Advaitam and Science

OM, Purnamata purnamitam purnat purnamutachyate, purnasya purnamataye purnamevavasishyate – Bri.Up V.i.1

QUITETUDE OF THE MIND

                                               QUIETUDE OF THE MIND

Quietude of the mind is an important concept in Vedanta.  The nature of the mind is to create thoughts.  It is always turned external.  The doors of the mind are the sense organs.  The sense organs collect information from the external world and feed the mind with information.  The mind churns out thoughts based on it.  Even if the senses are closed, the mind churns out thoughts based on the previously collected information.  A part of the mind will work even in deep sleep.  Therefore, the mind of the person is always active.  When the mind is always active one cannot realize the truth.  The thoughts of a person always dominate over the truth.   The mind has to be made silent to realize the truth.

Different methods are used in different philosophies to make the mind silent.  The method of Pathanjali’s yoga uses the prana to control the mind.  Prana and the mind are closely related.  When we control the prana, the mind can be controlled.  Initially, the prana is controlled to control the thoughts.  In the Hatha yoga various yogic postures are practiced to control the thoughts.  Karma yoga reduces the thoughts to a large extent.  It makes a person free of desires and in that way controls the thoughts.  Bhakti yoga controls the thoughts by bhakti (devotion).  When our mind is devoted to Bhagavan the thoughts become streamed in one direction; and this reduces the unnecessary thoughts drastically.  Jnana yoga makes one understand the concept and by this way it helps one realize the truth.  When the truth is realized, the mind becomes automatically clam.  In the stillness of the mind the truth is automatically revealed.  Therefore, all the efforts in the path of self-realization are done to quite the mind.  If the mind is made still, then the self-reveals automatically.

 The desires, attachment and ego create thoughts in the mind.  All the philosophies give importance for unattachment (asangathva).  A person must understand the concept of ego.  Only then (asangathva) unattachment can be practiced.  It is the ahankara (ego, individual “I” consciousness) that separates us from the Universal Consciousness.  As soon as the ego is formed, the thoughts will be formed based on the individual consciousness.  Mainly the thoughts will be of ahankara (I consciousness) and mamakara (Mineness).  These types of thoughts continue to dominate our life.  The ego is formed due to maya and it continues to exist till one attains liberation.  To attain liberation, one has to cross over the thoughts.  To cross over thoughts, one has to practice unattachment and desireless nature.  So, all these are interconnected with one another.  When the ego exists, one cannot realize the truth. 

It is very important to practice to make the mind quite.  Normally, when we concentrate on one matter, the mind will be in the grasping mode and it will not create thoughts.  When it creates thoughts while we are concentrating on one matter, then our concentration is lost.  After the mind is out of the grasping mode, it will begin to create thoughts based on what it has grasped.  If the mind concentrates on bhakti or jnana, then even if it creates thoughts based on it, it will help the mind to calm down and be silent.  It will reduce the thoughts.  That is why Vedantist, give importance for Jnana.  When a person read the scripture, understand the concept and practice nidhidhyasana, then it will quite the mind gradually.  Prior to nidhidhyasana, one should practice shravana (hearing or reading scriptures), manana (analysing the scriptures).  Shravana and manana leads to nidhidhyasana, and nidhidhyasana leads to quietude of mind, and quietude of mind leads to self-realization.

One has to learn the scriptures and do self analysis, and cross over the thoughts to realize the Self.

THE HYMN OF DEVI KUNTI

THE HYMN OF DEVI KUNTI

Srimad Bhagavata purana is considered as a very profound text in Sanatana Dharma.   It is considered as the fifth Veda.  The theme of Srimad Bhagavada purana is the birth and life of Bhagavan krishna. 

In the Mahabharata war the Pandavas won the war.  After the war was over, in the night the children of the Pandavas were sleeping in a tent built in the Kurukshetra war field itself.  The son of Dronacharya, Ashwattama, came to the war field to see Duryodhana.  Duryodhana was mourning in the war field unable to bear the pain of the broken thigh, which was broken by Bheema sena.  At that time in order to please him, Ashwattama came to the tent where the children of the Pandavas were sleeping and killed the children of the Pandavas and took of the head from their bodies and went to show the heads to his friend Duryodhana.

Arjuna and Sri Krishna chased Ashwattma to kill him; Ashwattama sensing the danger, to protect himself he released a Brahmastra.  By the advice of Sri Krishna, Arjuna too released another Brahmastra to nullify it.  After nullifying the Brahmastra, Arjuna got down from the chariot and tied Ashwattama and dragged him to the tent were all the other Pandavas along with Panchali were crying.  Seeing the plight of the Guru’s son being tied by a rope, Panchali wanted to release him immediately.  Accordingly, he was released but his head was shaven and his jewel on the forehead (mani) was taken by Arjuna.  Bereft of spiritual power and in shame Ashwattma left the tent of the Pandavas.  After doing the last rites for the children of the Pandavas, Sri Krishna prepared to go to his kingdom Dwaraka.   At that time, seeing Sri Krishna Kunti devi, the mother of the Pandavas, sang a hymn praising the Lord and it has very deep meaning, which I will share with you in this article.

The Hymn of Devi Kunti

I salute the uncreated original being, the supreme person, the Lord of all and the one transcending prakriti, though you pervade everywhere no one can see you directly.

You are hiding behind the mysterious power maya; an ordinary person cannot recognize you, just like an actor’s nature is hidden behind the role he plays. 

Krishna, you have taken this avatara to teach your devotes the highest tattwa through your sportive leelas.  Thinking about the leelas many bhaktas have attained the supreme state.

Salutations to you Sri Krishna, who was the son of devi Devaki and Sri Vasudeva.  He is the Brahman of the Upanishads, who has appeared in His sportive manifestation as the son of Nanda. 

Salutations to the one having the world-lotus emerging from his navel.  Salutations to the one who is lotus eyed and lotus garlanded and His feet is marked with the lotus sign.

Just like how you released mother devi Devaki from the prison of the cruel Kamsa, you have solved all my problems under perilous situations.  To remember a few,

A murderous attempt to poison Bheema sena when he was very young.

When we were in vanavasa (forest) you Sri Krishna helped us in many ways.

In the battle you saved the pandavas number of times by saving them from various astras (missiles).  And now also Sri Krishna, you saved them from the missile released by Ashwattama. 

O Lord, let many perilous situations like this face us for ever; because whenever there are any perils in life, I could feel your presence and I could see you and that itself leads me to liberation.

You do not appear before the people who are infatuated by their birth, wealth, education, skills etc.  You are attainable to the people who do not have any other wealth other than you. 

Salutations to the one in whom the three gunas do not affect.  Salutations to the one who is always absorbed in His own bliss, who is always peaceful and the bestower of liberation to the jivas. 

Salutations to the Lord who is the controller of time, which destroys everything without partiality.  No one is friend to you and no one is enemy to you; since no one can understand your sportive actions many feel that you are their enemy.  To that non-dual being my salutations.

Your incarnations are a mystery.  No one can understand the depth of your leelas.  People who are not good in jnana and vairagya, always think about your leelas and merge their mind in you. 

Without your help, we Pandavas are mere name and form; you are the soul for all of us.

This land of ours is prosperous because the marks of your feet are on its soil. 

O Lord, cut all my connections of love with the Pandavas and Yadus; just like the ganga flowing towards the ocean, let my mind flow towards you Krishna.

O friend of Arjuna, leader of the Vrishnis, O Lord of Gokula, protector of the week and holy, spiritual guid of mankind, O Lord of all, Salutations again and again to you.

These are the words of praise pouring from the heart of Devi Kunti seeing Bhagavan Krishna.  The hymn of Kunti Devi comes in the Skanda 1, Adhyaya 8 of Srimad Bhagavata Purana.

TEMPLE CULTURE IN SANATANA DHARMA

                                       TEMPLE CULTURE IN SANATANA DHARMA

In the ancient times, during the Vedic period, hardly temples were seen in Bharata.  People then practiced Atma vidya, meditation, yoga and yagna.  They did not give much importance to the worship of idols.  In fact, they thought bhakti as a very basic step to liberation.  They were then highly intellectual, organized, disciplined and long lived and they felt practicing Atma Vidya straightly is the only means for liberation.  They did not have much desires and so they ignored the desire-oriented bhakti too. 

In the puranic period, people were less intellectual, desire oriented, egoistic and had less peace of mind.  They were unable to go directly to Atma vidya and they felt the need for an external way of worship.  It is then the Rishis depicted the form of the formless Lord.  Understanding the nature and the attributes of the Lord from the puranas, the great Rishis depicted the form of the Lord.  Then they did not have a painting brush or paper and so they carved the image of the idol on the stone which were comparatively soft.  To exhibit them publicly they build a structure and kept the idol.  They said that the Lord in You (Atma) is like this and considered the external worship of the Lord as a preliminary step to liberation.  They named the structure in which the Lord is kept as skhetra, which means a structure of matter or it can also be compared with the body (gross, subtle and causal bodies).  The main idol is kept in a room inside that great structure and it is said as sanctum sanctorum or said as Garbha graha; which implies the secret hidden place of the Lord.  The idol inside the Garbha graha is said as skhetraja or Bhagavan.  The rules for doing poojas and rituals for the Lord are well explained in the Puranas than in the Vedas.  In the Vedas the importance is given for the Yagnas and these yagnas are mainly done to worship the gods to satisfy desires.  Later on when the temple culture developed they used these yagnas with modification, for the deities in the temples. 

Different forms of the Lord according to different gunas (nature) and attributes were carved on the stone and these idols are done poojas by the priests and by the energy of the Vedic mantras the idols become worshipping deities.  After the initial pooja rituals were over the idols are consecrated inside the Garbha graha.  The people in and around the town worship the deities.  Likewise many temples and deities were formed and by the end of Dwapara yuga and the beginning of Kali yuga many temples were formed like this and the temple culture became famous.  The kings who ruled the kingdom donated liberally to the temples and the temple culture grew drastically in the Kali yuga.  in the medieval period, the temples were used almost like the modern-day banks and the kings’ considered temples as a holy place to keep their money safe.  This is the time when other kings invaded Bharata, they first looted the temples and destroyed the temples to destroy the Religion.  They succeeded in looting the temples but could not disturb the Religion because Sanatana Dharma is beyond Hinduism or temples or Deities.  Sanatana dharma is the Truth, the Reality, it will exist even when the Universe is destroyed by pralaya.  Sanatana dharma is the dharma followed or the dharma to realize the Truth, which is none other than the Self. 

The temple architecture in India are of three types.

The Nagara style(northern India)  the land between the Himalayas and the Vindhyas.

The Dravida style(Sothern  india) the land between the Krishna and the Kaveri rivers and  

The Vesera style (combination of both regions) .

The style mainly differs only in the external structure or the type of the tall structure of the temple.  The way poojas done in the temples also differ from region to region according to the practice of the people in that area.  What ever the way of pooja or the structure of the temple may be, the temple denotes the body of an individual and the main deity denotes the Atma in the sarira (body).  When we stand in front of the main deity and worship closing our eyes for a second, then we are connected with the Atma in that second.   

The temple culture is very famous in modern days and people ought to forget the Atma vidya itself; because people have become core desire oriented and Atma vidya gains no importance in that situation. 

THE ANCIENT LAW, JUDGEMENT AND PUNISHMENT ACCORDING TO MANU DHARMA SASTRA

THE ANCIENT LAW, JUDGEMENT AND PUNISHMENT ACCORDING TO

MANU DHARMA SASTRA

In the ancient times dharma ruled the nation and the king is the one who implemented dharma in his nation and he played a key role in upholding dharma.

Dharma eva hato hanti dharmo rakshati rakshitah: Tasmad dharmo na hantavya ma no dharmo hato vadheeta” Manusmriti Ch 8 vs 25

“Dharma, that is, justice violated indeed destroys the one who violates it, and justice preserved surely protects the one who protects it.  Therefore, justice must not be violated lest, violated justice destroys everyone”

The king is the judge.  He has to directly listen to the cases and judge them according to the principle of the Vedas.  The learned Brahmanas must assist the king to take decisions. Justice is seen as divine.  justice protects the one who protects it.  Only dharma(justice) will follow men after death; everything else will be destroyed by time. 

In the assembly where an injustice is done

One quarter of the guilt goes to the one who committed it

One quarter goes to the witness

One quarter to the members of the tribunal

One quarter to the king.

All are equally guilt of sin.

During the trial the king, who is also the judge, must be intelligent enough to find the attitude of the criminal by his bodily gestures, movement of the eyes, his voice and appearance.

The witness can be from the four varnas.  He /she must not be a friend, dependent, enemy or a servant of the accused.

The witness is given importance.  If the witness lies, he is fined and cursed by all.  A witness who speaks truth is respected by the king and the Vedic pundits.  Based on the words of the witness a judgment is taken.  A false witness is punished according to the motive.  A fine for the wrong witness is decided by the wise men. 

If the king punishes the guiltless, then he attains the loka of suffering in the next birth and attains misery and suffering in this birth too.

A person found guilty the first time is given a warning.

The second time he is condemned

The third time he is censured and made to pay fine

The fourth time he may receive corporal punishment.

In the case of a lost article, one who finds it must give it to the king.  If any one wants to claim the article, then he has to give the exact details, like shape, weight etc.  The king will take a small part of its value as a fine and give the article.  If the lost article or property is stolen by the officials or thieves while under the custody of the king, then they are considered as thieves and trampled by an elephant.  If any one does false claim, then he is fined 1/8th of the value.

The king can take over the property of the unknown owner.  If no one comes to claim it for three years then the king considers it as his property.

One should not sell unworthy, non-genuine, imitation, improper measurement, or articles with adultery.  One should not conceal goods.  They will be severely fined by the king.

If the debtor does not pay the money and the creditor has valid witness or proof, then the king or the appointed judge itself will take the responsibility to recover back the money with fine.  In case, if the creditor lies, then he will be made to pay the claimed amount as fine for violating justice.

The king must take the custody of the orphan child until he becomes self-dependent in all ways.  The king must protect the woman and her property in case if no one takes care of her.  She must be treated with respect by the king. 

In short, the king must be like a protector, father, brother, friend and a well wisher and must uphold justice under all circumstances.  The wrong doers must be rightly identified and punished accordingly without hatred.  They are punished to uphold dharma.

THE ANCIENT LAWS OF RULERSHIP AS IN MANU DHARMA SASTRA

THE ANCIENT LAWS OF RULERSHIP AS IN MANU DHARMA SASTRA

The sapta Rishis revealed many rules and procedures on various subjects and topics based on the Vedas to Manu, the first ruler of the world, who was meditating on how to rule the world.    Manu, while he was ruling the world, by the request of some Rishis he revealed the same to them and it is later coded as the Manu dharma sastra.  Among many topics discussed, Manu dharma sastra also describes certain rules and procedures for a leader shouldto rule the nation.  Some of the important points from it are given in this article.

The king is the ruler of the nation; the ruling king should decide the next king to rule his nation.  It may be his own children or relative or the one who is capable to rule.  The king must be trained in Raja dharma, just as how a Brahmana is trained in Vedas.

The king can have all the luxuries and facilities of the land, not for him to enjoy the luxuries, but use them to help the people and to protect them by any means.  The king must have self-control and must not have anger, greed or lust.  These three will destroy him and his nation. 

A true and dedicated king is like a father to the nation.  The subjects must feel comfortable with the king.  They must feel free to meet the king at any time and at any place.

As soon as a king is coronated, he implements a dhanda (rod of power).  The dhanda is also coronated along with the king.  The king must impart laws to the dhanda, and do abhishekam for the dhanda.  Any mistake done in administering the dhanda will result in corruption of the varnas and the downfall of his empire.   The dhanda is the power of the king.  This dhanda is referred to as shenkol in the modern day.  Even when the king sleeps, the dhanda will be awake to implement justice.  The king always has the dhanda with him.  Even if he fails to follow dharma, the dhanda will instigate him.  Even though dhanda is a rod like structure made of gold or silver, it is treated and respected like a king.

The king must treat all the varnas equally, and protect them all without any discrimination.  If dharma is not followed by the king, then the king as well as his subjects will be destroyed.  The king has the power to appoint the ministers equal to him in all ways.  The ministers also should be well trained in the sastras, Vedas and must be free from anger, greed or lust.  If the king has any doubt in administration, then he can get the advice of the ministers.  The king must discuss protection, prosperity of the kingdom and the distribution of the revenue with the ministers on the day-to-day basis. 

The king can appoint officials and with their help collect dhana (money) from the people as annual tax and it forms the dhana (revenue) of the nation.  The king as well as the officials should not demand money but collect it following rules and vedic principles.  The tax charged must not burden the giver, but must be like a contribution to help the nation.  Revenue can also be collected from the business done with the other nations, and when the king conquers a nation their dhana can be added to the dhana of the nation.  The revenue must be spent carefully for protection of the subjects and the nation, for free education, for the poor and needy.  If any of the official misuse power or money or become corrupt then the king should protect the subjects and confiscate the money from the officials.

When the king of another nation is captured, the king as well as their people must be treated with respect; the captured king must be given place, all comforts and money to live the rest of the life in peace.  If a soldier of his nation is killed in a battle, then the king should support the family of the soldier till the children becomes self-reliant.  The king should not think even twice to kill the enemy whether he is outside or inside the nation.

The king must appoint a person well capable to deal with business, loyal, honest, good memory, fearless nature, good communication skill, patience, dignity and personality to deal with the other nations in all matters.  He is called dhoota (ambassador).  The success of a kingdom’s relationship with other kingdoms to a large extend depend on the dhoota. 

The king has the power to form the law of the nation but that should benefit all the subjects.  While punishing a subject he must consider the place, time, strength of the offence, the level of knowledge of the offender etc, then apply the law who has transgressed the law. 

Each village will have a head and group of villages will also have a head and they report to the higher officials about the happenings in each village and thus the king is always well informed.  Apart from it the king will personally go for rounds in the villages to know about the administration and the welfare of the people.

The king must be a very responsible, efficient and learned person.

These are the rules and the laws given in the dharma sastra of Manu as the seventh chapter – Raja dharma.