Soul. His ideal is the union of the embodied soul and the Supreme Soul. He withdraws his mind from sense-objects and tries to concentrate it on the Paramatman. Therefore, during the first stage of his spiritual discipline, he retires into solitude and with undivided attention practices meditation in a fixed posture.

But the Reality is one and the same. The difference is only in the name. He who is Brahman is verily Atman, and again, He is the Bhagwan. He is Brahman to the followers of the path of knowledge, Pramatman to the yogis and Bhagwan to the lovers of God.

The jnanis, who adhere to the non-dualistic philosophy of Vedanta say that the act of creation, preservation and destruction, the universe itself and all its living beings, are the manifestations of Sakti, the Divine Power (known as maya in Vedanta). If you reason it out, you will realize that all these are as illusory as a dream. Brahman alone is the Reality, and all else is unreal. Even this very Sakti is unsubstantial, like a dream.

But though you reason all your life, unless you are established in samadhi, you can not go beyond the jurisdiction of Sakti. Even when you say, “I am meditating”, or “I am contemplating”, still you are moving in the realm of Sakti, within Its power.

Thus Brahman and Sakti are identical. If you accept the one, you must accept the other. It is like fire and the power to burn. If you see the fire, you must recognize its power to burn also. You cannot think of fire without the power to burn, nor can you thing of the power to burn without fire. You can not conceive of the sun’s rays without the sun, nor can you conceive of the sun without its rays.

One cannot think of Brahman without Sakti, nor sakti without Brahman. One can not think of the Absolute without the Relative or of the Relative without the Absolute.

The Primordial Power is ever at play (this idea introduces the element of spontaneity and freedom in the creation). She is creating, preserving and destroying in a play, as it were. This Power is called Kali. Kali is verily Brahman and Brahman is verily Kali. It is one and the same Reality. When we think of It as inactive, that is to say, not engaged in the act of creation, preservation and destruction, we call It Brahman. But when It engages in these activities, then we call It Kali or Sakti. The Reality is one and the same; the difference is in name and form.

Om Sathguru Shri Seshadri Swamigal Thiruvadikkae

When the Guru in his infinite love rushes to help the devotee, (the helpless human being) the devotee in his turn must trust the Guru completely. He must have the ‘Shraddha’ or faith (Viswas) and abandon himself to the Guru. To put it simply, he must catch hold of the rope if he wants to save himself. How true even at the physical level!

What is Faith?

FAITH, “is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.”

-The Old Testament.

When we serve in a Gurukula, we are able to realize this truth.

That is why, faith is called, the substance of things for and evidence of things not seen; and therefore it is hailed as the greatest miracle.

The Guru is to the Chela (disciple), the manifestation of God Himself. The devotion to the Guru is for him the best help beyond all external and murthi (idol) worship, in his pilgrimage towards Brahman in the transcendence of his non-manifestation.

Mooji explains the possibility of being without doubt when we realize who we are

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpP7WNxap98

This is an illustrative anecdote about His Holiness Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamigal, the 34th Pontiff of Sringeri Sharada Peetham

***
“On one occasion a disciple entered a room where His Holiness was seated alone.
His Holiness signed him to sit down and remained silent for about 20 minutes.
The disciple enjoyed an indescribable peace and exaltation during that time. The
disciple then thought he saw His Holiness smile and looked up. Immediately, His
Holiness asked, “Shall I tell you (why I smiled)?” The disciple naturally
replied: “If Your Holiness is so pleased”. Then His Holiness said: “I was in
perfect peace when a thought disturbed it. I realized that you were sitting near
me and perhaps expected me to speak. This led me to the further thought that if
I had to meet your expectations I must speak. I recollected that “to speak” was
a transitive verb regarding an object. I thought therefore that I must find an
object, as otherwise there could be no speech. Then I recollected that all the
objects in the universe come under either of two categories, the true and the
false. The true is Brahman and the false is the world of form. Either of these two things must therefore be spoken of. But the Vedanta has declared in unmistakable terms that
Brahman, the True, is beyond all speech and even all thought. So Brahman as an
object of speech was out of the question. There was thus only the world to be
talked about. But regarding the world, the Vedanta was equally emphatic, that it
was anirvachaniya or incapable of being explained in words. So the world also
seemed to be out of the question as a fit object of speech. There was no third
entity available.”

“There was, therefore, no object fit to be the object of speech. For want of an object, there could be no speech. When I came to this conclusion, I realized that I had come back only to wherefrom I started and that I need not have allowed these thoughts to disturb me.”

“The example of a cart-man who drove his cart during the night by by-paths to avoid the toll-gate, but found himself at break of dawn, just in front of it, suggested itself to Me. Evidently I smiled at Myself for all this waste of time, of thought and you looked up.” After saying this His Holiness relapsed into silence.

**

Today, the 14th October, 2009, EdAdashi, is observed as the Jayanti of the Mahaswamigal.  He was a Jivanmukta, a great scholar in Tarka and Vedanta.  He wrote a commentary to Shankaracharya’s Vivekachudamani.  A number of hymns on various deities of the Sanatana Dharma have been composed by Him.  Innumerable people came under His divine grace and were benefitted variously by His compassionate guidance.  Even to this day His benevolence is sought and received by devotees and seekers.

Humble Pranams at His Holy Feet.

Yann Martel is a Canadian author and Life of Pi(2002) is his third book for which he won the prestigious Booker Prize. His first work was The Facts Behind the Helsinki Recompose (1993), a collection of short stories, and the second called Self (1996), was a novel. The protagonist of Life of Pi is Piscine Moliter Patel or “Pi”, as every body calls him.  He is an intelligent and compassionate boy who explores religion and spirituality at a very early age, but his whole life changes when he is shipwrecked at the Pacific and is forced to survive the vast ocean with only a Bengal tiger for company. Martel’s first two books were not very successful, but the publication of Life of Pi changed the author’s life and career.

Before going into the details about a particular aspect of the novel, I would like to present a short summary of the book. It comprises of three parts. In the first part, the protagonist talks, in detail, about his childhood: his life as a son of a zoo keeper. Pi, at length, talks about zoo animals and also about religion. He gives detailed descriptions of the events and ideas that led him to become the follower of Hinduism, Christianity and Islam, all at the same time. The second part comprises of events in Pi’s life from 1970. Due to recent political developments in India, Pi’s father decides to sell the zoo and migrate to Canada. And so, Pi with his family begins their journey on a Japanese Cargo ship, ‘Tsimtsum’. They take with them some of the animals which are to be sold to the zoos in America. In the middle of the journey (in the Pacific ocean), the ship sinks and Pi becomes the only survivor. He finds himself on a life boat with a hyena, a female orangutan, a zebra and a Royal Bengal tiger by the name Richard Parker.  He initially believes that Richard Parker has abandoned the ship and so concentrates on surviving the hyena. But the hyena eats the zebra and the orangutan. Pi understands that hyena’s next target is going to be himself and so prepares to die. That’s when he spots Richard Parker  hiding under the tarpaulin and has been aboard the ship all the time. The tiger eats the hyena but does not immediately attack Pi. He manages to create a raft using the supplies aboard the boat thus avoiding direct confrontation with the tiger. He understands that in order to survive, he has to overcome his fear, tame and feed Richard Parker, for a hungry and injured beast is more dangerous. He learns to catch fish and turtles and learns to obtain fresh water using solar stills. He manages to keep himself and the tiger alive for months. But at one point of their journey, due to poor nutrition and weakness he temporarily goes blind and meets another castaway traveling parallel his own. He has a French accent and after some chit chat, he climbs Pi’s boat intending to murder him, but as soon as he climbs aboard, he is devoured by Richard Parker. Soon the pair washes upon a strange island populated by meerkats and fresh water. There they could regain their strength.

Once he regains his strength, Pi is curious to know more about the Island, and upon wandering finds the tallest tree there and is horrified to find human teeth in what he thought to be a fruit. He realizes that it was a carnivorous Island and must leave immediately. With enough food for both of them, they leave the Island. Shortly they reach Mexico. As soon as they arrive at the beach, Richard Parker runs into the jungle without looking back and never to be seen again. The villagers, who find Pi, take him to their village, gives him a nice bath, food and is later hospitalized. Part three of the book comprises of Pi’s meeting with two men representing Japanese ministry of transport who are sent to find out why the ship sank. Pi tells them the entire story, who as expected, does not believe it. So he tells them another story, which sounds brutally possible. In this story, along with himself there are three others in the life boat; his mother, a French chef, and a wounded sailor. Extreme condition at sea turns the chef into a cannibal, who kills and eats the sailor, and then brutally kills his mother. Upon witnessing his mother’s death, he kills and eats the chef. Pi asks the officials, of the two stories, which one they prefer. The officials tell him that the first one is the ‘better story’ and the book ends with the officials submitting the report with the first story. Martel gives the readers a choice of selecting the better story of Pi’s survival.

The one aspect of the book that interested me the most is the significant role that the religion played in the life of the protagonist. In the book, some chapters are italicized. In these chapters Martel talks about adult Pi Patel in Canada, whom he had interviewed prior to writing his book. Pi Patel told Martel his story: his life in India since his childhood, his family, his life as a zoo keeper’s son, introduction to all the religions etc. The author was fascinated to see his house which was in essence a shrine of Gods and Goddesses. Martel calls his house “a temple”, a temple of not only just one God, but a perfect blend of Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Description of Pi’s house itself is an indication of his deeply religious mind. This religious fervor did not come all of a sudden. It had developed gradually. Various events and incidents during his growing up period, combined with his curiosity and broad mindedness, led to his deep understanding of different kinds of people, and through them, their faith and beliefs.

Pi was born in an orthodox Hindu family, and was introduced to God at a very early age by his aunt. He enjoyed going to the temple and waited eagerly for the ‘prasad’ (Hindu offering to God). Gradually he developed complete faith in his religion. He loved all the rituals, which is an important part of Hinduism, though did not understand what they stood for. Majority of people tend to lose faith somewhere in the middle, but not with Pi. Religion to him became as important as the very air he breathes.

There were a few good people in Pi’s youth who influenced him in his life. One was Mr. Sathish Kumar, a biology teacher at Petit Seminaire. He was an atheist and an active communist. He visited the zoo regularly. For him, “nature as a whole was an exceptionally fine illustration of science”. On one such visit to the zoo, Mr. Kumar tells Pi the reasons for becoming an atheist. He tells him that if God really existed then no wars would have taken place. When he was racked with polio, it was medicine and not God that saved him. For him “religion is darkness” as opposed to Pi who believed that “religion can save us”. In spite of their differences of opinion, Mr. Kumar became Pi’s favorite teacher and it was because of him that he later studied zoology at the University of Toronto. And it was because of him that he developed a kinship with atheists in general, for he understood that they are different kind of people who speak about a different kind of faith, a faith not in God, but in reason. Being an open-minded person, he was not only ready to take in any kind of faith, but also respect people who may hold any faith, even if they be atheists. He explains that atheists are people who also hold on to a faith, a faith in non-existence of God. He was not comfortable with agnostics though, for he held the opinion that “to choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choose immobility as a means of transportation”.

As I have stated earlier, Pi admired and respected all sorts of rituals in Hinduism, though he did not fully understand what they stood for. As he grew up, his curiosity and open-mindedness gave him a closer and better understanding of these rituals. Universe made sense to him through his religion. He recognized the basic principle of Hinduism, and that is the belief in one God, Brahman. There are many other Gods and Goddesses that Hindus worship but they are all part of Brahman. Brahman or the world soul, is the frame upon which is woven the cloth of being. There are two types of Brahman: Brahman Nirguna or that without qualities or those beyond understanding or what is generally termed as One, Truth, Unity etc. Secondly, there is Brahman Saguna or those with qualities. We call it Shiva, Krishna etc to which we can approach with certain understanding for they are manifested to our limited senses. Thus, truth of life that Hinduism teaches is that, Brahman is same as atman or soul. In other words, “that which sustains the universe beyond thought and language and that which is at the core of us and struggles for expression is the same thing”.

Pi becomes an ardent follower of his faith but spirituality does not stop there. His meeting with Jesus Christ took place at the age of fourteen, on a trip to Munnar, a small hill station in southern India. Facing the hotel room where Pi and his family stayed, there were three hills and on each one stood a God-house. There was Hindu temple, further away was a mosque and on the third a church. Though he was taught in a Christian school, he had never been to a church before and so on the fourth day of his visit, he gathers the courage to enter the church. Reaching upon the rectory, he hid around the corner and took a good look at the church. The doors were open and he saw the Parish priest and his assistant working in the office. He was moved to see them in the office working all day, waiting to receive anybody who might need comfort and guidance. He met Father Martin, a very kind man. After hearing the story of Jesus Christ from him, Pi’s first reaction was that of disbelief. He could not understand why God had to pay the price for the sins of humanity. The God he knew so far was all powerful and mighty and so to think that the Christian God was hungry and thirsty annoyed him but at the same time curious to know more and more about Christianity. Father Martin assured him that the most inspiring aspect of this story is love. Pi compares Hinduism and Christianity and felt that Christianity is a religion in a rush. When he tells Father Martin about his desire to convert into Christianity, the latter assures him that he is already a Christina in heart for “whoever meets Christ in good faith is a Christian.”

Hardly a year later he gets introduced to Islam, through a Muslim mystic Sathish Kumar, who sought union with God. Pi began to visit Mr. Kumar , to learn more about his religion. In between their conversations, Mr. Kumar would excuse himself to do routine prayers. As Pi watched him he felt that Islam “is nothing but an easy sort of exercise.” As he spent more time with Mr. Kumar, he realizes that Islam is all about the beloved and that “it is a beautiful religion of brotherhood and devotion”. He prayed and practiced Dhiks, which is the recitation of 99 revealed names of God. The more he did that, the more glorious he felt from within. It even changed the way he looked at his surroundings. He felt that the road, see, tree, air, all spoke one language of unity. “Atman meets Allah”.

For Pi, religion becomes a deep relationship with God, so deep that he always felt His presence in his heart and mind all through his life. During his adult life in Canada he once “felt” the vision of Virgin Mary, wearing a white dress and blue cloak, smiling at him with kindness. Though the vision lasted only for a couple of seconds, it brought a kind of fear and joy in his heart. He says there is no better reward than the awareness of the presence of God in oneself.

Following three religions at the same time sounded far-fetched not only to his parents but also to his three teachers, Father Martin, Mr. Kumar, the mystic and the Hindu Pandit. One day all the three happened to meet Pi and his family on the beach, and only then did they realize that Pi was devoted not only to their own religion but also to two others all at the same time. All the three ended up in a heated debate over each others religion and at the end of the debate they asked Pi to choose any one and one only. Pi’s humble reply was “Bapu Gandhi said, ‘All religions are free’. I just want to love God.” That reply did the trick, for, who can crucify a boy for loving god. It silenced the debaters who went their own way. After the incident the three teachers turned only a cold face towards Pi, but he did not let all these small intrusions come between God and him.

Pi’s parents always had mixed emotions about his religious practices, but they knew that their son was very serious about his beliefs. But they were taken aback when Pi announced his decision to be baptized. His point was that he ought to be a Christian if he has to continue studying in Christian school. He also started praying on a prayer rug, outside the house, facing Mecca. When his mother learns about Pi’s wish to be baptized she tries to distract him with books, all of those which he had already completed reading. Nonetheless, they let him baptize thinking that this was just a phase which will soon pass, but it never really did.

Pi was happy with himself in his own world with all the zoo animals and God, but not for long. Political unrest in India that was arising affected Pi’s family as did everybody else. Pi’s father believed that there is no hope left in the country and so they decided to sell all the zoo animals and move to Canada. And the events that followed not only turned his life upside down but also was the ultimate test of his faith.

Pi and his family left India on June 21, 1977 on a Japanese cargo ship called ‘Tsimtsum’. The ship sank and he looses his family and  ended up in the life boat in the middle of the  Pacific ocean with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and a Bengal tiger. I always believe that whatever be the faith that one held and however strong may it be, one day or the other it will be put to test. This is the best explanation that could be given to this tragedy. By naming the ship ‘Tsimtsum’, the author indirectly implies this explanation. The term ‘Tsimtsum’ is originally a Kabbalistic term, Kabbalah being the school of thought that deals with the mystical aspect of Judaism. According to it, the almighty God creates a void by withdrawing himself from a certain space where in he can create the Universe and ‘Tsimtsum’ refers to the act of withdrawal. In the novel, the ship ‘Tsimtsum’ symbolizes the Almighty who withdraws himself into the vast ocean thereby giving Pi a chance to prove that his faith is intense and enduring. He escapes from the known to unknown. As if loosing his entire family was not bad enough, he ended up in a life boat with four zoo animals for company. In such an extremely dangerous situation he had only faith to hold on to. He cried out loud to all the three Gods as if calling them for help. It is a test for Pi as to how long he can hold on to his faith before loosing his mind. But he does not leave hope immediately. As each day began in the life boat, the very first light of day gave him new hopes. During these initial days at sea, he told himself “so long as God is with me I will not die.” He would imagine himself to be rescued and reunited with his family.

Through Pi, Martel want to teach us all the importance of religion and faith in one’s life. Although alone at sea, Pi was sure that God was with him as a guardian angel and it was that faith that gave him the extraordinary strength to embrace reality and analyze his situation. He realized how tired and weak he had become and the main reason for that being, not having food or even a drop of water for past three days. He compares his current situation with that of Christ. Pi says that though Jesus died of suffocation on the cross, his only complaint was thirst. If God incarnate complained about it, imagine the effect of it on a regular human being. He was surrounded with water but none that he could quench his thirst with. He could not bear the tainted taste and pasty feeling in his mouth and ached for a drop of fresh water (This episode sounds so much like  the verse from Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner: “Water, water, everywhere/Nor any drop to drink”. However, Pi and Coleridge’s Mariner are poles apart, by character and circumstances. They sure are wandering in the Pacific Ocean, but the faith that the former had, gave him the strength to habituate to the situations, whereas the complete lack of faith of the latter made him do the heinous murder of albatross that led them out of Antarctica, early in their journey).

Now, coming back to Pi, his thirst made him forget all about his companion on the boat, a two hundred and fifty pounds Bengal tiger. He gathers enough courage, both physical and mental, to go in search for water. Finally when he found food and water he felt alive again and while swallowing the well-spring of life, he had only one thing to say ,“hallelujah”. When we are forced to overcome many adversities and misfortunes in our lives, they change the way we understand life in general. They persuade us to form our philosophy of life and teach us to show respect and celebrate every little thing in life. Pi, at a very young age found his life hanging in the mid air by a very narrow string at the mercy of a tiger and vast ocean, ready to be devoured, at any time, by either one of them (or both). This experience taught him a great truth that fear is the most challenging evil that man has to subdue.  He was able to subdue that fear by his unbelievably strong will power which forces him to fight all odds, and that will power comes from an absolute faith in God.

Pi compares his condition to that of sage Markandeya in Hindu mythology, who fell out of lord Vishnu’s mouth while Vishnu was sleeping and so beheld the entire universe. Its vastness terrified the sage but soon Vishnu awoke and took him back to his mouth. Similar was the case with Pi, for, when compared to the volume of things around him, his life was just a peephole. But he believed that his life was important too, however small be it in the big scheme of things.

The journey at sea with Richard Parker became not only a routine to feed himself and the tiger but also to keep a safe distance from the latter and with practice he succeeded. Days began and ended with prayers, not only for himself but also for his family and for all the animals, on the boat and around them. He learned to catch fish, though doing it for the first time  was a heartbreaking experience for him. He says,” I never forget to include this fish in my prayers”.

One another complaint while being in the life boat was that he did not have any scriptures to read. Without them he felt like “Arjuna in a battered chariot without the benefit of Krishna’s words”. And so when he finally came upon a Bible in the hotel room of Canada, he burst into tears: tears of joy and satisfaction, the same exalted emotions of a lone traveler on a hot sunny desert would have, upon finding a puddle of water to quench his thirst.

Exhausted and hungry, they reach a free- floating carnivorous Island which contained nothing but algae, trees and meerkats. Initially he was not aware of its carnivorous nature. While Pi was feasting on algae, Richard Parker killed and ate  meerkats, which filled the Island. Thus they regained their strength. Pi even managed to tame the tiger. Once he attained enough strength, he explored the Island. He found one tree which seemed to have bore fruits. Upon closer inspection he realized that the fruits were nothing but bundles of leaves. He unwrapped the bundle and to his horror found a human teeth. He understood that the Island was carnivorous and that they should leave immediately.

The existence of such a carnivorous Island would be difficult for any reader to believe, and that included me. But when I thought about it, it struck me that it was the whole idea of the book, whether or not to believe in the story. The Island is a metaphor for Pi’s troubled mind. After struggling so much to keep himself and the tiger alive, he reached a point where he no longer has the physical and spiritual strength and reached a state of desolation, which is represented by the Island. Pi had been successful to hold on to his faith so far, but the extreme exhaustion of the mind and body made it difficult for him to do so. It is during such moments that we sometimes bring ourselves to curse our fate or even God,  to have brought us such misfortunes.  That was the situation Pi found himself in and  the carnivorous island is nothing but a metaphor for his mental dilemma. Just when he was about to submit himself  to misfortune and death, he found the Green Island ,  the color of Islam, color of fertility, of life, of hope. There he refines himself by washing away all the impurities (literally and spiritually). He regains physical, mental, and spiritual strength. He tamed the tiger and it could be the indication of re-establishing the lost faith and courage and got himself ready for another journey, whatever it may bring him.

After 227 days at sea, Pi’s ordeal came to a halt as they are washed ashore Mexico. The first stage of his life ended and the next began there, in Mexico and later, in Canada. Pi had become more spiritual and mature enough to understand and respect all kinds of life around him. Able to stand on land and smell the sent of soil over-whelmed him with joy but  it did not last long. He saw Richard Parker running into the jungle without even looking back at him for once. It was the tiger who gave him a reason to fight the misfortune and learn to live. In these several months, he developed love and trust for the tiger; in fact he felt one with the animal. So Richard Parker’s unceremonious disappearance into the jungle hurt him so much that he felt deserted for the second time. Pi believed that, in life, it is very important to conclude things properly, “only then can we let go”. He hoped that Richard Parker would not forget him as he would never be able to forget Richard Parker. The villagers who found him, took him to their village, gave him a nice warm bath, food and the next day he was hospitalized.

Part three of the book relates Pi’s meeting with Mr. Tomohiro Okomoto of Japanese ministry of transport and his colleague Mr. Atsuro Chiba. After hearing the story, their first reaction was that of disbelief. So he presents to them and to the readers, another story, with an alternative and more sinister version of the original one. It was a brutal tale of how humanity changed to cannibalism at the moment of utter despair and after hearing this, the investigators had to agree that the story with the animals was the better one.

After completing the book, one question that troubled me was whether Martel’s story was a fact or fiction. I had that confusion right from the start, with the prologue, which threw much light on the circumstances that led Martel to write  Life of Pi. He talked about his visit to India, in search of inspiration to write a good book. All the places he had referred  to were real, but the events, which becomes  a brilliant introduction to his story, were  just the  outcome of author’s imagination, a proof of his literary genius. When Mr.Adirupaswamy said,” It is a story that will make you believe in God”, Martel was indirectly putting forward the central theme and the foundation on which his book was based, which was, belief in God.

The protagonist’s religious zeal is one characteristic with which I could identify myself with, and which persuaded me to write an essay based on that main theme. Like Pi, I too come from an orthodox Hindu family and I do all that my religion expects me to do:  understand our scriptures, follow rituals, visit temple often etc. But faith holds a deeper meaning to me. Belief in God  is a belief in something good that is not only in my heart and soul, but all the goodness that resides in this world and people around us, but most of the time we fail to see. Why we fail to see it is because of the superficial nature of our existence. Our lives have become very materialistic, it is solely based on our need to attain wealth and power, an existence devoid of spirituality. It is not altogether wrong to seek wealth and safe existence; what is wrong is turning to God only when we have become utterly helpless and have failed to attain all that we dreamt of. History has proved that hunger for money and power is never ending and has caused all the wars and troubles in the world. A world of love which can cross the boundaries of culture, race, and religion and co-exist with one another seems a distant possibility, but it is not altogether impossible. It is  time to bring in a change for better, and that change should begin from ourselves. The ability to create such a positive energy will come from faith, in ourselves, in the divinity or the goodness that is inside all of us. One day our faith will be put to test, we might find ourselves in a desperate situation where we will have to choose to escape into darkness and faithlessness, which might seem easier than to hold on to our faith, and fight. I strongly believe that though different religion understands God with different names, shapes and meaning, or maybe, He is being worshiped in many different ways, but in actuality they speak of faith in one omnipotent God, the epitome of all goodness. As Martel tells in the end, the choice of selecting ‘better story’ is ours; it is our choice to embrace faith in our lives. Pi derived his strength to survive two hundred and twenty seven days at sea from his faith in God and he chose never to give up the inherent goodness in himself and never to doubt his faith, however challenging the circumstances were. I believe that faith can give us the strength to stand strong amidst trials and turbulence and attain spiritual happiness and self-realization. This is the message that I got while reading Martel’s Life of Pi and by writing an essay on this, my aim was to share my thoughts with the readers. To accept them or not, I leave that choice with the readers.

Karma is the cycle of moral cause and effect that is central to the Hindu faith and for large parts me personally.

Karma she is a bitch~

The traditions of Hinduism can be traced back as far as 3000 BC and the faith has no known founder. Hindus believe in a cycle of birth, life and death and reincarnation. During life one’s good or bad deeds affect one’s karma. This concept is often expressed by the notion “As we sow, so shall we reap.” Good deeds lead to a good future, bad deeds lead to a bad future. As a guide to doing good deeds or acts, Hindus follow the dharma, or “what is right” according to ancient Hindu scripture.

There are 3 aspects to karma. The first prarabadha. Prarabradha is out of our control. It describes the fundamental setup of our lives such as who our parents are, which caste of society we are born into, where our home is. Such conditions cannot be changed and are determined by our behavior in our previous life. I can only conclude that I must have been a total badass in a previous life.

Badassical...that explains alot~

The second aspect of karma is samchita. It describes how all our deeds in former lives lead to our individual interests, tendencies and persona. Samchita karma explains why two children born into the same environment may nevertheless have very different inclinations. Samchita karma can be changes during our current lives with hard work and reflection. The bad habits we are born with can be improved. On the other hand, good habits can deteriorate.

Samchita, one is not like the other~

Finally, the third aspect of karma, agami, consists of the actions and deeds that we do in our current lives, which will affect us in our current lives. For instance, treating a neighbor well or poorly might determine how we are someday treated. It is Agami karma over which we have the most control.

Although the notion of karma also exists in Buddhism, Hindu karma is significantly different in that it accounts for the intervention of a god. Hindus believe that when someone dies, a supernatural being, known as Brahman, weighs the good and evil done by the person and assigns them their next place of reincarnation. Moreover, if a few bad deeds are followed by many good deeds, it is believed that Brahman can mitigate the negative effect of those early mistakes, Buddhists, on the hand, view karma as an absolute natural law.

PS. The evil deeds of people create negative karma which yields more evil in lives to come…you have been informed, so be good, this world has enough of us still trying to work out our Samchita and Agami.

Srigurubhyo namaH

The triad of states is the characteristic of samsara.  The states of waking, dream and sleep occur alternating and the jiva-consciousness ‘goes through’ these states.  The Mandukya Upanishad teaches that gaining the knowledge of the Truth, Turiya, Brahman, is the only way one can transcend the triad of states.  In the sadhana involved to gain this knowledge, the Acharyas, based on the scripture, have taught us the method of utilizing the very states of dream and sleep in the waking to benefit from the states rather than becoming victims of the states.

The Dream state:

In the Panchadashi Swami Vidyaranya teaches:

Ch. 7 –  तृप्तिदीपः
स्वप्नेन्द्रजालसदृशं अचिन्त्यरचनात्मकम् ।

दृष्टनष्टं जगत्पश्यन् कथं तत्रानुरज्जति ॥ 170

170. The illumined man knows that the enjoyment of desires is unreal. He therefore controls his desires and prevents impossible or new ones from arising. Why should such a man be subject to misery?

स्वस्स्वप्नापरोक्षेण दृष्ट्वा पश्यन् स्वजागरम् ।

चिन्तयेदप्रमत्तः सन्नुभावनुदिनम् मुहुः ॥ 171

171. One should, when awake, first picture to himself vividly what he has seen in a dream and then carefully and constantly think over the conditions of dreaming and wakefulness.

चिरं तयोः सर्वसाम्यमनुसन्धाय जागरे ।

सत्यत्वबुद्धिं सन्त्यज्य नानुरज्जति पूर्ववत् ॥ 172
172. An aspirant must observe long and find out the essential similarity of the dream and waking worlds. He should then give up the notion of the reality of worldly objects and cease to be attached to them.

इन्द्रजालमिदं द्वैतं अचिन्त्यरचनात्वतः ।

इत्यविस्मरतो हानिः का वा प्रारब्धभोगतः ॥ 173

173. This world of duality is like a magical creation, with its cause incomprehensible. What matters it to the wise man who does not forget this, if the past actions produce their results in him?

As a daily practice one ought to recall to the mind the dream one has experienced and analyze the dream.  Questioning the reality of the objects experienced there in dream one arrives at their unreal nature.  This questioning involves considering how the dream objects and events appeared ‘so real’ but only vanished, ended, when the waking occurred.  They were ‘as real’ as the waking objects and events; their reality was never questioned, doubted, then.  Yet, upon waking, they all ended.  One has to extend this to the waking objects and events too and conclude, based on the scriptural teaching and one’s own analysis, that the waking objects and events are no different from their dream counterparts.  The purpose of this exercise is dual:

1. To determine the unreal nature of the objective world

2. To recognize the unchanging and the only real nature of the observer consciousness, the subject.

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.3.10 too speaks of the unreality of the dream objects.

// There are no real chariots in that state, nor animals to be yoked  to them, nor roads there, but he creates the chariots, animals  and roads. There are no pleasures in that state, no joys, no rejoicings, but he creates the pleasures, joys and rejoicings.  There are no pools in that state, no reservoirs, no rivers, but he creates the pools, reservoirs and rivers. He indeed is the agent. //

The Mandukya Upanishad too declares the unreality of the dream and waking worlds by term ‘prapanchopashamam’ and specifically negating those two states by the terms: naantaH prajnam, na bahishprajnam… in the crucial seventh mantra that teaches the nature of the Turiya, Brahman, Atman.

The Brahmasutra: 3.1.3 mAyAmAtram tu… also declares the unreality of the dream objects.

Above all, one has one’s own experience of the unreality of the dream objects/events upon waking.  Thus, the Shruti, Sutra and anubhava prove the unreality of duality, dvaita.

Thus, the contemplation of the nature of the dream state is of great importance to a mumukshu.  Its utility being the conviction that the objects seen in the waking too are unreal, being non-different from the dream.  The Gaudapada Karika-s of the second, third and fourth chapters are the authority that a mumukshu ought to resort to. Since the ‘reality of duality’ is born of ignorance, even to a just born animal, and therefore the cause and characteristic of samsara, bondage, misery, the Upanishads and the Acharyas who have followed the Vedic tradition teach the ‘unreality of dvaita’ and redeem the suffering humanity from the misery caused by dvaita.  Fort the sincere spiritual seeker dvaita and duhkha are synonyms.  So also Advaita and sukha are synonyms.  The Veda, especially the Upanishadic portions, are full of teachings directed at establishing the unreality and miserable nature of duality and upheld the non-dual nature of the Atman, the sole reality.  Repeatedly the Upanishads criticize dvaita-darshana and eulogize the advaitic vision.

-EE_

The Sleep State:

The Upanishad has spoken of the sleep state at length.  This has several purposes –

1. To reiterate that the objective world does not have a permanent reality
2. To demonstrate that the subject alone remains as the non-dual reality in the sleep state and therefore in all the states.
3. To prove that the sleep state, being non-dual, gives the greatest bliss to the subject consciousness.
4. To prove to the subject-enquirer that bliss is obtained not from objects but on the contrary, in the absence of objects.
5. To prove that duality is samsara, misery and non-duality is liberation, bliss.
6. To give to the sAdhaka a  ‘preview’, a foretaste,  of the liberated state.

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.3.22 alludes to this experience:

अत्र पिताऽपिता भवति, माताऽमाता, लोका अलोका, देवा अदेवा, वेदा अवेदा । अत्र स्तेनोऽस्तेनो भवति, भ्रूणहाऽभ्रूणहा, चाण्डालोऽचाण्डालः, पौल्कसोऽपौल्कसः, श्रमणोऽश्रमणः, तापसोऽतापसः, अनन्वागतं पुण्येन अनन्वागतं पापेन, तीर्णो हि तदा सर्वाञ्छोकान्हृदयस्य भवति ।

[In this state a father is no father, a mother no mother, ……gods no gods, the Vedas no Vedas.  In this state a thief is no thief, the killer of a noble brahmaNa no killer, …a monk no monk, a hermit no hermit..This form of his is untouched by good work and untouched by evil work, for he is then beyond all the woes of his intellect.]

The above shows that the non-dual state experienced in deep sleep is a semblance of the realized state for the Upanishad explicitly states that the jiva in this state is untouched by good work and untouched by evil work.  The transcendence of punya and paapa, good and evil acts and their results, is indeed liberation. The Upanishad calls this state: ‘samprasada’, a blissful one.

How to put the sleep state to practical use?

In the foregoing it was shown how the dream state could be put to practical use as taught in the Panchadashi of Sri Vidyaranya.  In the sequel is shown the method of utilizing the sleep state for sadhana.

In the Vivekachudamani, Shankaracharya says:

एकात्मके परे तत्त्वे भेदवार्ता कथं भवेत् ।

सुषुप्तौ सुखमात्रायां भेदः केनावलोकितः ॥ 404

How can the talk of diversity, dvaita,  apply to the Supreme Reality which is one and homogeneous, Advaita? Who has ever observed diversity, dvaita, in the unmixed bliss of the state of profound sleep?

Commenting on the above verse, citing many a vedic passage, Sri Chandrashkehara Bharati SwaminaH, the 34^th Jagadguru of Sringeri, teaches the method of utilizing the sleep state for sadhana:

यदि कश्चित् जाग्रत्पुरुषः सुषुप्ति-स्थितं चिन्तयन् मनसा अज्ञानं विविञ्च्यात्, तदा अन्तःकरणवृत्तेरेव अज्ञानभञ्जकत्वात्, तदीयं मनः निष्प्रपञ्च-ब्रह्माकारं जातमेवेति तस्या एवावस्थायाः ज्ञानावस्थात्वात्, तदा केवलं अखण्डब्रह्मैव मनसावाप्तमिति सिद्धं समीहितमिति श्रुतेरभिप्रायः। विक्षेपाभावस्य उभयत्र समत्वात्, आवरण-सत्त्व-असत्त्वाभ्यामेव सुषुप्ति-समाध्योर्भेदात् ।  अत एव ह्युक्तं ’निद्रा समाधिस्थिति’ इति । इदं वचनं जाग्रता पुरुषेण सुखमयी सुषुप्तिः चिरं चिन्त्यते चेत् तस्य समाधिः भवति इत्यभिप्रायेणैव ।

The purport of the above is:  If a waking person deeply contemplates on the sleep-state discriminating the ignorance with the mind, then the mental-vRtti itself destroys ignorance and the mind takes on the form of Brahman itself.  This state is itself realization and in that state the all-pervading Brahman Itself is ‘attained’ by the mind. This is the intended meaning of the Shruti.  While the absence of duality, vikshepa, is common in the states of sleep and samaadhi, the presence and absence of the aavarana, deluding power, makes the difference between sleep and samAdhi.  Sri Shankaracharya in His ‘Shiva mAnasa pUja’ stotram says the devotee considers his daily sleep itself to be a practice of samaadhi:  निद्रा समाधिः स्थितिः.  The intent of Shankaracharya is this: a waking person contemplating deeply on the sleep experienced by him will culminate in the samAdhi experience.  And Self-knowledge will ensue in this samAdhi.

Conclusion

The Upanishads and the Acharyas have thus taken up the very features of samsara for a deep examination and shown how even these can turn out to be the means to redeem one from samsara.  It is the very glory of Maya to display a samsara constituted by the triad of states and place within them the secret method of coming out of samsara.  The Vishnusahasranama has a couple of names: भयकृद् भयनाशनः – He creates fear and He destroys fear. The Lord says in the Bhagavadgita 7.14:

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।

मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥

14. Since this divine Maya of Mine which is constituted by the gunas is difficult to cross over, (therefore) those who take refuge in Me alone cross over this Maya.

Sri Shankaracharya comments:

Hi, since; esa, this, aforesaid; daivi, divine; Maya mama, of Mine, of God, of Visnu, which (Maya) is My own; and which is guna-mayi, constituted by the gunas; is duratyaya, difficult to cross over; therefore, this being so, ye, those who; wholeheartedly prapadyante, take refuge; mam eva, in Me alone, in Me who am the Master of Maya and who am their own Self, by giving up all forms of rites and duties; te, they; taranti, cross over; etam, this; mayam, Maya, which deludes all beings. That is to say, they become freed from the bondage of the world.

When the aspirant develops devotion to the Lord by shifting his devotion to the world, the very Maya, the Power of the Lord that creates bondage will open ways and means to redeem one from bondage.  This is called the Grace of the Lord.  The Grace operates through the medium of Maya, His redeeming power.  Thus Maya has two faces: the binding one and the redeeming one.

• Dream experience is used in the waking to establish the unreality of the waking world.
• The reality of the observer is confirmed by considering the passing nature of the dream and the waking states but the abiding nature of the observing consciousness that is able to recall the dream as well as the waking states.  Thus the states keep changing but the observer remains ever unchanding.
• The sleep state is used in the waking to understand the blissful nature of oneself where the total absence of the world which we consider ‘so real’ is experienced first-hand.  The bliss that does not depend on the world is experienced.
• Thus both dream and sleep confirm the unreality of the world of duality, dvaita, and the only reality of the observer Consciousness, the Brahman/Atman, the Advaita.
• Sleep analysis proves that dvaita is misery, duhkha, and advaita is bliss, sukha.
• All human endeavour is to acquire bliss and avoid misery.  The Vedantic method of enquiry into the dream and sleep states shows that one is bliss naturally and the dualistic misery is never there for him.  This discovery is called liberation.

श्रीसद्गुरुचरणारविन्दार्पणमस्तु

A very rich resource for the study of the unreality of the dvaita prapancha and the sole reality of the Advaita Atma is the Mandukya Upanishad with the Kaarikaa-s of Sri Gaudapadacharya and the commentary of Sri Shankaracharya.  The English translation by Swami Gambhirananda is published by the Advaita Ashrama, (Sri Ramakrishna Mission), Kolkata and is available world-wide.

Also see this article:  The World is anitya, but is it mithyaa? :

http://adbhutam.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/the-world-is-anitya-but-is-it-mithya/

Sri Purandaradasar

Lord Vishnu called Sage Naradha and asked him to go the world and preach about bhakthi marga as the people were suffering in the Kaliyug without knowing the right path. Sage Naradha then asked Vishnu what if he goes there and he too becomes like others due to the effect of Kali and does not do the preaching. Vishnu then told him that he would not get affected by Kali and if he does get affected he would come to his rescue. Hearing this Naradha agreed to Vishnu’s request and came to this world as Purandharadasa.

Purandharadasa was born in a Brahmin family in Purandhara ghat which near Pandharpur. He was named as Seenapa Nayakar. His parents did not have a kid for long time and they prayed to Lord Srinivasan of Tirumala and got this child, hence they named him as Seenapan. He was born in a very rich family and excelled in his studies. His parents then got him married to a girl called Lakshmi. After some time his parents passed away. Seenapan was blessed with one daughter and one son. Even though he was very rich, he was a miser and would never give anything to any one. He was running a pawnbroker shop and would trade on precious stones for his living. He would never give anything to any one and would not even invite his relatives for lunch or dinner. His wife Lakshmi was very pious and god fearing. She would always pray to Tulasi Devi asking her to show the right path to her husband.

One day Seenapan was sitting in his shop and an old Brahmin who was poor came to his shop. The old man told him that he was getting his daughter married and also performing upanayanam for his son. He then said that everyone in the village had told him that, Seenapan does a lot of charity and had come to ask him for some donation. Seenapan sent him off saying that he would not give him anything even though the old man was repeatedly trying to get something from him. After trying for almost 2 hours the old man gave up and went to the next street looking for someone else. On seeing a very big bungalow, he sat outside the house thinking that he would get some food as he was hungry by then. This happened to Seenapan’s house. Lakshmi was then performing Tulasi pooja and on seeing the old Brahman went and prostrated him. The old man then told her that he was very hungry and asked if she would give him some food. He also told her that he has arranged for his daughters marriage and asked her to give him something for the same. She then took a costly nose stud and gave it to him. She then told him that her husband would be coming any time and if he happens to see her serving food to him he would get angry; so asked him to leave immediately. The old man then blessed her and left. He again came back to Seenapan’s shop to mortgage the nose stud. Seenapan on seeing this immediately found out that it belonged to his wife. He then asked the old man how he got this and the Brahman said that a lady from the next street gave it to him for his daughter’s marriage. Seenapan then told the old man that it belonged to his wife and said that he would check with her if she gave it to him and come back. He asked the old man to be seated and went to his house. Seenapan came home and screamed at Lakshmi with anger asking where the nose stud was. Looking at him Lakshmi was frightened and lied to him that it was inside. Not believing her Seenapan asked her to show it to him. Lakshmi then went inside and cried to Tulasi Devi. As she was crying she felt something falling in her hand and it was the nose stud. She immediately took it and showed it to Seenapan. He then came back to his shop but the Brahman was missing. He then opened his locker and checked for the nose stud and that was missing too but the locker was intact. Seeing this he was confused and came back home and asked his wife what happened and who the old man was. She then confessed to him that the old man had come and asked from some donation for his daughter’s marriage and that she had given it to him. He then asked her how she got it again when he had locked it in the shop. Lakshmi said that she had pleaded Tulasi Devi to rescue her and that she had given it to her again. Seenapan then went out in search of the Brahman but could not find him anywhere. He then came back home and was looking at the nose stud. He then realised who he was and also understood that it was Lord Vishnu who had come as the old Brahman to rescue him and show him the right path. He then felt that he had wasted 30 years of his life and decided go in service of god by singing his praise. He then took a Tambura and left his house leaving all his wealth. Lakshmi too followed him with their children leaving everything behind. His relatives and neighbours came running behind him and asked him what happened and why he was leaving his house and going on the streets singing the praise of god. He said that he had wasted his life all along and was now going to Pandharpur to see lord Vitthal. His relatives then asked him how he would take care of his wife and how will he get his daughter married if he leaves all his assets and goes to Pandhari. Seenapan then told them that Vitthal will take care of his family as he is the one who has said “Yogakshemam Vahamyaham” (Which means “I will take care of my devotees”) Lakshmi then asked Seenapan if they could donate all their wealth to the poor and needy. Seenapan replied that nothing belonged to them and everything belonged to Vitthal and that how can they donate something that belonged to Vitthal and said that Vitthal would give it to whomever he wanted to.

Seenapan was now in search of a Guru. He had earlier been to Emperor Krishnadevaraya’s palace on the capacity of a precious stone merchant and Vyasarayar was the Raja Guru in the palace. Earlier during his visits he had never bothered to pay his respects to Vyasarayar but now wanted to make him as his guru. Seenapan went to Vyasarayar’s ashram and prostrated to him, Vyasarayar immediately got up and hugged him and told him that he knew that he would come to him one day and was waiting for the same and blessed him. He then named him as Purandaradasar. The Emperor Krishnadevarayar heard that Seenapan had deserted his 9 Crores of wealth and is now serving the Raja Guru Vyasarayar as his sishya. As he knew him well he came down to the ashram to meet him. He asked him what happened and why he had left worldly pleasures and come here. He then told him that he has been blessed by his guru and has now got the company of Haridassas and is happy singing the praise of Vitthal and that he was now happier than earlier. The king then prostrated to him and told him that he was a Gyani and has had the darshan of Vitthal and said that he would be happy even if he gets a small percentage of his bhakthi.  After a few days Purandaradasar requested his guru’s permission to go on a Pandhari yatra as he wanted to badly see Vitthal who had shown him the path of namasankirthan. Vyasarayar then blessed him and asked him to go to Pandharpur.

Purandharadasar set out on a yatra to Pandhari and many bhakthas joined him on the way to Pandharpur. Dasar would perform Unjaverthi (Go on the streets singing the praise of god and collecting rice and dhal from the neighbourhood) and collect food for all of them and feed them every day. This way reached Pandharpur after a few days. On reaching Pandhari, Dasar had a dip in the holy river of Chandrabhaga and came running towards the Mahadhwar. He then prostrated at the Garuda Sthambam and came running towards the yogapeedam to have a darshan of Vitthal. Dasar then hugged Vitthal and was full of tears in his eyes. He then came to Rangashila (the mandap where people sing the praise of Vitthal) and prostrated to every person sitting there. Everyone there hugged him and gave him the thambura and asked him to sing. All of them too sang bhajans and namavallis along with Dasar. He then decided to stay in Pandhari and made a small hut for himself. He would perform Unjaverthi every day and feed his family. He would forever be in the temple singing bhajans and kirthans. Vitthal performed the marriage for his daughter and also the upanayanam for his son. Dasar then wanted to go on a yatra and asked Vitthal’s permission for the same. Vitthal then blessed him and he started on a yatra.

Dasar then toured the entire India and blessed everyone by his presence and his kirthans. He sang 5 lakhs kirthans and also preached about the importance of Namasankirthan. Dasar had a sishya, like Ekalavya for Dronocharya whom Dasar had never met. This sishya had written down all the kirthans of Purandaradasar and would recite the same everyday happily. He was not knowledgeable on carnatic music and others would tease him for singing badly. One day Dasar happened to pass by his house and he was reciting Dasar’s kirtans. Dasar then realised that someone was singing his kirthans inside the house and felt bad with the way he was singing. Dasar then thought to himself that he would not have sung these songs had he known someone would spoil the raga and thalas and sing his songs so badly. He then moved from there and to his dismay he found that he could not sing or speak any more. He then understood the reason behind it and went back to that house. He knocked the door and the man who was singing came and opened the door. On seeing Dasar he was surprised and asked him if he was Purandaradasar and once he knew who he was he prostrated to him and started singing and dancing and became delighted. Dasar then hugged him and thought he was his best sishya and immediately he got back his voice. He then came back to Pandharpur after visiting all holy places.

Purandaradasar wanted to teach his musical skills to someone before he leaves this world so that it could be passed on through generations. There was a dassi in Pandharpur who wanted to learn music and so he started teaching her music. He would go to her house and teach music to her. Seeing Dasar go to the dassi’s house everyday, a rumour spread about him in the village. Vitthal then decided to show the world about the real qualities of Dasar and performed a leela. One day a very costly jewellery of Vitthal was missing and as the priest could not find it they informed the police. The police started harassing and beating every one working in the temple to check who took it. One of the sweepers in the temple also happened to be the sweeper of that dassi. She then told the police that she had seen the jewel in the dassi’s house. The police then sent for her and questioned her. The dassi then told the police that it was Dasar who had given it to her. The police then arrested Purandaradasar and tied him to one of the pillars in Rangashila. Everyone was now waiting for the king to come and whip him. Dasar was quiet and thought that whatever was Vitthal’s wish will happen and there is no point trying to justify anything. The king then arrived and one of the police handed over the whip to the king. The king then asked Dasar to say in front of Vitthal if he had stolen the jewellery from the temple. Dasar was quiet and did not reply. The king got angry and took the whip and started whipping him, asking why he was not even answering his question. However someone had pulled the whip from the king’s hand before it hit Dasar. The king turned back to see who had pulled the whip from him, but none of the soldiers behind him had the whip. They then found that the whip was inside the shrine with Vitthal. On seeing this, the king ordered the police to untie Dasar and prostrated to him and asked him to forgive him. The people who were speaking ill of him now understood about him and stopped speaking rumours about him.