Chin Maatra: Reflections on the Oneness of Brahman

 

“Do you Dream Prabhu?”

“Yes”

“Are the Dreams that you see, real?”

“Of course, NOT”

“Why do you say so?”

“Because they are just my imaginations.  During sleep, my mind cooks these up and presents them back to my mind and awareness.  When I wake up, they are gone.”

“Hmmm, big word - Awareness, we will deal with it later.  For now, let us focus on the dreams.  Are you saying dreams are false then?”

“Obviously, they are not real, they do not really exist. Ergo, they are false.”

“Let us double click.  If dreams do not exist, what is that you saw during your sleep?  The trees, houses, friends and foes that appeared.  How did they appear”

“I see what you are getting at.  They did exist in my mind as thought and dream”

“If you were not there as the foundation, would they have existed?”

“No. My dreams can’t exist unless I exist. My mind is the reality gives them the foundation to exists”

“So, what are the dreams made up of?”

“They are my mind-stuff that they are made up of.  My thoughts, memories, fears, imaginations, creativity that are somehow projected into a screen of some sort and appears as our dream world”

“Essentially – you. Right?”

“Yes”

“So, Prabhu, in summary you are saying – You are real and the dreams that you see are not real.  But they are not non-existent, because they exist, during your sleep, as your mind-stuff.  Essentially your dreams are you, and they exist because you do.”

“Hmmm, I suppose.  But still dream is illusory, it is not real. Isn’t this illusory world called Prätibhäshika?”

“Illusory and unreal, perhaps.  But not existent? Surely not. Because they appear upon foundation of you as the person, who is an empirical reality. What I mean Prabhu, is that if we consider you to be an observed reality, that the dreams exist on that you. You are the foundation.”

“Perhaps. But that helps, how?”

“Well, this example lends itself to extrapolation into the relation between our objective or empirical reality, vyävahärika to absolute reality, the päramärthika.”

“Explain.”

“Our scriptures describe the ultimate Truth in several different ways, such as – Brahma Satyam, Jagat Mithya; Aham Brahamasmi; Tat Tvam Asi etc. all of which point to the same concept of Oneness of Reality.  The fundamental Reality is just One, the Nirguna or attribute-less Brahman. The Jagat or the observable/objective creation that we see and feel and are a part of, is a appearance in Brahman.  Maya, a power intrinsic to Brahman, is the screen, upon which Jagat appears and we perceive as our objectivity reality.”

“Deep. And what you are saying is that since Jagat is an appearance in Brahman, it is not an absolutely reality like Brahman, but nor is it Non-existence. It is a kind of dream like appearance, that is neither real nor unreal.  Perhaps that is what is meant by Jagat is Mithya!.”

“Indeed.  Let us dig deeper.  What is Jagat ‘made up of’?”  

“Well, if my dreams are essentially me, as we had established earlier.  The Jagat, as appearance within Brahman, must be ‘made up of’ Brahman itself?”

“Right you are.  That is what is meant when Jagat is described as Chin Maatra à Consciousness Alone à Brahman Alone.  In the Jagat it is the same Brahman that appears as the Ishwara. One who we know as our Lord Sri Krishna, our Lord Rama, our Lord Shiva and in some many other names.”

“Ok, I get what you say.  But how do I realize if it is True or just Words.  Am I expected to just take your word for it?”

“No. As Swami Vivekananda had said, Truth must be realized.  Bhagavad Gita has given three paths to realize truth.  Follow any one of them or follow all of them. They all lead to the same realization- The Oneness of Brahman."

That, however, is a discussion for another day!

Hare Krishna 

Journey to the Holiest of Holy Lands- Vrindavan Dham Yatra Diary: Part 2: The Conclusion

Day 5: Vrindavan: Surrendering to Krishna

Read Part 1 Here.

There are two Vrindavan Dhams.  One that you see as soon as you step in, the other you don’t immediately see.

The first Vrindavan is this piece of magical land where Sir Krishna, the Supreme Lord God, Svayam Bhagavan, Himself spent his childhood during his incarnation on Earth.  A land of piety, beauty and deliverance for us his devotees.  But at the same time also a place where you can witness poverty, squalor, con artists, sometimes even roadside brawls and fights.  This Vrindavan is, the world of duality, the representation of Samsara, the Jagat. This is the physical plain where the drama of life as we understand it plays out in its stark vividness.  Experiences that entangle us either by attracting us or repelling us, the Raga and Dwesha of the conditioned mind, (the mind that knows not the other Vrindavan) are all to be found here.  This Vrindavan is also verily the place which allows you to raise yourself and find the Other.  

What is this other Vrindavan, you ask!  Well, this other Vrindavan can’t really be Objectified and described in words.  However, it can be lived in.  Curiouser and Curiouser!  Like Alice, let us explore.

First of all, the other Vrindavan I am talking of isn’t some faraway exotic place, it actually shares the Space and Time dimensions with the Physical Vrindavan! Meaning that Vrindavan is available to you here and now. It isn’t something you need to go somewhere to reach nor something that will be available to you at a different time like after death in case you have lived a pious life.  No, it is available immediately for you to find and reside in it.

However, there is just one precondition. You need to be able to discern it as it appears in your consciousness through the infinity variety of in which creation manifests itself.  In other words, you need to be able recognize this Vrindavan underlying reality of the physical Vrindavan, nay the creation itself.

So, what is this Real Vrindavan?

This real Vrindavan that many also call Brahman, is the very Existence itself from which everything that we see as physically existing borrows existence for a little while. It is the One universal Consciousness that shines forth through every apparently conscious mind, infinite in every sense for there is nothing else.  Ever pure, ever unattached it is the real Self behind every single self that exists.  

Satyam, Jnanam, Anantham.  

You can tune into that Vrindavan, as you withdraw from the Physical aspects of Holy Vrindavan.  The first impression that you perceive of this is as inexplicable feeling of bliss or Ananda that envelops you and literally threatens to overwhelm you.  If you have read my previous posts you will remember how from the very moment that I had stepped inside Braj, I had confessed to the feeling of entering a bubble of happiness, feeling all Krishnamay and everything?  In hindsight I feel it was just that in His infinite mercy Sri Krishna had given this most fallen and unworthy soul, a glimpse of the Real Vrindavan. A taste of what lay in wait if I could find the pathway to get to the real Vrindavan.

Why should we even want to find this pathway?

Simple, because we desire, above everything else, Happiness.  But every single worldly happiness we pursue in this physical plain either comes to an end or turns into a source of utter unhappiness.  It is an unending cycle.

Vrindavan however provides the solution.   Upon attaining that Vrindavan, it is said one experiences complete cessation of sorrow (atyantika-dukha-nivritti) and attainment of supreme happiness (paramānanda-prāpti).  One who has reached this Vrindavan never has to return to the physical plain of existence ever again.  Once the state of knowing the Ultimate Truth about oneself is achieved, it is permanent, unending state of infinite bliss. 

I would strongly recommend the talk by Swami Sarvapriyananda where he describes the Ultimate Truth.

How does one get about go about reaching this real Vrindavan?

No one can enter the real Vrindavan without Sri Krishna’s grace.  Inviting thing this grace needs you to have the treasure of Krishna Bhakti which only Srimati Radharani can bestow upon you.  Radhe, Radhe, Shyam Dila De, the heart of the devotee cries out.   Lord Krishna also has unambiguously declared the supremacy of Bhakti.

But parabhakti is hard, as the devotee tries to focus his/her adoration toward Lord Krishna, the physical world of Maya tries to ensnare the devotee with its many traps and enchantments.  Sri Krishna has shown the paths of Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga and Karma Yoga in Bhagavad Gita as ways to purify one’s mind, understand who He is, who we are and what our relationship with him.  And what he said are not empty sermons, but a vivid blueprint of creation that the seeker can practically use to navigate one’s path.

Still not clear. Too complex.

Unless there is a genuine will the pathway to real Vrindavan is not possible to be found.  One who is not able to muster that required will, perhaps, need a few hundred additional births to get to the point where the futility of the physical world becomes unbearable.

However, if the will is genuine, Krishna gives a royal shortcut…  Just take it and forget all else…

sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mokshayishyami ma shuchah  (BG 18.66)

Place the complete trust of Sri Krishna and don’t fall prey to the traps of the mind.  

Places like Vrindavan Dham and here I mean the physical Vrindavan Dham are special.  Due to their association with Sri Krishna’s childhood events, they have the capability to direct the mind constantly to Him and his Leelas. And that itself purifies the mind and sets you on your way to the Spiritual Vrindavan.

Back to My Yatra

On the third day of the Yatra, we had gotten the opportunity to meet someone who has been staying in Vrindavan for over 25 years and, it seemed to me had, found the real Vrindavan.  Rajshekar Prabhu is a senior devotee of ISKCON who was originally from UK, but has now become a Brajvasi.  A researcher, he has used scientific methods coupled with faith in Krishna to find places associated with Sri Krishna’s life and has published books on that as well.  Initiated by Srila Prabhupada himself, he was every bit the ideal yogi.  His eyes light up so much when he recountes the story of discovery of Radha Kunda or his interactions with Prabhupada.  Felt blessed to get the association of such a true devotee of Krishna.

And seeing him, and many like him during my trip there convinced me that they way to reach the real Vrindavan is only surrender. Yoga, Dhyana, Jnana are amazing paths and I have no doubts there are those great souls who would be able to reach enlightenment through these, but Bhakti that invites His grace triumph’s all else. Chanting is a powerful way to connect to Krishna and find the real Vrindavan. In my humble way I have found combining exploration of Jnana while trying to move forward in the path of Bhakti has helped me in my progress towards Krishna.  

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

Returning from Vrindvan proved harder than I thought it would be.  Most of us in the yatra had become so attached to those Lanes, the Kunj Galiyans, where Srimati Radharani, Sri Krishna and their friends her conducted their divine pastimes that the thought of leaving this all behind was distressing.  However, our Dharma that He had assigned to us for this life needed us to return.   And did we not carry a tiny bit of the Vrindavan, the physical and the spiritual, in our minds as well?

With a silent prayer to Srimati Radharani to grant all her devotees, including my loved ones and myself, permission to visit Vrindavan again and again, I boarded the bus to Delhi…

Radhe Radhe

Sri Krishna Sarnam Mamah

Om Namo Bhagavate Vaasudevaya

Journey to the Holiest of Holy Lands- Vrindavan Dham Yatra Diary: Part 1

 Oct 29: The Yatra Begins

Hare Krishna dear friends. Today I am starting a journey to visit the holiest ot Holy Lands. The place where Lord God himself incarnated and engaged us his devotees in his divine pastimes.

Yes I am setting out for Vrindavan Dham. The place where our Lord spent his childhood. Today also is a day of significance in my life so I am happy I am starting this trip today.

I am at Bangalore International Airport right now for the first leg of my journey. Come along and take the trip with me.

Hari bol!

Day 1 and Day 2 (Oct 29/30), Vrindavan Dham: The Magical Land

The discerning notice that Vrindavan exists inside a bubble. Normally speaking Vrindavan appears to be another UP town, dusty, not well kept, with a bunch of crowded temples. But if you are able to see through the eyes of the devotee, the moment you step inside the Braj area the feel, the vibration changes. Every aspect seems to be connected to Krishna. Everyone seems to belong to Krishna, Every leaf, every stone seems to be waiting for Krishna to return from his trip to Mathura. The baited breath with which one waits for a loved one ...

The first two days of my trip has been, well Krishnamay, meaning filled with Krishna. Seeing the places associated with Krishna Leela and hearing about Him does give a amazing feeling of connectedness with Krishna. A unique feeling for me whenever I come to Vrindavan is to remember anew how much the Goswamees of the yore have served Lord here and what amazing examples of devotion and service they have left behind. During today's Vrindavan Dham Parikrama we visited many of the temples established by the Goswamee saints. At one place all the devotees sang a song honoring them.

Well more to come.

Radhe Radhe.

Nitai Gaur Premanande Hari Hari bol.

Jai Sri Krishna

Day 3: Oct 31: Soaking into the Spirit of Vrindavan

The Magic of Vrindavan is so strong and eternal because one can't think of Vrindavan without thinking about Radha and Krishna. Krishna is the Supreme Lord, the all attractive one, but one feels that at Vrindavan, Radharani's love for Krishna is the most potent feeling one gets.

The day started magically at Vrinda Kund, which is breathtakingly beautiful. The yatris (the cohort of devotees who travelling together) were also blessed to hear from a very senior Krishna Devotee, Rajshehekar Prabhu. His knowledge was so deep and demeanor so serene that it transported everyone to a magical land.

Later in the day we visited Barasna (Radharani's home) and Nandagoan (Krishna's childhood home). Nandagaon sits atop a hill and from there one of the pujaris pointed out a number of places that are associated with Sri Krishna's divine leelas.

In the evening a few of us visited Prem Mandir. It is really pretty.

Day 4: Nov 1: Prayers and Reflections

Today I broke ranks from my group and set out to explore Vrindavan myself. Firstly I simply had to go to Banke Bihari and Radha Ballav temples which weren't part of the group itinerary for the day, Second much as I love the community visits and Kirtans, you don't get the feel of a place until you venture out alone. Reflection is not a group activity.

For my adventures Lord Banke Bihari graced me with His darsan. Radha Ballab temple was closed but I spent good time at the mysterious Nidhiban where the Ras Leela is still believed to occur every night.

But I saw lot else as well.

One thing that you will immediately notice are the number of beggars, urchins and poor widows that line up the streets. Always poking and pulling, asking for help. Though for a moment one feels overwhelmed and irritated at the near constant pestering, one does realize that perhaps it is Vrindavan and places like this where such people rejected by society still are able to live out their lives and burn up their Prarabdha Karma. But it is true that seeing such squalor and poverty is makes one sad I bought the gaggle of children following me at Banke Bihari Poori and Dhokla. But the feeling of helplessness at not being able to do much hangs like a cloud. Respect for what organizations like Akshay Patra foundation and Ramakrishna Mission are doing to support such people increases many fold.

It is Karma, It is Krishna's Leela, It is apparent reality and not the real reality Brahman, it is random chance and there's no logic to suffering, the nature of life is Dukkha.. many theories crowd the mind. The enlightened sages perhaps have answers but we only have questions ...

Of course conmen abound too. In two occasions today I felt I was helping people in genuine need but got conned out of some money. The amount is not significant but does go on to show that Holy Land doesn't purify unless one puts their own effort. Or maybe it eventually will. Who knows?

All I can say is there's a lot to ponder on and by Sri Krishna's will ponder I will...

I ended the day as always praying to Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani at Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir.

Jai Kanhiya Lal Ki.

Jai Sri Radhe Krishna.

To be continued …

Mahabharata and the Art of Decision Making

One of the most amazing aspects of the Mahabharata is that it can offer inspirations for almost every situation that one may face in life.  In fact the discerning will tell you that the life itself is a Mahabharata that is being played out both inside and outside. The conclusion of the Mahabharata is foregone and the outcome of the central war at Kurukshetra, was decided long before a single arrow was let loose. The mystery, if one exists, is how the epic unfolds every time. 

The Mahabharata concluded with the the defeat of the evil and victory of Dharma. As it was then, so it is today.  Mahabharata of our lives will surely, relentlessly, make its way to its inevitable conclusion.  The only thing for us to decide is what character we want our mind to assume. That decision dictates our perception that gives colors the world we lead ourselves into, determines the balance of Karma that we leave this world with and most importantly determines if we would find ourselves in the side of Sri Krishna.

I am currently faced with the prospect of taking a decision that is neither easy nor particularly palatable. My mind has flown back, as it always does in such situations, to the Mahabharata.  Every single character in the Mahabharata can be thought to be the representative of a unique state of mind.  And strangely, everyone assumes a different state of mind i.e. different characters at different points of time.   The character you assume most often or as a default state is perhaps who you really are. 

The Sakuni Mind, is the state which leads with deceit as its end goal.  It is perhaps a mind that carries burdens of wrongs of past, real and imagined affronts or perhaps it is just twisted.  Regardless it is a mind that leads itself and everyone near it down a path to ruin. 

The Duryodhana Mind appears to me one that leads with Greed and Envy. It is a mind that often falls prey to some Sakuni, within or without.  The Duryodhana defrauded his brothers of their rightful kingdom thereby sealing his own fate.  He Famously refused to part with one needle head worth of land with Pandavas. And when his own fate cornered him, he couldn't find any corner of land where he could hide and save himself.  He hid himself underwater but the relentless fate was not to be denied.

The Yudhishthira Mind leads with Good Intensions and Naivety.  This mind trusts others to be honorable.  Most are and some aren't.  His Naiveness leads him and his loved ones to discomfort sometimes.  The years of wandering in wilderness for Pandavas was almost entirely a result of his utter stupidity. However the purity of his heart attracts the blessing of Sri Krishna and Yudhishthira emerges a winner when he faces situations with valor, grit and the directions shown by Sri Krishna.

The Bhisma Mind, in my opinion is the Mind that undermines the greatest potential and ability with horrible decisions made for every kind of weird reasons, rendering the life rather inconsequential.  Giving up the throne was his first disastrous decision, based on the wrong belief that the Kingdom was his to refuse. In doing so he deprived the Kuru dynasty and Hastinapur of its greatest King. Everything else that happened started from that one bad decision.  However it is also true that the greatness of his abilities gets him the respect of all and Krishna's blessings.  His last moments on earth are worthy of being reviewed.

My and everyone else favorite Mind is of course the Arjuna Mind, it is the Enlightened Mind that has the might to hear Sri Krishna's words and act as per that. People often say refer to the Bhagavad Gita when you seek answers in life, but my feeling is having access to Gita doesn't mean you will understand or act as per Gita.  For that you need to be a devotee, a warrior, an enlightened soul, a leader.  Not everyone can be Arjuna for sure, but one would be remiss not to even aspire for it. 

Not just these characters but every other superhumans that appear in the immortal epic such Ashwatthama, Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, Kunti, Karna, Barbareek, Salwa, Gatotkach, the Mighty Bheema, Nukul, Sahadev, Draupadi and countless others show us states that our Mind can assume.  Some states of mind invite blessings of Krishna and others his pity or even anger. He is Father to all.

Today standing at the point that I am at, I pray to Sri Krishna so that I take the right decision that keeps me in His side.  I pray for the wisdom to sit at His feet and when time comes, seek Him to be with me always even at the cost of the Narayani Sena.

Jai Sri Krishna

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

New Year and Renewal | Celebrating our Immortality

There is something magical about the new year time. Comes, as it does, at a time of year that is almost universally celebrated as the yearly holiday season, it already includes the benefit of reduced stress levels. For many it is also a time of reflection or partying or both. A time for vacation or staycation or perhaps just relaxing a wee bit more. However, what truly infuses the magic is this whole feeling of Renewal and Rebirth that New Year evokes within us.  New Year is a time of Optimism, of looking forward and rededicating ourselves in Celebration of life.

But Why does the message of Rebirth Fascinate us so?

The wisdom of the Upanishads confirm that we are all immortal souls. Sri Krishna, Lord God Himself, in His divine message to humanity, the Bhagavad Gita, assures as that our bodies are like merely coverings upon our real being as spirit souls, just as cloths are covering on bodies. The doctrine of the five sheaths, Panchakosha Viveka, also points toward the same truth.   

I feel the near universal attraction to the message of rebirth and reincarnation is the just a reflection of nature of our true self.  Our Spirit Soul knows that it is immortal, that it transmigrates, that every birth is a step towards our ultimate destination of union with Lord Krishna.

Thus every new year, for the devotee among us surely, is also the time of recognition of our real identify, of our relation with Lord Krishna and also the time to reaffirm our faith in Sri Krishna and renew our resolve to be become qualified attain His Grace.  To purify ourselves through devotion and knowledge.

For our family, 31^st Dec also has a deeper connection, 25 years ago, on this day, Baba left for his heavenly abode. A deeply spiritual and dedicated devotee of Sri Krishna, I feel that the strong foundation of devotion that my brother and I have, comes entirely for him and Mom.  A man who spent his life singing Bhajans and Kirtans, our mind’s eye sees him seated at the feet of Lord Krishna and singing his melodious Bhajans to the Lord.  May Kanai’s blessing be always with Baba and all of creation.

Taking a step towards Krishna

The promise of Vedantic Spirituality, the phalasruti (the fruit), is truly incredible:  atyantika-dukha-nivritti ('complete cessation of sorrow') and paramānanda-prāpti ('attainment of supreme happiness')

From the few droplets from the ocean of Bhakti, that Lord Krishna in his causeless mercy has bestowed on the fortunate, we know this supreme happiness, the Paramananda, is Krishna Bhakti and Krishna Bhakti alone.  The whole journey of Bhakti is filled with pleasure beyond what one can imagine. All that is needed is taking that first step towards Krishna.  Pick up a copy of Gita, join a Kirtan, Do Japa. Everything helps.

As this year draws to a close and we look forward to a Rebirth and Renewal in the new year.  I wish everyone a Happy and Krishna Conscious New Year.  

He Krishna, Karuna Sindhu    
Dino Bandhu, Jagat Pate
Gopesha Gopika Kanta
Radha Kanta
Namostote

Happy New Year!!!

Approaching Brahma Jnana: The Fundamentals as I have Perceived It

He Krishna Karuna Sindhu, Dino Bandhu, Vishwa Pate

Gopesha, Gopika Kanta, Radha Kanta Namas' tu te

O my Krishna, You are the Ocean of Grace, friend of the distressed and the  source of creation.  You are the master of the gopis and the lover of Radharani.  I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

Preface

The primary Goal of human life, posit the Upanishads is to attain Moksha.  It is a state of complete liberation or freedom, that is attained through Self-Realization, of knowing and actually living the Truth.  Of being a Jivan-Mukta.

An important question that needs to be answered is Why is Moksha important?  Well it promises what I feel we are all looking for through all our actions --  Cessation of Sorrow and Attainment of the Ultimate and Permanent Bliss.  In other words if you want to be really and in a constant state of contentment, Self Realization is for you.   

Do we have proofs that it works? Yes, the lives of our great enlightened saints and avatars, like Adi Shankara, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Ramakrishna Pramhansa,  Swami Vivekananda,  Prahamhansa Yogananda, Srila Prabhupada, are shining examples for us for us to get inspired by.  

Did they face problems, trials and tribulations?  Of course!
But still were their lives a blessing to themselves and all around them?  Yes. That's what makes them the divine masters that they were.  

Of course no one should expect to reach that level in a single lifetime but it is also true that this great journey starts with a single step in the right direction. 

An important step in the path to Moksha is Brahma-Jnana, literally the Knowledge of the Absolute.  Before you can live the truth, you have to understand it.  And herein appears a problem: there are so many paths, philosophies, doctrines, rituals and sects that claim to be The One  True path to reach Brahma Jnana.  

Suddenly you are left wondering where to start and which thread to follow. Of course, Bhagavad Gita, is the best blueprint in existence to understand the Truth and I can say with confidence that if one understands those Divine words, no other knowledge is necessary.  However just reading the Gita like a novel is not enough, you have to understand the deep meaning that is hidden in each verse. I have seen people who have just read the Gita without preparation and haven't understood much beyond the words. Why, even after a lifetime of preparation and study, I feel I have just begun to understand what Lord Krishna is telling us through those 700 verses. 

What I try to present here, is the Fundamentals of Truth as I have understood so far and what, I hope, provides a working account of how to approach the core concepts step by step.  It is not the Truth for sure, because that would be beyond my capability to write about. However, I hope, it does contain the pointers to proceed should you choose to seek.  It remains an Work In Progress. Dear reader, I am humbled and honored that you are here and I really cherish this opportunity to share my understanding with you.  May I respectfully suggest that you glance quickly at my previous blog post because this one builds upon the concepts we encountered there.   

The idea here is not to propound a new doctrine, but to understand the Truth that has always been talked about and taught by our great seers. It would be my honor to learn from you, so please do share your thoughts and views in the comments section below. 

Truth as I know it

A picture is worth a thousand words.  If only the great seers who wrote the Upanishads have known this, perhaps advancing towards the truth would have been easier.  In absence of pictures however they left for us the Ithasas and the Puranas, to illustrate the Truth through narratives that were accessible to all.  I digress, so without further ado, let me present the summary of my understanding as a picture.

The Summary in Words

I must apologize if this looks the the architecture diagram of a software system with databases, micro-service and platforms where these service containers may be deployed.  The constructs of my profession have indeed helped me tremendously in understanding the concepts of the Upanishads.  Anyway here's the summary of what I am trying to say through this diagram.  Please do note the hyperlinks are more important then my writing and I would request you follow each of these for the unique perspectives they provide.

Step 1:  Know The One

The Ultimate and Only Reality is Krishna as Brahman.  Described variously as Sat-Chid-Ananda, the Alpha and Omega; one of the most complete description that I have found is Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahman, in Tattiriya Upanishad explained masterfully by Swami Sarvapriyananda. (Please do see this, it is deeply enlightening).  And if you have grasped what the Swami explained, you can see why there can't be any other existence other than Brahman. Brahman is Advaita, without a second.  He is Satya, the only Truth. We encountered him as Entity 1 in the previous post. Do note that I use the pronoun He out of awe and reverence. Krishna in Brahman form is actually the highest Universal Principle and not a person per se.

Maya is veil or mirror of Space, Time, Causality through which Brahman Projects this manifested creation comprising of numerous worlds, universes, dimensions,  living and non living entities. This illusory, ever changing transient creation is called Jagat. It doesn't have an independent existence but borrows its existence from Brahman. Therefore it is called mithya.   The illusion can be best understood through the stock Vedanta example of Rope and Snake.  The Snake exists only as an error of perception.  Brahman Satyam Jagat Mithya is explained here.

Step 2:  Know Thyself

Jivas are limited manifestations of Brahman who are under the condition of Gunas.  They are the replicas we encountered last time who have appeared inside the Jagat as part of Brahman's Leela or divine play.  They are us, you and I.  They are the amoebas, the platypuses and lions. They also are the high gods,  like Indra, Zeus, Brahma, beings of higher dimensions but still limited by Maya and the Guna, their Karma and the cycles of birth and death that they go through until the point they achieve self realization or Moksha. 

If you want to know the answer to who you really are as a Jiva, there is no better or direct source than the Mandukya Upanishad.  In addition to explain the significance of Aum, it explains the four state of Consciousness.  The three states of Waking, dreaming and deep sleep, which correspond to the Gross body, Subtle body and Casual Body are well known from our own experience. But it also talks of a fourth state, the Turiya, which is the underlying Pure Consciousness that shines forth through the three other states. It is the underlying reality of who we are.  The second must watch video is an explanation of Who am I, explained in the context of Mandukya.

Step 3:  Know thy Lord

Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is non different from Krishna as Brahman. That is how we Jivas perceive Brahman, being on the other side of the big Maya divide.  It is not that Maya has any impact on Krishna and transforms in from one form to other.  Maya in her eternal kindness as the divine mother lets us perceive our Lord Krishna and express our adoration. 

Krishna as the Supersoul is the underlying reality of all existence, the master process inside which all threads exist. This is computer science jargon, but this is how I understood this concept. I found it easier to grasp than understanding the concept of fire that exists inside wood, which is how this very concept is explained in Srimad Bhagavadam.  That masterpiece was of course written in an different era.

Step 4:  Follow a Path

The primary reason of Human birth is to establish connection with Krishna. It is He, who is the Brahman the Absolute, He indeed is the Supreme Lord and indeed   Self Realization is Krishna Consciousness. Krishna Conciousness is Moksha and it is all that matters. Everything else is secondary and honestly not of much importance either. I have always explained it to my friends using the example of going to a Math Class.  If you go to a Math Class, the primary purpose is to understand Math, anything else you do, like arranging your chair, copying the sums in your notebook, playing tic-tak-toe or marbles inside the class, staring outside the window and waiting for lunch break is either secondary supporting activity or complete useless waste of time.  Similarly in the human birth anything that we do other than achieve Krishna Consciousness is either secondary  (going to Vedanta classes, discussing spirituality) or total waste of time (material pursuits as the only goal).

Krishna Consciousness can achieved through Bhakti of Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Establishing a personal relationship with Krishna gives one the highest level of bliss because nothing that the Jagat has can hold a candle to sheer delight a devotee gets in Krishna-Prem.  The third must watch video is from Vasudev Keshava Prabhu of Iskcon.  Sri Krishna Saranam Mamah is what the heart of the true devotee says.

Krishna Consciousness can be equally well be achieved through Jnana or Knowledge as He says Himself in Bhagavad Gita.  Here the focus is usually to know Krishna the Brahman and see that it Krishna who shines forth through us.  It is not that as Advaitins we think for a moment that we are God.  Our object of spiritual pursuit is our inner Witness Consciousnesses, Atman which is non different from Brahman. We are therefore One with Krishna, One in Him, for there is no second.  That is what is meant by Tat Tvam Asi.  That Thou Art.  That is what is self realization, which is explained masterfully in this fourth must watch video.  This contains the highest knowledge Advaita Vedanta can provide.

There is no difference between these two paths in terms of outcome, but Lord Krishna himself established the supremacy of  Bhakti.  But it is also true that when a Bhakta treads the path of Jnana, the pleasure multiplies manifold because now you know the Object of your love and adoration in a complete new way and realize He is not an object at all, but the sole Subject in which every other object appear, very much like the screen of movie theater upon which every movie plays. 

In my view once one truly understands each of the concepts described above, at an intellectual level, Brahma Jnana is obtained, i.e. one knows the theory.  That means not just surviving my inadequate writing, but following through each of the links that has been provided and all the references they contain until at least in your mind you are able to connect the dots conceptually and make sense of your own identity and your relationship with the Absolute.  

Until that happens, one just needs to go through the concepts again and again. I have seen from my own experience is that just revising what you think you already know gives immense amount of Joy.  And as Lord Krishna himself promised in Gita, none of the effort you spend in spiritual practices is ever wasted.

What happens next?

Depending on the path that appeals to you, the real work or Sadhana starts now.  

The Sadhana suggested in the Bhakti Marg, or the path of Adoration, is making every act and thought a service to the Lord.  Chanting of Mahamantra, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare, is the at once devotional service to the Lord and meditation of the highest order. 

The Sadhana  suggested in the Jnana Marg or the path of Knowledge favoured by the Advaitins is Sravana, Manana, Nididhyasana.  Listening, Understanding, Soaking oneself into the the Truth by repeated meditation.   No one becomes eligible for Jnana Marg however, without having as base on the purifying aspect of Bhakti.  Why would one want to understand something that one doesn't love and adore.

Become ready for any kind of Sadhana, take lifetimes of preparation, for unless our own mind has been purified (chitta suddhi) it is well neigh impossible to come out of the snare of material entanglements that literally entrap our minds, lust, greed, anger etc.   But these can't be wished away so what are we to do?   The scriptures of yore mention four prerequisites for making progress in spiritual life: viveka, vairagya, shat sampat and mumukshutva

Well, for starters start living a good life, pure life. Practice detachment. Understand the basics of Yama, Niyama etc.  Visit temples, listen to talks, associate with devotees and soon through His Grace you will feel the magic of Krishna-prem in your heart. And once that happens, you are well on your way.  No one can achieve liberation without His Grace, be it a Jnani, Yogi or Bhakta, it is His Grace which is supreme and it just takes a little effort to invite that into your life.  

Remember again the goal: freedom from sorrow, attainment of permanent bliss.  If the bliss is to be permanent, you have to be too. So this is the path to Joyous Immortality.  

So there it is.  A super short explanation of the core concept of Brahma Jnana and path to Moksha as I have understood it.

A few words of caution 

Don't expect instant results.  Chances that initially some of this concepts mayn't make sense as well.  I remember the first time I starting to comprehend what Sat-Chid-Ananda meant, I was completely unnerved that the Absolute could also be view as a non-person/non-object. It took a while before the idea settled.  So, if some thing is not clear, read or listen again. Discuss with someone. Meditate. Read up on the lives of great seers. But please don't give up.

There is no ONE right path.  Yatho Math Thatho Path. Step 4 intentionally says Follow a Path, instead of Follow The Path.  The two paths that I have spoken about are the two that I have myself some experience on.  There are other great paths that one could follow such as Raja Yoga, Kriya Yoga etc. However Bhakti supported by Jnana is something that appears to be in harmony with who I am, so that is why I presented this view.

The wisdom of thousands of years can't be understood in 20 years and the knowledge of 20 years can't be put in one blog post.  But I had to put this down as a starting point of an amazing journey, that my dear reader, I hope we are going to undertake together.

Jai Sri Krishna.

Part II: Pursuit of Happiness and Spirituality: Knowing yourself

Imagine for a moment an entity which is the only thing that exists, there is no existence outside of it since it is existence itself. It is conscious of its existence and being the only entity in existence it is only entity that is conscious.  Imagine further that this entity looks like a pool of liquid light in which waves gently rise and fall in blissful rhythmic fashion.

The entity, let’s creatively call it Entity 1, is in a state of bliss and wants to share this bliss with someone.  So, within one of these waves He imagines a few replicas of himself and says to them, “Let’s have a spot of fun guys, let’s play Hide and Seek.”   It all goes magically well, everyone instantly hides, and the seeker finds them instantly because, after all, each player is a replica of Entity 1 and thus is entirely aware of all that is.  It really isn’t that much fun and soon the wave subsides into the pool of light. The entity replicas within the wave experience the bliss of merging back into the pool, which essentially is their own reality or real Self.

“Hmmm,” Entity 1 thinks, “what if I made the game a little more interesting by making it harder for me to seek myself out.  The only way to make that happen would be for my replicas to forget who they are and learn about their true nature as part of the game itself.”  He thus conceptualized Maya,  his eternal co-conspirator who cast an intangible veil that hid the truth about Entity 1 from his replica selves. This state of existence was called state of simultaneous oneness and difference.

“And why should all my replicas be all aike, when I could have infinite varieties with different level of Self-awareness?  And let me project myself into space, time and infinite number of worlds where I spawn my replicas?   I know who each one is, and I would experience each world and each life through my own replicas. Why, I will be like a bird that watches as my replica goes about experiencing the world and once it finds itself I too will experience the bliss it experiences in merging back to myself.”

“Yeah, that’s what I will do”, Entity 1 says in a very Dave Allen fashion. 

And then He thinks some more, “Now, what if the objective of the game is not immediately clear and these replicas have to go through lifetimes to identify the objective of the game. And only then play the game out?  That would make it even more challenging to myself and the bliss of reaching the Goal would be even higher. Of course, I would leave enough number of clues in different worlds for people to know what a game really is and guess what, perhaps if sometimes the game goes haywire, I will get in the game and bring it back onto the track myself …”  

And He thought of many wondrous details like how the replicas earn merit or demerit points as they progress in the game and called it the Law of Karma, a series of foundational constants for each of the infinite universes, so on and so forth.

Finally, He created the most exquisite of all the concepts - Grace.  Grace was the mechanism that enabled any of the replicas to reach out directly to Entity 1 and for Him to directly reach back and bring that replica back to the state of bliss and luminosity. 

No sooner had He thought of all this than it was all already there.  Mighty universes took birth inside the waves as so many soap bubbles, matured and disappeared back into the waves.  These universes existed as imaginations whose only reason to exist was to provide the Replicas with experience and to help them find their way back to the bliss of self-realization.

Through these many universes the replicas lived out lives after lives, searching for happiness within the transience of material existence. For each this cycle would continue until having realized the futility of searching for meaning in the transient, they would set out on a path to eternal happiness. When an individual replica realized that all this was just a game of Hide and Seek and all one had to do be eternally happy was to seek out and realize ones true identity as being one with Entity 1, the game would actually begin.

Within planet Earth, Entity 1 has been known by many names Krishna, God, Brahman, Self, Atman [1] and many more.  The truth behind existence has best described as Tat Tvam Asi [2].  And the best way of realizing that truth has been revealed as Bhakti, which allowed a replica to invite Krishna’s grace, in a focused manner called Sadhana. 

And this Imaginary story, in fact is the True Theory of Everything, the True TOE.  Whoever has understood this story has understood everything there is.  Having known this there is nothing more to be known.  The realization of this truth, making it real, is Moksha.

Jai Sri Krishna.


[1]   Atman by Swami Sarvapriyananda
[2]  Mahavakya by Swami Saravpriyananda 

Relax, your world is just a Computer Game… And it’s a bit Vedantic

Have you ever played Minecraft?   It is one of the few computers games I really like.  My son is pro in playing it on his Xbox and I often watch when he plays.  You start with a basic world complete with its own unique terrain and cast of characters that can interact with you.  You shape the world based on your creativity.  As you play this, your online avatar scurries along within the game removing and placing cube shaped materials to craft the buildings etc.  Sometimes there are some monsters to fight, some trades to be done and sometime the avatar dies only to be reborn and continue...

The avatar that you control behaves as you command, but what I like seeing are the other game characters that you encounter while playing that are part of the game itself, the villagers, the golums, the sheep and many others.  These semi-autonomous game characters interact with each other and with the player according to their programming with a bit of randomness thrown in.  Whether in Minecraft, fight games, race games, strategy games, these characters appear as friends or foes, capable playing with you and even taking decisions within the constructs of their respective game.  

What do you think life is like for those game characters? Let's take a imaginary tour into the world of one such character and find out ...

A character, let’s call him something gamey, say gVA1, is spawned in this world with some base programming routine which it uses to interact with the world and take decisions.  The world that it interacts consists of other such characters with are active and responsive plus other elements which are part of the overall scenery that make up the world such as roads, rocks, trees. gVA1 can interact with these, e.g. can walk on the road within the game, but the road remains passive to gVA1’s interactions.  As gVA1 goes about exploring the world it picks ups skills i.e. gets trained on the data it encounters, it picks up accessories, e.g. Guns, badges based on the job and encounters it has.  

Everything seems normal for gVA1 when it suddenly gets a burning urge to know who or what he really is and why does he exists and what is the truth behind the world he exists in…   So off he goes up on one of the mountains in the game and encounters another old game character known to be wise and enlightened, called gURU.  With gURU, gVA1 has this following dialog.  Turns out that gURU speaks like Yoda.

gVA1:  gURU, who am I really, who are you, what is this world?

gURU:  No you, no I there is, gVA1.  Only one ultimate reality, there is and the Program it is.  Shines through all of us it does, and @man is its name, also called Brahman.  Thou art That.

gVA1:  Makes Zero Sense to me.  Here I am an individual character, different from you, different from that rock there, and you say we are all this program that no one has seen?  What do you mean?

gURU:  Same as you and yet different, @man is.  Same and different simultaneously.

gVA1:  That made even lesser sense gURU.  Please explain clearly, who am I?

gURU:  The Guns and badges, you carry, you really are not. Nor these apparent pixels that make your physical self, Nor are you the limited programming routine that gives you’re the identity of gVA1. A thread of @man you are that has existed as long as @man has existed.  It is on that thread the gVA1 piece of routine runs. gVA1 is transient, while the thread and @man eternal.

gVA1:  Is this thread thingy same as the Program that you call Brahman?

gURU:  Some say they are same, ad-VAITIC called they are. Some say the thread is part of the program, VISIST-ad-VAITIC be their name. Some however claim, threads are separate from the program, d-VAITIC called they be.   Crazy they all be, methinks.

gVA1:  Why am I not aware of my identity as this atman, Brahman, thread, whatever?

gURU:  Your limited programming as gVA1, doesn’t contain that code when spawned you are.  Through your own effort, Sadhana, this knowledge you gain.

gVA1:  Why I am here?

gURU:  For each thread to know its identity in Brahman, the aim of this game is.  As gVA1, the core reason for your programming is to understand your real identity as a thread on which it runs and continue that journey.  And when gVA1 ends, the next evolution of the routine that the thread picks up continues the journey.

gVA1: What is the next evolution?

gURU:  The jobs you do, the experiences you get as this current routine, determines the next evolution of the programming that execute, your thread shall.  Law of Karma, called this.  But enough for one day, it is. Meditate upon this, you shall.

The world that you and I live in is not much different from the world that our hero gVA1 encountered and a little analysis and introspection will show that this description of world agrees uncannily with the worldview that Vedanta propounds.  

gVA1 of course is Jiva, the individual life form that appears in this world all confused about what it is here for.  Every Jiva is one  birth in a continuous steam of re-births that the soul goes through. Some just execute the base programming that they are born with, in form of mind, seeking meaning by staying within the limits of world, while some others try to look a deeper under the hood. They are called the seekers.

The program of course is just a metaphor here to understand Brahman, the ultimate principle. It is true that everything in the game is the program and all the characters in the game manifest that fact that program is executing.  Thus everything that exists in the game is the program, but within the game there is no such entity as the program, it is the substrate in which the game exists.  Much like what Brahman is to existence.

There are more grounds to cover of course, like the ways and means for Jiva to understand its identity as atman, why it should even bother to,  and finally the highest conceptualization of Brahman as Krishna, the all attractive, merciful Lord.  

But as gURU said, all these are topics for another day.  Meantime, let us call this ongoing dialog Krishna Upanishad, for this knowledge can be understood sitting at the feet of Lord Krishna alone.