9 Months: from Involution to Evolution What’S App Satsang

9 Months: From Involution to Evolution What’s App Satsang

Dr. Pallavi kwatra Notion Press

Old No. 38, New No. 6 McNichols Road, Chetpet Chennai - 600 031

ISBN 978-1-945621-51-2

This book has been published with all efforts taken to make the material error-free after the consent of the author. However, the author and the publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

No part of this book may be used, reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. D i s c l a i m e r I have used links form external resources which I found aptly befitting to depict the events. These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; In no case I have any other intention.

D e d i c a t i o n

सत्ङ㔗त्핇 िनस्स㔗त्픂 िनस्ङ㔗त्핇 िन셍륋हत्व.् ﴃनि셍륋हत्핇 निश㔚लतत््픂 निश㔚लतत््핇 जीवन्륁क्त satsangatve nissangatvam nissangatve nirmohatvam | nirmohatve niścalatattvaṁ niścalatattve jīvanmuktiḥ||

From Satsanga comes non-attachment, from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads to immutable reality. From immutable reality comes JivanMukti (liberation).

Bhaj Govindam.

Adi Shankaracharya.

D e d i c a t e d T o B h a g w a n R a m a n a M a h a r i s h i

T a b l e O f C o n t e n t s

Foreword by Shri P.N.Vijay; Secretary; Ramana Kendra; New Delhi �� xiii Preface ��xv Acknowledgements �� xvii Prologue ��xix

Chapter 1 JANUARY ��1 Chapter 2 FEBRUARY ��56 Chapter 3 MARCH ��73 Chapter 4 APRIL �� 106 Chapter 5 MAY �� 139 CHAPTER 6 JUNE �� 170 Chapter 7 JULY �� 202 Chapter 8 AUGUST �� 243 Chapter 9 SEPTEMBER �� 289

Epilogue ��341

F o r e w o r d b y S h r i P.N.V i j a y ; S e c r e t a r y ; R a m a n a K e n d r a ; N e w D e l h i

I am delighted to write a few words about this remarkable book being brought out by an amazingly talented person. “Nine Months- From Involution to Evolution” is a faithful reproduction of conversations on Spiritual subjects on the Internet service WhatsApp over a period of nine months. The concept of a WhatsApp book is novel in itself and in tune with today’s life and times. But what is even more so is the varied background of the persons who take part in the conversations and the intensity with which they discuss subjects. Twelve friends take part in the discussions and all of them are from the medical profession but follow different specializations. They live across the world from Australia to Delhi and Patiala to Italy ranging unto New Jersey. From this Spiritual Polyclinic in the Cloud emerges vibrant ideas that are worthy of much bigger names in spirituality. Interspersed is a lot of Poetry, Humour and personal statements… a very human document indeed. You would expect cacophony from this but surprisingly what emerges is coherent ideas well-articulated and skilfully argued. The author of this Unputdownable book is Dr. Pallavi Kwatra who is herself an Anaesthetist. She is an ardent devotee of Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi and is doing yeoman service to the Ramana Kendra in Delhi. I am sure this concept will catch on but imitators will have a hard time matching this effort in sheer quality and readability. P.N.Vijay Secretary Ramana Kendra, New Delhi. June 2016.

P r e f a c e NINE MONTHS: F r o m I n v o l u t i o n t o E v o l u t i o n

This is a unique book ever written in the present times. It is about a magnificent journey of not one, but a Group of Seekers from different corners of the globe who are plagued by many UNANSWERED QUESTIONS and SPIRITUAL RESTLESSNESS in their hearts. Amidst the drag of their real time life, they steal moments to log into their What’s app chat accounts and enter an amazing, virtual world of like-minded ones, to engage in animated discussions on Spirituality, Science, Religion and Philosophy, woven together in a single thread. 20 Years… An epoch of time in which life went through a whole circle… Friends prevailed; only to reunite on a platform purely destined as a sacred sojourn for each one here… with new wings…they learn to fly to uncharted lands…where each of them is on his own soul journey and yet they have a common goal. They all are on a QUEST…A pilgrimage unto themselves… the risk of the effort far outweighs the pain of never undertaking this trial. They cry, they laugh, they fight, they soar, they love, they fear, they roar. Just as a natal process results in the end point of birth, and during this time, life remains supported and growing, an unknown centripetal force brings together these seekers having the seed of spiritual restlessness, to birth anew into a cosmic womb. As a collective whole, they nourish themselves through the placental cord of an URBAN SATSANG that goes through a phenomenal process of involution for 9 months only to be delivered at the other end, ready to embark on their journeys to the beyond. In this cosmic magic of conversations, devotion is questioned by the scientific mind, and religion is dug to its nascent obsoleteness, philosophy Preface and quantum mechanics entwine and rewire the conditioned mind to renew its portals of perception. Spirituality here is a continuum of every possible belief and discovery and yet, it belongs not completely to any or all. Everything is interconnected…There is a beauty to this whole gamut…it breathes of life and pulsates within it…A desire for the soul’s final communion. These medical professionals who are at the peaks of succeses in their respective worlds pine for revelations that will soothe the ache of their souls. The strokes of grey in their hair has not dulled their brevity of a youth that has just fleeted past. Reuniting, after a span of 20 years, this symbiosis is ambience for their SPIRITUAL RENDZEVOUS where they come to pinnacles of realizations that shape, reshape and re model themselves; only to be shunned the very next day.Here, knowledge only triggers the truth of how much one has yet to know. These timeless souls undertake their EMBRYONIC SAGA to the light of a rebirth…a birth of the SPIRITUAL NEOPHYTE who is much more aware, awake and transcendentally real. This compilation has been showcased by a doctor from within this group with the purpose of lending inspiration, aspiration and interconnectedness to spiritual seekers globally. It is a reminder of the value of using a shared forum to progress on the spiritual path, often addressed as SATSANGA. This is a tribute to friendship and merely a humble effort to enliven the spiritual atmosphere in our world.

• xvi • A c k n o w l e d g e m e n t s

 To all these friends who participated in making this book happen:

1. Dr. Sampath Chandra Prasaad. 2. Dr. Aachi Mithin. 3. Dr. Ramkrishnan Vengalote. 4. Dr. Syam Tatineni. 5. Dr. Neha Gupta. 6. Dr. Aayeena Sood. 7. Dr. Karthik Kodoru Reddy. 8. Dr. Himanshu Arora. 9. Dr. Nishant Goswami. 10. Dr. Prerna Mathur. 11. Dr. Vishweshwar Reddy.

I am deeply grateful to Dr. Neha gupta for helping the book by her articulate editing, the back cover and epilogue inputs, Dr. Himanshu Arora for suggesting the cover page design, Mr. P. N. Vijay for prefacing this book and Ramana Kendra, Delhi for supporting this entire endeavor.

P r o l o g u e

Character sketches SAMPATH: Fondly called as “sampy” by his loved ones, Dr. Sampath Chandra Prasad is a blend of a thinker, a yogi and a lover against the background of a rampant genius. Much can be said about His plethoric personality but the most striking facet that dazzles most of us is his intensity and ferocious involvement with the phenomenon called LIFE. His symbiotic association with life is complete and inspires one to live it to nothing short of an an optimum. Sampath is a skull base surgeon at the esteemed institute, Gruppo Otologico in Italy and has made a name for himself worldwide by his academic excellence in the field. Dr. Prasad has 52 peer reviewed publications, four chapters in international textbooks and is the co-author of a Textbook titled ‘Cochlear and other Auditory Implants’. Other than this, he is a well read man with a mind of his own that speaks from a dense core that he has carved out with much care and meticulousness. Scientific spirituality is his signature style where he gently nudges us to prepare for receiving our own excellence in the game. No bias dares touch him and he could debate one to the depths of hell to make the conditioned mind shun its layers. He loves for the sake of mere love and seeks in depth because seeking is his essential flavor. His knowledge on the material and spiritual matters is the net outcome of sheer grace which he pines to share with his world. He is a man who speaks with honesty and clarity about his transformational life journey in this book and his clarity and depth inspires his friends to move by leaps and bounds in their own sacred quest. In short…he can be said to exemplify an urban ENLIGHTENED one who transcends the boundries of faith, belief and religion to unleash to the world the timeless truth that we ARE. AACHI: Dr.Aachi Mithin, a charmer with friends, a musketeer in spirit, an unflinching devotee, a gifted painter, a renowned author, a photographer that captures life in all its intricacy in the wink of a snapshot, a leading surgeon and a man that claims none of these to be him. Dr.Aachi is a consultant at the Prologue

Department of Orthopaedics at Appolo Hospital, Hyderabad and has created an outstanding body of work by his meticulous knee and hip replacement surgeries. At a very young age, he is a well renouned and compassionate surgeon who leases new life in to the failing joints of his patients. His multi facetdedness can be in one word termed as GRACE which he receives from the lotus feet of his guru, Sadhguru Shree Nannagaru. Aachi has done many boisterous works of art that have given him international fame. His book called “The storyteller” by wisdom tree publishers heralded his journey into the writing world followed by his next book called “The womb of Brahma” which is the first amongst India’s science fiction trilogy series. The book springs from his un quenching thirst into astronomy and the astral worlds. His keen interest in bird and astro photography is a reflection of a mind that that captures life in its flow of the moment. His attention to detail is immaculate on all matters of life and his sense of humour is superb. Travelling comes as naturally to him and he is spontaneous with that. His spiritual journey is much inspired from the great legendary masters, Shree Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Ramana Maharishi. He loves the lord as the form and formless and his broad based view of the spiritual has allowed him to shrivel his own identity into a SHOONYA. His devotion is one pointed towards his guru. He is a jeevanmuktha and lives his last lifetime to inspire us huge.His website is called aachimithin.com RAMKI: Dr.Ramakrishnan Vengalote, or “ramki” as we fondly call him is a renowned ENT and neck surgeon, with a graceful and peaceful countenance, soaked head to toe in his reverence to Krishna, the transcendental ONE, the mind beyond a genius that has slaughtered spirituality from all ends, the scientific to the mystical is indeed a worthy contributor to this book. Ramki is an avid traveller and his manifold experiences of life have globalized his vision into a universal one. The Bhagwat Gita spills out of him as effortlessly as his breath and his knowledge of Vedantic scriptures is fluent and held in strong command. He can quote to you from the greatest work of Adi Shankaracharya and Lao Tzu to Schrodinger and Neils Bohr. Underlying this substratum of deep wisdom, lies a scientific sagacity that ruthfully questions the universe unto its depths. His ardence for scientific spirituality is a soil on which he grows trees of his compassion for all humankind. Ramki anoints his life with Bhagwat Gita lectures and hence is a blessing in himself. He has truly known transcendence and now it’s his turn to liberate the world with his presence.

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SYAM TATINENI: Syam is a Doctor and an MBA who has been working for over more than a decade in the pharmaceutical industry in various positions of business strategy, marketing, investment, research etc. Syam has a huge collection of spiritual books and the book of Dr.Brian Weiss,” Many lives, Many masters” made a deep impact on him. The Bhagwat Gita is his life line and his journey has made him a worthy recipient of the grace of many gurus. He has a skyline that is magnanimous in accepting spirituality in all fashions. He does not belong anywhere, still he IS. His spiritual practice is a well balanced amalgam of raja yoga, bhakti and jnana. His life is a pilgrimage in itself as he balances his material life well against his spiritual pursuits. Ennobled by many teachings and his pilgrimage visits to almost all the major spiritual places across the globe, he is a spiritual traveller beyond compare. He is a congregation of sacred energies from these places of god’s legacy and spurs on, determined to dwell deeply into matters of life and death. His quest is manifold and unique because it never ever stops. His spur and acceptance towards the divine prophesies enlarge his canvas to receive in deep humility and grace. His main inspirations are Sri Maa Anandmayi and Thiruvnamallai(RAMANA MAHARISHI AASHRAM) is his favorite pilgrimage destination. He could well create an itinerary for seekers who wish to go on pilgrimages and thus contribute to the world by his vast experiences. NEHA: Dr.Neha Gupta is an enigma that fails to discover itself and yet reveals to her world a philanthropic and a steadfast seekeing. She runs the BUZZING BOOKS, the first and only one of a kind, children’s online book rental service in North India. She has a continuum of questions that spur her restlessness and query in turn making her discover with awe what the world is all about. She loves enquiry and her path settles for nothing that cannot answer her quest in a scientific and structured manner. Her inspiration is Swami Vivekananda and she works tirelessly to put his ideals into practice. Sarvepalli Radakrishnan’s philosophy also is her great standpoint. She is a karma yogi who is constantly working towards her renderance to the fullest to the world. Her major contribution to the collection and compilation of this book makes it important to suggest her deep compassion towards fellow seekers who could benefit by this all. Her strong headed and modern approach to life is a breeze of fresh air that opens the windows of the mind. She is aptly groomed in kathak dance and performs on various occasions as her benefaction to our world. Given a choice, with a set of books to read she would measure the globe

• xxi • Prologue

from one corner to the other, considering her passion for travel. Books are her mainstay, guru, harem and her life. Her impressions on life can be read at her blog, called Vaporizing thoughts and her site is called Buzzingbooks.com HIMANSHU: Dr.Himanshu Arora, a neurosurgeon by profession and a lover at heart. Himanshu leads the neurosurgery department at Nayati superspeciality hospital, Mathura and is a master archer at work. His craftsmanship to rewire the brains and spinal cord helps to reinstate to life many who are dying or on the verge of becoming invalid. He is a genius who is of humble disposition and depends on god to tap his strength and forbearance. Academic excellence is coupled with a love for life which is projected in his jovial and helping nature. He brings the sparkle of humour to the seriousness of life. Cricket and travel are his passions and his strong command over the English language has enabled him to try his hands at poetry and editing medical journals. He finds fulfillment in his work and polishes his acumen more and more to precision. Given some more time, his personality will become an inspiration to many who wish to draw inspiration from the humble background from which he emerges like a pharaoh. His contribution to the book is brief, yet matchless including the cover page. VISHU: Dr.Vishweshwar Reddy, working as a general practioner in Australia is on a silent sacred quest unto himself. He is a cool next door guy who could be mistaken easily for being ordinary. However, his quest for spiritual matters is like a deep tunnel the end of which remains concealed from the world. He started off his journey by wondering that there was more to life which could not be tapped through the physical senses. Paramhans Yogananda ji’s book,”Autobiography of a yogi” and Eckhart Tolle’ s book,”The power of now” are his inspirations. He also loves to hear audiobooks on the works of scholars like Jiddu Krishnamurti and Shree Rama.Basking in nature and staring into the wild or a lake are his favorite past times. However, his journey has entered him unto the grace of his guru, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. He consistently practices the Shaambhavi kriya into which he is initiated and intends doing advanced programmes with Sadhguru. He recently volunteered for Sadhguru’s programme at Singapore and intends to use volunteering at Isha foundation as his tool to sharpen his spiritual focus. He loves to travel and shoot nature at its best. For him, everything there is; is the NOW. PALLAVI: Dr.Pallavi Kwatra, is an Anesthetist by profession, a writer at heart. Her seeking has brought her to many a doors but her religion and motto

• xxii • Prologue are only one, LOVE. She has authored a poetry book, and her service to the world is poetry. She has a personal expression of how the heart is the stage where the whole play of the spiritual evolution awakens, plays itself out and then dissolves unto its source. Her journey takes its impetus from an encounter with a terminal illness in 2010 that set her off. Since then, the journey has been auto piloted for her as she travelled through the path of Karma, Bhakti, Kriya and Jnana. Her intuitiveness, sensitivity and appreciation of life is a joy and an asset. She has been blessed enough to recieve her spiritual initiations and training under many spiritual masters. Dr.Daisaku Ikeda(head of SGI, The largest layman Buddhist organization in the world), Renoo Ji(Clairvoyant, Healer and artist), Sadhguru Jaggi vasudev (Yogi, Mystic and Humanitarian) and Bhagwan Shree Ramana Maharishi(the silent sage and jivanmukta) are her major teachers. Shiva is her consort and her travel is about ‘letting go’ at the attainment of every milestone. She just can’t seem to stay after a while, yet when she is there, here involvement is surrendered and total. Under the guidance of her esteemed master, Renoo Ji, she has spent many years learning many healing modalities like Reiki etc and she earnestly practices Hatha and Kriya yoga to enlarge her container to receive grace. Presently inspired greatly by Shree Ramana Maharishi, her story seems to be meeting its destined fate… the self. The power of silence has dawned upon her and she sips on this elixir to enrich herself. Her writings are primarily channeled and surreal. This book and this group have been created by her and on this platform she has evolved manifold in her quest. She is an ode to life and believes stubbornly in the beauty and grace of it. Her devotion is only to Saadhna and her life is a prayer, indeed. Her writings are available on her facebook community called “awakenings” AAYEENA: Dr.Aayeena Sood is a renowned gynaecologist working as a consultant at a private hospital at Patiala. Her passion is to work with attention and involvement with her patients in the Labor room and her area of interest is high risk labor patients. The feather in her hat is that Aayeena was the best swimmer in her state for six consecutive years. Aayeena is a rebel at heart with the innocence of a child. She has always lived her life on her terms. She believes in the radar of her heart completely and uses these judgments more often. She says she can’t help it or maybe won’t have her life run any other way. Her calling for any spiritual pursuit has not arrived as according to her. But at a closer look, she has a deeper insight unto life more than many who claim themself to be deeply spiritual. She loves for the sake of love and

• xxiii • Prologue will not bargain for anything shorter than this. Her carefree outlook conceals a deep thinker, profound depth and an evolution that is happening to her even without her own awareness to it. At the right time, her blossoming will become manifest to the world like no other. In this book, she awares in all of us the foolishness and pride of believing in our personal opinions on spirituality and does not hesitate to wake us from our slumbers of life by condemning us as weirdoes in the mask of spirituality. She onlooks life as it truly is and not with any kind of tinted glasses. She has been like a headmistress to our group, quick to spot and point out our bias and bends away from real time life and as a compassionate friend, always forgiven and accompanied us on this journey even though she found it taxing and unbearable to understand our craziness. Spirituality is not a ‘don on’ for her and so she is always amazed at why and what is the purpose of so much conversation on these matters. However, she too shares her pangs once in a while and is an invaluable part of our pack. Prerna: Dr.Prerna Mathur specializes in Oral Medicine and Radiology. She and her husband run the Shriram Dental Centre at Delhi and are of great reputation in their chosen branches. She has done advanced work with Reiki energies and followed the Brahmakumari way of life for very many years. However the hole in her soul kept itself alive and made her seeking painfully aware to let in the fresh light of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev whom she now follows in devotion and perseverance. She had very many questions which were waiting to be touched by the great master and she has lived her transformation in a truly graceful manner. She has done many advanced programmes with Sadhguru and her spiritual aspiration is to seek hard until she hits at the goldmine of truth. Urban in her approach and graceful in her demeanor, she chooses to keep walking steadfastly on her chosen path. KARTHIK: Dr.Karthik Kodoru Reddy is a medical oncologist at the Quincy medical group, New Jersey. He hails from Hyderabad city and is a good looking doctor in the sense of the word. His personality is a well rounded one and believes in working with a silent and focused strength. He has lived many years devoting himself to serving the native tribals in Andhra Pradesh and has cultivated a compassion and humility beyond compare. He has created a web forum web forum called PULSEDIN for connecting patients to their doctors in the most amazing way. This platform also stems from the flow of his deep compassion for humanity. He has contributed minimally to our conversations, yet, his support and presence has been priceless.

• xxiv • Prologue

NISHANT: Dr.Nishant Goswami, a dentist at Dalhousie university, Halifax Atlantic, Canada is a deep and intense human being who finds his expression in painting life. Having been an only child of working parents, he dabbled with art and spirituality while growing up. As a child, he painted many oil paintings which still hang as renditions on the walls of his childhood friends. Nishant believes that art allows one to express the unexpressed parts of oneself, those that words can never explain. He believes that the spiritual quest is unique for each one of us but for him, he has learnt to abandon himself to the moment and through such participation, he leads a happy life. He is happy and could not care less. The amount of love he has is enough to last him a lifetime even after he is done sharing. He is at peace and that’s his reward and journey, both. His snippets and inputs of thoughtful poetry is an accolade to the book. Nishant is well balanced in the centre of the material and the spiritual and is not overt with his feelings about either. His life is a showcase to the world of a person who is at the centre of the oscillating pendulum.

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C h a p t e r 1 JANUARY

(Pallavi created THE SEMIENLIGHTENED group on whats app chat) Pallavi: Hi friends! the purpose of this whats app group is to exchange viewpoints on various spiritual topics and make ourselves loose a little bias and conditionings about our beliefs and thus make avalaible an ambience for all of us to grow and evolve as seekers. I have added like minded friends to the group and wish to request all of you to participate heartily and make us grow tall in our spiritual lineage.This is an open forum and we are free to share our views, experiences and expressions on spiritual matters. I hope that we all embrace and respect each other for our collective consciousness and more so for our differences of opinion on matters. That way, we can grow and expand our understandings and broaden our perspectives.AUM. CHEERS TO OUR SEMIENLIGHTENED GROUP!!! Pallavi: There is something crazy in this idea that we were put into the world to separate ourselves from it. - Paul Brunton Aachi: Whatever forms you may worship, whatever names you may chant, even after one million years ultimately you need to reach the state of Brahman. Then why don’t you aim towards the self (Aatman) in this birth today itself –Sri Jinnuru Nannagaru Pallavi: Aum Aachi: Your nature is self (Aatman). Your nature is itself God. Your nature is itself the Kundalini Shakti and the kingdom of heaven as proclaimed by Christ. There is neither beauty nor truth higher than that of self. After you taste the bliss of self, even if your ishta daiva (favourite God) stands in front of you, you will not have a desire to look at him; such is the glory of the self. - Sri Jinnuru Nannagaru 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Pallavi: Wow! Aachi: A doctor is someone who maintains or restores human health through the practice of medicine. He or she will diagnose and treat human disease, ailments, injuries, pain or other conditions. Happy Doctors day to all! The effort we make should be without expectation, if there is expectation, we fail. If God comes to you and says, that he will not give you liberation for one million years and you accept wholeheartedly and with humility, because you don’t have expectations he might give it you the very next day. But if you are impatient he will delay. We go round the Hill. We do chanting, pooja, meditation and visit holy places and Temples. All these prepare the mind. Like the doctor prepares his patient before an operation or surgery, similarly, all these efforts prepare us for salvation.- Sri Jinnuru Nannagaru Aachi: I am not a doctor nor a painter nor an author or photographer nor the million other things I am seen as…… a soul playing the part given to me…I am just I AM… Himanshu: Good morning everyone. Pallavi: Good morning; May the healing light of the divine guide us always to be in the humility of service to our patients. Aaeeyna: Humility comes from both sides, not only the doctor but the patient should also be humble. Then it’s perfect. So let the divine light guide the patient to accept HELP, not commercial services. Himanshu: Very rightly said Aaeeyna. Pallavi: One Vedantic verse expresses the quest for Self-Knowledge under the guise of a seeker’s prayer for spiritual freedom- Mukti Mantra asto ma sadgamaya tamaso ma jyotirgamaya mrtyorma amritam gamaya (Lead me from the unreal to the real. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to immortality. ~Brhadaranyaka Upanishad — I.iii.28) Vishu: I have known this verse since childhood but never understood the meaning. I am glad that I understand the meaning now. This is such a simple and clear message.

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Pallavi: I will be sharing self composed poems occasionally. When the pangs of worldly worries Have stopped ripping your heart apart, And your wholeness is prostate At the lotus feet of the guru, What force can devastate your piety, What can snatch away your zeal? The only qualification Is the unconditional devotion… That blows your ego to minces… Oh! my beloved master Grant me this supreme liberation… @p.k When a new day dawns…it brings with it new hope, new inspirations, new ideas…may the day bring you all these and more…love and light. @Pallavi Neha: Inspirational words Pallavi. Thanks for sharing. Pallavi: Thanks! Men ask, ‘What is Truth?’ But in reply Truth asks them, “who are you to ask that? Do you have you the competence, the faculty, the character, the judgment, the education and the preparation to recognize truth? If not, acquire that first.” - Paul Brunton ; “The Timeless Ways of Wisdom” Aachi: (posted a picture of Tirupati Balaji) Tirupati Balaji dressed in diamond & gold done once a year. Govinda Govinda! Many people have argued wondered about the meaning of the mudras in Lord Venkateshwara’s hands. Some say they are Buddhist mudras of the Buddha Varadahastha Katikahastha. Some say they are the mudras of Lord Subramanyam. (That is why Sri Varu is called Sri Venkateshwara Swami…like Sri Subramanya Swami.) But everyone

• 3 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution agrees that they may mean that surrender yourself to my feet and be blessed; though I doubt if it’s Swami of Tirumala as the eyes of the Lord are never fully exposed. According to Vaikhnasa Agama His eyes are so pure that the world cannot see them. Pallavi: Aum Aaeeyna: Is Balaji hanuman? Aachi: Why did you get that doubt? Aachi: It’s Lord Vishnu Aaeeyna: I didn’t know. Ignorant me! Aaeeyna: Why Tirupati Balaji then? Aachi: Ye aapne puri history hi poochli Pallavi: Could it be a coincidence that you are talking of Balaji and I Just had the blessing of Tirupati Balaji’s prasaad. I am sharing its blessings with all of you, virtually. Aachi: Here I am reminded of Sri Nannagaru’s words. “One should realize Universal Nature. Then one doesn’t feel profit at gaining anything or loss of losing anything. He becomes Ihaparalabhaheena, one who transcends the concept of profit and loss- either here or there. He realizes everything as himself alone.” Pallavi: Aum Love is quite timelessly pious and sacred. If one is awakened to its sanctity, the beloved is an instrument to be awakened to one’s own holiness… Jeff brown has been a valuable guide on my journey…his book; ‘Soul Shaping ‘gives a brand new view of the spiritual seeker. He talks of shedding armour and slowly dissolving to the will of the spiritual process, allowing it to take you over. The book very clearly talks of the peril and morbid emotion catastrophe that a seeker passes through and how spirituality, believed to be a peaceful and tranquil state is a byproduct that arrives after one has fought the demons of his mind. He is an urban seeker who is caught up in the grind of day to day life, heart wrenching love relationships, and more he especially shuns the widely held belief that men not ought shed tears or project their emotions. Friends, I am posting a small poem that talks about my experiences in meditation. I would like your feedback upon this.

• 4 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

The qualia. The world and its noise Slowly Receeds and submerges in the backdrop, Many pages are left half undone, Many a word left unsaid, The frenzy of lighted celebrations Drops dead into the quagmire of darkness. The strings of pleasure, pain and desire Snap off in that zone of absence. All worldly relations drop dead at this door Which every man need enter alone. The body merely a cloak heavy, That one could be delighted to shed The mind numbed in infancy, To its most juvenile state. All aspiration, ambition and striving A senseless load of the ailing mind. When the eyelashes shed all inhibition And droop to shut out the glossy world. In the sanctity of meditation, Come alive the newest perceptions. The denseness in me is cloud light. No adornments on my naked truth. Dimensions and portals beyond the physical, I fly in freedom to the astral worlds. In the treasure house of meditation, Lie the diamonds and rubies Of my sacred qualias… @p.k. Neha: This is too good Pallavi. Life is to live to the fullest!

• 5 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Check out the 5 minutes episodes of Sadhguru on podcasts. They are very enlightening. Thanks a lot Pallavi for introducing me to him. Pallavi: Wow! You guys better beware…Sadhguru is getting to you too. Sadhguru had created a lot of these 5 minute clips for international yoga day to introduce yoga in tiny packets to us without us feeling stressed about practising…there’s another video called ‘Naadi Shuddhi’ that introduces a 5 min technique of deep breathing that can be done by anyone anywhere and it immediately balances and centres you. You can check it on www.isha.org. Neha: Pallavi, thanks to you all; I am getting inspired by Sadhguru’s lectures. Pallavi: Thank Sadhguru. His approach to life is very catchy and urban. Neha: Indeed Pallavi Vishu: So true, Pallavi. Sadhguru has that magnetic pull. I can’t think of any one better other than Sadhguru to pull a logical urban person into spirituality. Pallavi: He devastated me during the BSP(bhav spandana programme), Vishu.Sadhguru blew me up. Vishu: : I can’t wait to attend the BSP program but I don’t think I am ready yet. Need to do Shambhavi for one more year and then I may be ready. Prerna: Me too! Pallavi: Vishu…Sadhguru will decide your readiness…just keep yourself watchful; then you will know when you are beckoned. Hi Prerna… kahan ho aajkal? I remember that Sadhguru often emphasizes the inner pleasantness one experiences with Shambhavi. I feel that all most all the time now. I am very consistent with my practice. Vishu: I am trying to be consistent as well but finding difficulty in controlling the mind. I know it is a very hard thing and gets better with practice. I feel much better after each session. Pallavi: It takes gut to do your practices consistently…the body and mind resist and come up with a whole set of excuses to maintain regularity…if we don’t give up…we harness the fruit of our labour.

• 6 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Himanshu, Prerna and Neha, let us all go and learn Surya Kriya at the Isha Delhi Centre in July. Neha: Hi Pallavi, That’s a very tempting offer… However I won’t be able to join you due to ongoing renovation work at home. So leaving the house for long duration is not possible. Anyway thanks, Pallavi. God bless you. Prerna: Hey Pallavi, my husband learnt Surya Kriya, so I’m taking classes from him. Aachi: Let miseries come to us from all directions. Let calamities come. O Teacher of the Whole World. For they enable us to have ur vision and end the circle of birth and death -Prayers of Kunti to Sri Krishna (Krishnam Vande Jagatgurum) Nishant: “Aa no bhadraa kratavo yantu vishwatah” Let noble thoughts come to us from all over. This is a famous vedic saying. Pallavi: sharing another poem: The Stoic One may roll over all one’s sides, And yet, find not, exceptions any. The autumn winds rob the structures of majestic trees. The springs then come And add novelty and green. Celebrations of birth, The midways of sufferings and joys, Life unfolds an array of experiences. Until the curtains draw a close at death. Lilies, roses and the like Bloom to simmering beauty Soon, meet their demise.

• 7 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

The planets, blackholes and meteors All are subject to changing course. No thought is steady, No emotion unlabile, This fleeting panaroma Of cyclical fates… Ah…I thought I could rest a while Only to know the myth of it all. Karma constantly operates on us. ‘Transformation’ is the perennial word, ‘Change’ the only ethical vogue. To witness these with a steady eye Is the gleeful, courageous stoic’s way… @p.k Aachi: The more I live the more I understand that this life is a dream. Name and Fame are imposters. Man thinks he is doing something but he forgets things are being done by someone else. There comes a point when he realizes nothing ever was done actually by him. Life’s goal is not Money or Bank Balance or friends or Name or Fame or even the opposite like poverty obscurity etc. They are all Diads. They end! Life’s Goal is Sriman Narayana Alone. The Peace beyond the seeming Chaos. Om Namo Narayanaya Pallavi: So true, Aachi. Once there was an untouchable girl sitting near a well. She was used to people hating her. Buddha’s chief disciple, Ananda came there one day. Seeing her he asked her to draw and give some water for him. The girl cringed with fear and shame and said ‘But I am an untouchable, master’ Ananda smiled and said ‘It doesn’t matter to me.’ The girl was stunned and happily drew the water from the well and gave it to Ananda to drink. When Ananda went away she followed him to Buddha’s ashram. In the huge congregation of monks she was not able to

• 8 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra find him. Dejected she saw a supremely Calm person sitting under a tree. It was the Buddha. He looked at her and said’ What do u seek?’ She told Buddha about her encounter with Ananda. ‘I want to meet him. I have fallen in love with him. I will be his slave for life. Please tell me where can I find him?’ The Buddha looked at her and said ‘No you do not love him. You love his kindness. You love kindness. The day you don’t see kindness in him, your love will evaporate. Instead try to develop that kindness in you. You will be in Peace.’ That very moment that girl attained Nirvana Neha: Pallavi, thanks for sharing this insightful story. So many times we confuse our own feelings. Instead of loving that abstract quality, we start loving the person who harbours that quality. (Pallavi posted a hand made sketch by her) Well, I saw the sketch you had posted; that’s an amazing sketch. I didn’t know about this talent of yours! Pallavi: Thanks Neha, but I never tried my hand on sketching after that effort. Neha: Keep doing it Pallavi. Any kind of creative activity gives such a spiritual pleasure. Aachi: Good talent Pallavi. But I have seen talents only increase egoism. They should be treated with indifference in the path of spirituality. The mind which goes out excels. The mind which goes in annihilates. Spiritual success is very easy for the talented according to Bhagawan. But then he also said that it is easy to get lost in accolades and praise and become distant to the goal. Pallavi: Yeah. Aachi: A certain art series done by me sold for lakhs and only succeeded in increasing my ego and bank balance. Pallavi: Art is a celebration of life… All this magic the world awes, Comes not from me, nor is mine.

• 9 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

It’s only the whispers Of the grace, I overheard… @p.k Aachi: Reminder of my talk today on Pluto and Beyond - The Age of Space in Apollo hospital Secunderabad Pallavi: Aachi, may the divine speak through your voice. All the best to you. The closed path I thought that my voyage had come to its end at the last limit of my power, That the path before me was closed, Those provisions were exhausted and the time comes to take shelter in a silent obscurity. But I find that thy will knows no end in me. And when old words die out on the tongue, New melodies break forth from the heart; And where the old tracks are lost, New country is revealed with its wonders. -Rabindranath Tagore May we wake up with gratitude, live the day with gratitude and end with gratitude. Good Morning to all the spiritual seekers here! I was just sharing the above lines with my daughter today morning… its awesome how the universe just loves us so… How was your presentation yesterday Aachi? Please share with us too. Aachi: No one turned up! 30 people invited. Only 6 came. I have yet to find the group that resonates with me. Pallavi: You are in the group and ask for more… Aachi: I was talking about Space Astronomy. Pallavi: So, what did you share with the blessed 6? Aachi: We have 8 planets and 1000 more planetoids. Unlike the icy moons of giant planets, Pluto cannot be heated by gravitational

• 10 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra interactions with a much larger planetary body. Some other process must be generating the mountainous landscape. It has 11000 foot mountains. Many such things but it is difficult to tell on whatsapp! Aaeeyna: Is there life on Pluto? Or could there have been life there at some time? Aachi: Possible. The Universe never ceases to amaze. Pallavi: Love to all! Aum Neha: Love you too Pallavi Vishu: We all love you Pallavi. You are an inspiration for all of us. Pallavi: Ditto Nishant: Love you all! I think that the only thing that gives more pleasure than the feeling of being love is being able to love! Ishq mein Aashiq maashooq se zyaada muqammal hota hai! Pallavi: Yes, Nishant. We all love to love more than what we love to be loved… Neha: Ditto guys! When SOMEONE loves you, then your happiness depends upon that person…waxing and waning with the love you receive. But when YOU are the one showering love to others, then you are like the Sun, the Source of light and joy. Himanshu: Love you all… Neha: Quite a lot of love flowing here! Sampath: Let me interrupt this love story! Article: Scientists meditated on meditation – and the results were troubling http: //flip.it/ca86A This guy might be a joker but one thing struck me…No goal is still a goal! Pallavi: Nowadays, we are having flocks of birds visiting us…they gobble up all the grains we put…me and my daughter, Suhaani go to fill their bowl early morning…many are waiting…they look like cute demigods…then we fillmatkas for people who pass our house, then water the plants…it’s so amazing to start the day, thus. Vishu: Yes, very nice way to start the day.

• 11 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Himanshu: Pallavi, these small things, if sustained over a period of time will make a big difference in determining Suhani’s outlook towards life, especially in developing the ability to find happiness and contentment in small things. Pallavi: Mine too… Master says that paani ka daan is the biggest daan…somehow the words stuck with me…lots of people who pass by the house when quenched…bless us and our family…soars my heart with happiness. Aum Aachi: A few years back though I was in Arunachala with Sri Nannagaru, I was unable to have spiritual thoughts. Thoughts of the opposite sex dominated my mind and I felt guilty. I looked at Arunachala and wondered how pitiable my state was! I went to the library in Ramanasram and looked at a book- “Annamalai Swamy Final Talks.” I wondered what it was. Sri Nannagaru came to the library. I avoided looking at him directly. My sinful eyes are not worthy to see his pure being! He immediately went and held the book “Annamalai Swamy” and flipped through it and kept it back. It can’t be a coincidence I thought! I went and opened the book troubled by guilt and sinful thoughts. It opened to the following lines: “The thoughts that come and go are not you. Whatever comes and goes is not you. Your reality is Peace. If you don’t forget that that will be enough…” I was bathed in peace! I happily went behind Sri Nannagaru. He was standing in the shrine in front of Bhagawan. 300 devotees waited outside but I happily went and stood behind him. He seemed to be praying about something. He turned suddenly patted me on my cheek and smiled and went away. Pallavi: Aum Aachi: Good morning folks! Sri Nannagaru happily hugged me when I came to meet Him today. An American devotee was sitting amongst the devotees group. ‘What are his doubts ask him’ said Sri Nannagaru

• 12 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

The American said “I don’t know the destination of this process of spirituality. I am not happy as I am not able to understand the reason WHY I am on Earth.” I conveyed it to Sri Nannagaru. He said “The destination of Spiritual Sadhana is to realize that there is no one who does the Sadhana. Just like a mirror shows us our face, so too the world reveals to us our weaknesses so that we can overcome them. If you are 100 percent happy at the time of your death then you will not be born again. Desire is the cause of all sorrow. If one is desireless then one is not born again.” Then he paused and said ‘Tell him that I will ensure he is not born again.’ The American bowed and went away. Pallavi: Aum. Aachi: Another point from today’s meeting “After death you have to travel alone. None of your family or friends will accompany you. So it is important to learn living in solitude while alive” Sampath: See the following link: http: //www.forbes.com/sites/ethansiegel/2015/07/19/global-warming- will-destroy-the-earth-in-the-end/ When life was created, its death was certainly plotted out too by the Creator. But why would He do that? Would Da Vinci paint a Mona Lisa that would self destruct after a period of time? Neha: That was a good one Aachi - Learning to live in solitude… Aachi: There is a theory that Earth is an organism and we are the parasites which infest it. Natural calamities, global warming are like its immune responses to eradicate us. Pallavi: Vishu…may every joy kiss your life, and may the light in your heart bring you home…may love adorn your life in myriad ways and let every day be a celebration of life…may all sorrows be sacrificed at the doorstep of truth and may new inspirations colour your sky… may life open newer possibilities and bring you to rest in your centre of peace and satiety…have a blast. Happy Birthday!

• 13 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

In this excerpt from the 1994 Wholeness Program, Sadhguru looks at how it is only when we operate through the mind that “old” exists. Otherwise, everything in the existence is always new and fresh. “The whole existence is always brand new. Every moment, everything that you see is becoming nothing and becoming something again, millions of times. This is why Gautama Buddha spoke about anitya [impermanence] and Adi Shankara about maya [illusion]. Everything is never really there. Every second, everything is falling apart, coming together, falling apart, and coming together again, millions of times. Existence is ever new – it is only in this moment. It is created, is gone, and is created again. The whole creation is based on this principle. The only thing in existence that carries the “old” is your mind. When you operate through your mind, everything – things and people – become old. If you look at everything as it is, everything is always fresh.” - Sadhguru Vishu: Thank you so much Pallavi. That’s the most beautiful birthday gift I received. The above explanation from Sadhguru is amazing. Thanks for sharing Pallavi. Aachi: An old song meets the words… Aane waala pal jaane vaala hain Pallavi: What’s your plan for the day, Vishu? Vishu: Looks like my wife has organized a secret dinner at a nice restaurant. Not so secret anymore! I generally am not keen in celebrating birthdays. Pallavi: Yeah, birthdays ought not be celebrated…it should mark a time for deep contemplation…you are one year closer to death…so, have you learnt to live appropriately and with much more awareness towards the goals of your spiritual journey. Vishu: Totally agree. Pallavi: It’s also a good time to do daan. Here, in India, we have many opportunities. I don’t know of Australia…so, look out and share something that’s valuable to you…give it away to know detachment. Vishu: I was thinking this morning- It’s just one year since I started on the spiritual path. So I consider myself one year old.

• 14 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Pallavi: I go to the blind school on my birthday and share love and eatables with them. This time I wanted to go and share with animals. Happy first birthday! Vishu: That’s a good thought- Learning detachment. I don’t know who will take things from me here. Pallavi: If you intend sharing, the entire Australia will fall short. Vishu: Ha ha. Pallavi: You could go to a school for special children and spend time with them or feed fishes and birds. Vishu: Yes, will come up with a nice plan for my second birthday. Pallavi: Imagine what a sweet fellow my dad is; he got 25 kgs of grain for feeding the birds. Why wait until second? Make sharing your default setting for everyday. Wayne dyer had an enormous collection of books.which were very dear to him…one day, he shared all of them…I had really liked this thought from him that we must share the things that are dear to us…not those that we don’t like…in the true sense, then only we ‘let go’. Vishu: True. Your dad is amazing. Yes I can at least feed some birds today. My Tuesday Routine- Drop the kids at tuition, get a coffee, sit by the lake and listen to some spiritual book. One hour. I look forward for this every week. Pallavi: Wow! Himanshu: Please send this lake to India…ha ha. Pallavi: Which book are you reading, Vishu? Vishu: Ha ha. Good one Himanshu. Yes, we live in a beautiful location; nestled between a lake and the Pacific Ocean. I am currently reading “Living with Himalayan Masters by Swami Rama “. It’s a nice read and very entertaining as well. He writes about his experiences with many masters. I download the audio books from audible.com and listen to them. I prefer listening to reading. Lazy way! Pallavi: I read about Swami Rama’s life…it is an inspiration indeed.

• 15 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Himanshu: Don’t tempt us Vishu. I’m a Neurosurgeon only by profession, traveller by heart. I might gatecrash on to your door with a backpack and sunglasses. Nishant: Don’t miss coming to Victoria BC between Vancouver n Seattle, Himanshu once on the Pacific sojourn! Both backpack n sunglasses ready……we have some amazing hiking spots here! Vishu: Ha ha. You are most welcome. Once Aachi said he will be visiting Sydney but it didn’t materialize. Himanshu: I promise you both…Nishant n Vishu…I’ll be there…I have to finish my first round of at least five continents before I touch 40! Somehow I love Africa. Pallavi: Nishant, even with so many inspirations you didn’t paint your masterpiece? Vishu: Nice ambition Himanshu. I would love to spend some time in Himalayas. Also want to visit Sadhguru’s ashram in Coimbatore. Pallavi: Be careful about Coimbatore…Vishu…Sadhguru might hold you siege. Himanshu: Very rightly said…What I know of it. It’s pleasantly addictive… Aachi: The actions which generate punya like bathing in rivers are important if the one who enjoys the fruits of punya is true. When the one who enjoys punya or derives paapam is not true (Branthi or Illusion) how will there be enjoyment or experience of such fruits? (These acts and its fruits are as illusory as the one who does or experiences them) http: //liveanddare.com/neo-advaita/ If you are 100 percent happy what need is there for a body? -Sri Nannagaru Pallavi: Aum Life is a fabulous phenomenon if you know how to ride it. Sadhana empowers you to ride the surf of life. - Sadhguru Neha, saw your pictures of the book fair. Now I know…why you run the BuzzingBooks…the online portal for children’s books? Sampath and Neha…do you guys love Ayn Rand?

• 16 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Neha: I like the way she writes…why? Pallavi: You posted on facebook about her… yaar…my friends know so much…about so much.I was telling Dhwani about it that how proud I am to have such friends. Neha: The feeling is mutual Pallavi but her work is not for kids. Pallavi: Yeah…I know. It’s for hypermature rebels like us. Ha ha…her theory of objectivity is state of the art. Neha: Yeah… It is indeed! When did you read her Pallavi? Pallavi: Didn’t read Fountainhead…and Atlas Shrugged…I plan to soon…Sampath introduced me to her. There are so many beautiful minds in this universe… I get a little depressed to think that how I will know about their visions in one lifetime…I read voraciously in the past 5 yrs…the more you read…the more you realize your own ignorance and it is a humbling experience in itself… and after reading quite a lot…one might even come to a point where you realize the futility of it all…coz ultimately they are all the experiences and mind of others…and u need to have your own experiences which are more than a million read words… The sojourn. In songs of native origin, Words are of the least emphasis. Riding high on waves of intuition, One could even touch the poles. The Christopher’s map is ever guiding To a nascent wanderer at sea. What use is of anything, but love In sealing the cracks of a dispersing life? Ejection of the gluttony woes, Sarcasms of the wicked flamboyants, These shades are only a feeting view. What use does bravery serve When death has discovered the place you sleep?

• 17 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Strategies of a fickle mind, Compulsions of a hungry soul, Make no stark differences to me. I prevail…only with myself, Just a little more… And then…I’ll herald Another brand new sojourn… @p.k Nishant: Got 3 classics I somehow missed out on at a book sale! Jekyll n Hyde by RLStevenson, 1984 by Orwell n Dorian Gray by my favorite.……Wilde! Ayn Rand n her existentialist philosophy appeals to the inquisitive mind of teens n non teens alike! Pallavi: Nishant…enjoy sipping on them Aaeeyna: Please suggest some nice light read. Pallavi: The sorrows of young Werther by Goethe If romantic tragedy is what your taste is. Aaeeyna: I know romantic tragedy; don’t need to read it. Pallavi: Yeah…I guess knowing makes its mark on us in a way that leaves no scope for reading. Aaeeyna: Only the characters change Neha: I just cry buckets reading romantic tragedies. Not my cup of tea. Pallavi: Neha…romantic tragedies are the brutal blows of life…we need them to grow and mature. Aayeena…you put it well…only the characters change… If this be so…why be attached to the whole drama of it…when in it, enact your roles well and then let go… Aaeeyna: You can let go when it’s your time to let go…till then you enact. Pallavi: Personally…though I am a proponent of love…at the same time it brought me a life changing realization…love is the greatest myth… There are many emotions beyond love…

• 18 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Compassion Devotion Surrender So one need not stop at love but one ought to return to it every once in a while to gather oneself… Aachi: Don’t be sad that it ended. Be happy it happened My take on love: Thank those who left you because they made you discover something in you that otherwise would have been hidden. Let go with gratitude Love never hurts Your expectation does Forget the person. Remember the feeling. Pallavi: Prerna, tell us your status on love. Prerna: Flow… Pallavi: Wow! You described it so aptly using just one word. Himanshu? Himanshu: I remember a dialogue delivered by Om Puri from a (Ajay Devgun- Kajol starrer) hindi movie…which meant…Everyone should fall in love…It makes you a better person…One… love is something essential…it may seem like an ordeal if you fall out of love…but believe me…it’s worth falling in love any number of times…Though not a great analogy… It’s like eating various varieties of a lovely fruit like mango…you may spill, spoil n stain yourself but you’ll still want to have it again…Secondly each one is not same…but sweet in its own unique way…You can say I like this one a lot…but can’t really say…I didn’t like the last one… Mithin aptly said…you may forget the person but you can’t forget the feeling… Pallavi: So…is it corroborated by all of us that we can fall in love more than once in a lifetime? Himanshu: Yes…you can but if it happens simultaneously or too many times… then it’s not a pretty scene. It hollows you emotionally and creates big time confusions.

• 19 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Pallavi: But do we decide when we fall in love or does love decide it for us? Aaeeyna: You know the answer Pallavi. We are a minute speck. Pallavi: Yes…Aayeena…when love heralds its appearance on us…it asks not for our permission or time or whether you are married, you have children, whether you are going to die tommorrow? Himanshu: Ha ha…you never decide when you should fall in love…But you have to recognize if you have fallen in love…or infatuation…or is it an emotional leaning…or a physical need…or sometimes even a rebound after a bad phase… Pallavi: Yeah…that’s the catch point. How does one identify that? Aaeeyna: You feel complete…when in love… Himanshu: Nobody can answer that…I’ve not fallen in love too many times but I can feel it… As I said and Aaeeyna echoed……if it happens too often…it can’t be love…it can be the manifestation (which may be emotional/ physical/ spiritual) of a void somewhere within which we are constantly trying to fill in……But yes…it makes you feel complete You can’t go out n search for love…You have to recognize it when it crosses your path. Aachi: Guys we are grown up. Enjoy what comes. Leave it when it goes. Why debate? Pallavi: Ya.Aachi. We want to give of ourselves…when in love. What if you recognize it? What does it change if you can’t be in it? It causes intense pain and longing. Neha: Whoa! What a discussion! I keep on falling in love with so many things… scenes, art, memories, and expressions and of course people… And every time it changes something inside me… It brings me closer to my own self. But I love some fleetingly, some intensely, some compassionately, some passionately, some intellectually… But this feeling as all of you said is the Catch… Not the recipient but your love. And as Aaeeyna said… it makes you feel complete. And as Pallavi said… Love can bring intense pain too.

• 20 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Himanshu: The pain fades gradually…It requires you to smoothen your edges about your understanding about love. Pallavi: Love is beyond all morality, intellect or reasoning…it follows no set rules…it makes its own. Neha… I loved what you said that you love some intensely, some fleetingly… Every shade of love is a new chapter…we must be open to the new. Neha: Absolutely Pallavi…Love is indeed beyond morality, intellect and objectivity. Pallavi: When love overflows beyond containment…it transforms into compassion…You begin to see a mirror in every living thing. Neha: Wow! What a beautiful way to express Pallavi… Sorry but I am still very novice in this journey where life can encompass all! Pallavi: When life embraces all of us the same and succors our aches and scars…it is but obvious that we can do the same…embrace it back… we must have little choice, other than to love back when we are so very immensely loved. My master taught me that compassion is larger than love… In compassion…there is no judgment, no expectation to get back, no sympathy…it is a cloud that showers on all alike…irrespective of who comes its way. Neha: Just felt something… thought of sharing with you all. When we RECEIVE love, we feel so contained as if sitting contentedly amidst pleasant flowers… But when we SHOWER love, then that experience is so liberating, feels like a butterfly that can fly anywhere. These experiences, being “contained & content” and “liberated” feel great. However both are kind of opposite sides of poles. Vishu: I had an amazing experience this evening actually. My brother sent a message just to say ‘I love you’. It was very special and touching as we don’t express love in words very often even though we are very close. Pallavi: Love is like a open window, opening on both sides…allowing exchange that is dynamic and gleeful…BOTH receiving and giving are equally beautiful. “Romance is a simple mistake.

• 21 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Finding true love in the arms of one other is like capturing a waterfall in a tiny cup. Thirst is slightly quenched. Then why not just step into the source? Romance is a beautiful distraction taking you beyond your dry concerns. Yet what good is an open heart with room for only one? When that one is gone the heart is empty and dry and tears fall on empty ground? Romance is a single drop in a torrent of love why settle for one sip at a time? The sweetest tasting water is deeper than the surface.dive into the current and as you are swept away, drink to your heart’s content.” -Advaita teacher,Nirmala Aachi: A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But, a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise woman. “I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Teach me what you have within you that enabled you to give me this stone.” Himanshu: Nice messages to start the day. (Nishant posted an amazingly beautiful painting done by him) Pallavi: Nishant…you are a magician with colours…for many days…u made us wait to see such hidden beauty…its such a blessing to see grace in such a form…thanks for making it available to all of us here… Neha and Himanshu…thanx for being in my life… Nishant: Just like love, art takes a lot of courage to express itself…… thanx for the encouragement, Pallavi! Vishu: Beautiful painting. Pallavi: It also takes acknowledgement and sincerity to see things the way they truly are…Yes, Vishu…it’s a masterpiece indeed! Himanshu: That’s a lovely painting…Nishant

• 22 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Neha: Wow Nishant, what an awesome play of colours? Talent especially if that’s artistic talent, is something that you either have or you do not… Let’s be grateful to God for the talents he has given to us… There is nothing more fulfilling and satisfying as an expression of art.I feel so very fortunate to be here in this group and being friends with each one of you. Nishant, we would love to see more such paintings from you. Pallavi: Ditto neha… Nishant: Thanks guys. The pleasure is mine! Pallavi: Good Morning…may we remain in guru’s grace…today, and in all eternity…happy guru purnima… Vishu: Happy guru purnima every one. Neha: I am blessed to be performing a kathak dance today at this auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima Aachi: All the best, Neha! Pallavi: Wow Neha…u r blessed…where? Nishant: Best of luck Neha…where is it n what is it going to be!!?? Neha: Thanks a ton everybody. I really need the best wishes…will be performing Kathak after a hiatus of about 25 years… It’s a gurupoornima performance of our Kathak academy. Guru purnima festival performance on 31st July, 5pm at gyruvayuer temple karthyayni auditorium at mayur vihar,Delhi. Thanks Aachi, Pallavi and Nishant Nishant: I went to the Sangeet naatak academy to learn kathakali when I was in school…our school was near mandi house on kg marg…they turned me away saying they only took girls! Pallavi: May your every step alight with shiva’s grace and the power of your role play incite in others pangs of devotion and fill them with joy infinite…healing prayers for a magical performance…Neha Neha: Nishant, it’s traditionally the guys who perform Kathakali… strange that they turned you away. Thank you so much for the heartfelt wishes Pallavi Nishant: Yeah…that was my idea…they just wouldn’t let me in any program…maybe because I bunked school n was in uniform! Anyways… good luck! Our best wishes are with u

• 23 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Vishu: All the best Neha. Himanshu: Good luck neha…Great going…You make us feel proud of you… Neha: Thank you so much Vishu and Himanshu! Pallavi: Bhagavan says that Self-realization is the result of guru’s grace more than of sadhana or learning. When someone pointed out that Bhagavan had no personal guru, Bhagavan remarked, “I might have had at some time or other. And didn’t I sing hymns to Arunachala? What is a Guru? Guru is God or the Self. First a man prays to God to fulfill his desires, then a time comes when he does not pray for the fulfillment of a desire, but for God Himself. So God appears to him in some form or other, human or non-human, to guide him as a Guru in answer to his prayer.” Bhagavan addresses Arunachala as his guru, Bhagavan on one occasion says how the gurutattva (the guru principle) works. When a person becomes ripe enough to realise, the Self or God appears in the form of a guru and makes him go inward through his teaching; and when the mind becomes introverted, the same force from within pulls it towards the centre, and makes it subside in the heart. So from outside the guru gives a push, and from within, he pulls the mind and makes it abide in the Self. Pallavi: Love lends posture to life. Lest we would be merely diffused form… @p.k Aachi: From Satsangh comes nonattachment, from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads to self-settledness. From self- settledness comes Jeevan Mukti. Happy Friendship Day! Pallavi: What a pity it is That we fail to see How unconditionally the sky Walks alongside each of us… @p.k

• 24 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Himanshu: This is so thoughtful, profound at the same time subtle hit on human attitude of taking nature for granted. Pallavi: Thanx Himanshu. Aachi: Sadhana is effort. In Effort there is pain. The Natural State is free from pain. As long as there is a sadhaka, there will be a sadhana. A king in disguise who forgets himself due to poor identification roams his kingdom crying and asking as to how he could meet the King. None give him proper answers. He tries to enter the palace but the soldiers throw him away. This is Sadhana. A man who intimately knew the king says ‘But you are not a beggar as you think. You have wrongly identified yourself with that. You are the King Himself!’ This is Guru. The King realizes his true nature and walks with élan back into the palace as the soldiers stand aside in respect. This is Realization. The end of search… Pallavi: Aachi, if this teaching is true about sadhana…it puts every other practice to shame and is undoubtedly the last stage in the seekers journey. Aachi: All practices are done to lose the concept of practice. Truth is self evident. What alienates it is our effort to achieve it. Adi Sankaracharya echoed the same emotion This is verily your illusion that Being That, you strive for That. Pallavi: Nirvanasatakam by adi shankaracharya is quite similar to the ‘Neti Neti’…everything is rejected other than the self… One of the lines in it rejects guru and disciple too…can’t understand it Aachi: Pallavi in the king example the act of asking for the king by the king is sadhana. Unless you ask how will the Guru answer? Hope this solves doubt Pallavi: Thanks

• 25 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Days such as these are blessings indeed, When one awakens To a shower of rains And a grateful heart… Vishu: Attended monthly satsang of ISHA in Sydney. It was a nice experience doing group meditation. Pallavi: Finally form and formless are a continuum, interpenetrating and all-pervasive, a constant tension of being and nothingness held together by the supreme attractive force of unconditional love…-Guru Ramdas Pallavi: Gurur Brahma gurur Vishnu, Gurur devo maheshwara, Gurur saakshat para Brahma, Tasmai shree gurvhe namah… Aachi: about sufism…you should understand that it is the only religion in the world where there are songs for the Formless. Allah is formless to them. Even in Hinduism…there are bhajans for forms of God…but no love songs for the eternal Beloved in the formless. we have mantras that’s it. hence it makes sufistic thought unique…here you are trying to express love for the formless…it invariably is soul stirring. Sufi songs are more deep than many of our bhajans. I think they are very advanced aids to attain love for the Divine. Pallavi: Aum The only doorway for you to know life is yourself. Keep it open -Sadhguru. Neha: I am growing very restless again… Heart going haywire… Need some spiritual motivation desperately. Pallavi: If you like it, try hearing the 108 chants of Sampoorna Ramayan. Neha: Ok Pallavi…will do that. Thanks a lot.

• 26 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Pallavi: Neha…it’s best to still a little……spend some time with yourself… in nature. Neha Yeah…trying that…will do some meditation also today. I am unable to cope with my different personalities now! Having quite a bit of conflict. Pallavi: Then embrace them all. They merge into the universal self. there is no conflict Pallavi: Friends, today is world organ donation day…may we learn to share our bodily blessings when our presence has dissolved. Prerna: Neha, try Isha chants. Somehow “shambho” gives me peace in restlessness. Neha: Thanks PRERNA Pallavi: Shambho is the eternal void…dissolving us to stillness… download Isha chants on your Phone…they have 5 chants… called collectively as vaairagya… all are matchless. Memories of true love are useless in filling empty moments for this lover never shows the same face always. a new disguise keeping mind in suspense and senses alert. Surrender to perpetual surprise and find her waiting once again in emptiness itself.- Nirmala Pallavi: Today is Ramakrishna’s mahasamadhi day…a master who cried, and danced to devotion…of Kali… Aachi: In 1996 in Mangalore I used to frequent Ramakrishna Mission very frequently next to Mangaladevi temple. I became close friends with the monks there One day when I was meditating in the shrine at 4 pm I lost my “I” sense and was deeply absorbed for an hour. I didn’t know world my body… nothing. When I opened my eyes I saw everything as pulsating beauty. Subsequently Ramakrishna appeared to me in 2 visions. In college within the next month. One He came wearing a loin cloth. I was surprised and asked Him Why the cloth Thakur? He just smiled 6 years later I saw Ramana Maharshi photo in the exact post wearing the loin cloth!!! The other vision was Ramakrishna came as a man with no teeth. And smiled at me. In 2008 when I first saw Sri Nannagaru I was stunned to

• 27 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution see him look at me with a smile the same way as Ramakrishna. He has no teeth. I understood Ramakrishna came to me as my Guru. Before Mangalore I roamed Kolkata and interior Bengal like a mendicant for quite some time in 1993–95 Whatever spiritual gifts have been given to me is not because of any sadhana. It is because since many a decade I have had unexplained unasking love for Ramakrishna Pallavi: Wow Aachi: Devotion to the supreme alone is the Royal path. Bhakthi is Jnanamaatha. Devotion is the Mother of Knowledge - Sri Ramana Pallavi: The love in us becomes manifest on the appearance of the beloved and so…it s after all a reflection… Aachi: Though I am never loath to grant salvation, I hesitate indeed, to grant pure love.Whoever wins pure love surpasses all; He is adored by men; He triumphs over the three worlds. Listen, Chandravali! I shall tell you of love: Mukti a man may gain, but rare is bhakti. Solely for pure love’s sake did I become King Vali’s door-keeper Down in his realm in the nether world. Alone in Vrindāvan can pure love be found; Its secret none but the gopas and gopis know. For pure love’s sake I dwelt in Nanda’s house; Taking him as My father, I carried his burdens on My head- Sri Krishna The Love for divine is not a mere reflection. It is absorption. The more absorbed you are in Him the less ‘you’ are and more is the Love. All reasoning falls flat in that state. Such is the grandeur of Bhakthi! Pallavi: Aachi…true…nothing bigger than devotion…in my write up…I was referring to the earthly beloved, though…the lover. Prem…is the ultimate offering and also the supreme destination… Prem is the highest form of love… Aachi: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah TRANSLATION Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear

• 28 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

The path of knowledge is like walking on a razor sharp edge. Its very difficult to control minds intellectual jargon. Surrender in the path of bhakthi and attain Knowledge Pallavi: To be a full-fledged human being is to respond to every life around you to the best of your ability - Sadhguru Pallavi: We r matchless. Super blessed. The self is the guru…rest come to assist…let’s walk together to d light. I’m just thinking…what made me make this group and then label it so…too Vishu: Yes, we are all blessed to be part of such an inspiring group. Aachi: A man once asked Buddha. Is there rebirth for me? Buddha said- Do you want another body? (have unfulfilled desires) If yes then you will get another body. If no then you have no reason to enter another body again. Aachi: Bearing insult, injury is sadhana. Even Bhagawan Ramana, Lord Rama and Sri Krishna faced insults. But they never lost their poise. How a man attains enlightenment is a divine secret The concept of ‘someone’ ‘seeing’ ‘something’ has to go -Sri Nannagaru Pallavi: Aum Neha: “Think of rising higher. Let it be your only thought. Even if your object be not attained, the thought itself will have raised you.” From Thiruvalluvar’s KURAL. Aachi: What u think u become - Buddha The cockroach by meditating on the bee becomes the bee. - Sri Ramakrishna By constantly thinking of Rama one inherits the qualities of Rama. Aaeeyna: We don’t talk about trees getting Older…we say they are “Growing”! Let’s use the same language for ourselves: We’re not getting Older, we’re Growing!

• 29 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Aachi: Jo Rajya par Raj karey woh Raja hain. Jo Rajya ko bhi tyaag de, woh Ram hain Neha: My apologies… But…Jo biwi ko bhi tyaag de.woh kaun? Aachi: Woh bhi Ram hain. No apologies Neha. I like your honesty a lot. Atmano mokshartham jagat hitaya cha For the salvation of oneself and for the well being of the world. Who would want to lose the comforts of a wife? Or take the easy way out by marrying another? Personal suffering at the cost of others happiness? The more Universal ones outlook the less will be ones attitude to personal enjoyment or comfort. Aaeeyna: What about Sita? Why did she have to denounce all worldly pleasures? Isn’t Sita supreme? Aachi: Who would leave her husband and wander the forest so that His word is not tarnished? Who else can but Sita. It is never Ram Sita. It will always be Sita Ram…Tell me one instance whence Rama or Sita enjoyed any pleasure? Their lives were filled with pleasing others only. Never for self; they lived. Sita said: “True Happiness (Bliss) can be attained only on practicing righteousness (dharma) and not by enjoying pleasures.” This is the essence of Ramayana. Aaeeyna: The worst thing for a lady sita or otherwise is that her man not fight for her…… ram fought ravan then listened to a dhobi…… Aachi: Rama listened to His praja. For Him as king prajapati it was more important than being sitapati. Aaeeyna: Exactly Aachi: He renounced her. But he renounced His aptitude for any enjoyment. For His people…Raja Dharma. Righteous action Neha: Rama should have done what is right… Not taking sides Aaeyna: Male chauvinism Aachi: He would be chauvinistic the moment He looked at another woman after banishing Sita. Neha: If Dhobi was wrong, Ram should have explained dharma to him and not left Sita. Looking at another woman is not the point.

• 30 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Aachi: Dhobi was not wrong. It was in Destiny. Rama realized that. Nothing is too heavy or too surprising in Destiny. Rama and Sita fulfilled all actions based on Destiny. Neha: I always wondered if other day some other dhobi had come and told Ram not to exile Sita… Then what? Aachi: But they did!!!! People came and told that the dhobi was drunk. And Rama should not banish Sita. But Rama’s word, action, promise and arrow are irretrievable Neha: Women rights were nonexistent those days. Aachi: As I am explaining to you I am understanding more of Rama and meditating on Him and Sita Aaeeyna: Shivji is better; No one dares to talk shit about Parvati Aachi: Lord Shiva is awesome. True! But Shiva Himself became Hanuman to taste the nectar of Rama! In Varanasi when a soul dies Lord Shiva whispers the mantra of Ram naam in the ears and releases the soul to moksha. That is why Rama Naam is called Taraka Mantra (pallavi posted some pictures of blooming sunflowers) Pallavi: See These smiling sunflowers… Beacons of hope, What pain or sorrow Stand tall before their face? Nishant: Pallavi… The sunflowers are smiling despite their sorrow n pain! It’s the beacons of hope that provide shadow n respite from the scorching sun n the troubles that seem to rain!! Pallavi: Yes Nishant…we r always supported, encouraged and most of all unconditionally loved. Aachi: Punarapi jananam punarapi maranam, Punarapi janani jathare shayanam, Iha Samsaare bahu dusthare, Krupayaa pare pahi murare., (Bhaja Govindam…) Again and again one is born, And again and again one dies,

• 31 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

And again and again one sleeps in the mother’s womb, Help me to cross, This limitless sea of Life, Which is uncrossable, my Lord (Pray Govinda) Pallavi: Aum. I’m going to Thiruvanamalai next month and staying at Ramanashram. Tell me about the significance of pradikshna…the grivalam. Aachi: Going around Arunachala is said to be losing body consciousness. It is the most Silent place on Earth. Pallavi: Wow. Im going in seeking some important answers…will spend time meditating in ramana’s presence Aachi: Once my friend came with me to Arunachala All through the night he kept saying what is the use of going around the mountain. It’s only stone After throughout night barefoot pradakshina in the early morning we reached Sri Nannagaru ashram I introduced him to Sri Nannagaru and conveyed his doubts. Sri Nannagaru said- The merit of going around Arunachala comes even if we don’t desire or want that merit. It is the Grace of the Hill After my friend left Sri Nanna repeated the words to me I said ‘That merit is Your darshan to him.’ Sri Nanna looked on Silence. Pallavi: I haven’t seen Sadhguru…I have only been in the presence of my masters…and in the memory of that presence…everything dissolves. Aachi: Then in your master all forms of God are there. This is the Visvarup darshan Pallavi: Yes true…in masters…I feel every presence. This is also masters’ grace. I peek and peek For the truth sublime,

• 32 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

You come and open The windows mere… @p.k Pallavi: Just got the blessings of Siddhi vinayak…feeling blessed…now off to Haji Ali… Aaeeyna: Lucky you. Neha: “To be peaceful and happy, one has to learn the art of letting go–of the bad memories of the past, the bad feeling of the present and the fears of the future.”- Brahma Kumaris Aachi: My experience was a fulfillment of my Guru Sri Nannagaru’s words to that effect a few days before I had it in 0ct 2010. He said one day suddenly to me ‘You will attain oneness with the Cosmos’ Subsequently a few days later whence I saw an actor potraying the role of the Divine Mother in a movie, something in me looked at the scene in tremendous awe. A great devotion arose in me for the Divine Mother. Subsequently in a few mins I suddenly lost my body conciousness and my mind. I was an infinitesimally small point of infinite peace. I was not someone or something. I just was. I felt I was the Universe in a nutshell. It was a peace I never knew. A peace that was incapable of the mind. I could see my friends and others in the movie hall but I could not see myself for I was the Universe. A point of extreme peace and extreme Universality. It was as if the world had decided not to exist in that small ball of peace which I was. Outside there was all chaos but in that ball of peace I just was. It had no attachments, nor joy, nor sorrow. It was transcendental. And it was Me. I encompassed the entire cosmos but was not of it…it is very difficult to describe that state.The point of peace was homogenous with the surrounding Void except for the fact of it being the point. It lasted a few seconds and then was over. I immediately knew that I had had that experience out of Pure Grace of Guru alone. A few months later when I met my Guru Sri Nannagaru, he smiled and looked at me and asked of his own accord ‘Did you realize that Peace?’ I was surprised as to how he knew. I said, Yes.

• 33 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Sri Nannnagaru asked me “Did u realize that Peace is not related to body?.” I remembered that experience and said yes. He nodded and expressed his satisfaction. Sri Nannagaru calls these experiences Glimpses of Truth. He says that for the experience of the Self to stick and be permanent, one’s tendencies should be destroyed. And that, my friend, happens only with Guru’s Grace(either physical or mental Guru) Love Vishu: You are so lucky to have the grace of such an amazing guru. Aachi: True Vishu. I used to be confused and sad as to why He shows so much Love on me. I am not such a great guy. Sin like others. I look at girls and am greedy and money loving. I get angry and upset and jealous. In fact a lot many bad qualities I have. One day while I was thinking the same thoughts sitting near His feet. He looked at me suddenly and said - I am Gracious to you because I know your previous births and the punya u did. That same punya has ripened your destiny and brought you here. This is your last birth. U will not assume another body again. In this birth itself you will have Self Realisation. It is because Sri Ramakrishna loves you. He loves you so much that even though your mind will say no and wander towards worldly enjoyments He will force Ishvara to give you salvation in this birth. Such is Sri Ramakrishna’s love for you. I did not know what to say and only kept quiet Remember we only think of God when God thinks about us. There is hence no effort…there is only Grace… Neha: “There can be no Dharma without the spirit of generosity” Aaeeyna: I used to go to temple everyday barefoot.……my father saw this.…he told me don’t irritate him everyday…you will get what is meant when it’s meant…complete your work first. Neha: Very rightly said. Such wise words.

• 34 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Yesterday only I was telling my husband… Years from now when I used to go to Salim chisti ki Dargah, I used to choose from a list of ‘mannats’… What to ask for. But today, if I go there, I having nothing to ask…I don’t know whether that is good or bad… But that’s how I feel. Aaeeyna: It s not that we have nothing to ask. It is good that we are happy with what we are. happy with ourselves. Neha: Yeah that too… But your dad’s words are so apt… Just keep on working. If it’s in your destiny you will get it… Else no amount of prayers can fetch you that. Thanks for sharing Pallavi: I belong…To the distant zones Where my wings flew once upon a time… Now, my remaining life Is all about growing them again… @p.k Pallavi: I was thinking of you Neha. We could think of creating some website on literary works, spirituality and inspirational stuff. I often wonder if my life will pass by…without me doing what I love to do… it would be such a waste…but I am gripped by day to day issues and sometimes even surviving in today seems such a struggle…I guess one has to only wait for the right time in one’s life… Neha: Pallavi, whatever you wish to do… Start working on it today… There is no tomorrow… There never is a tomorrow. Pallavi: Yes Neha…I know…but it’s not that easy… Neha: I know day to day life pulls you down… But keep a separate diary for whatever you wish to do… Keep on writing the plans you have… Do these exercise daily Pallavi. The plans will gradually seem easier to materialize than before. Pallavi: You were lucky and wise to choose for yourself immediately after marriage…you are not blocked in the daily commitment of rising and going to work… Neha: Pallavi, I have my own demons to fight. Yeah but you are right. You and I are similar in some ways… I hated going to work daily!! Hated the same routine… same place…

• 35 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Pallavi: All my energies are dissipated in the low income low quality job I have been doing for the past decade…it sucks. Yeah…we all do…sabko aapne waale demons hi bade lagte hain… I spent all most 5 valuable years in fighting the sickness karma in my family… the most valuable learning years were lost and also made me lose my dynamism in some way. I would love to rise everyday to my books at my writing desk. Neha: No Pallavi, may be what you gained during those 5 years is priceless. No amount of education can lead you the heights of awareness you currently have. You know Pallavi, I wish we could have a common office. A literary office where it would always be a pleasure going to everyday… Doing something your heart is in and that too with a friend who shares the same wavelength. Pallavi: Amen. we sure are like minded and can do some wonderful work together…but what should it exactly be? Friends…suggest us. Maybe like a combo of a coffee shop with cozy corners for book fetishes with us to help them with personal book reviews and our loving warmth Neha: First of all a big loving hug to you Pallavi. Pallavi: Neha, you and I are fluttering with happiness even at the thought. I’m sure we will meet wonderful people on our journey. But we need capital, a wonderful place and lot of knowhow about this project. Himanshu: Give yourself some more time Pallavi…Your children are going to leave the nest in about 7 yrs or so…Utilise this time (as Neha rightly suggested) to jot down your small thoughts and plans…Meanwhile keep stabilizing and reinforcing yourself financially. You would need lot of money when your little ones are ready to fly and to chase your own dreams too…Life doesn’t finish at 45–50…It actually starts then…You are mentally more mature, financially more stable, have time at your disposal and above all know yourself better than ever before… Just make sure you are physically, mentally and financially fit and in shape to be able to ferociously explore the world at that time…

• 36 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

All this while keep exploring yourself, evolving and slowly creeping towards your dreams…Accelerate and change gears later. Pallavi: This is not that easy Himanshu…coz when one has a calling one must go…And what am I to do to get financially sounder…if I work with corporates…that leaves me no time to do my other work…the one I love to do…and as Neha said, it’s now or never…who has seen tomorrow… it might not arrive… Ya…right…u look at it like a realistic…but I am only a ‘lover’… I need to probably put newer spectacles…but I have to prepare myself for it… Neha: What Himanshu is saying makes sense…let’s take time in preparing the foundation. And also we would need some practical kind of friend to partner with…we both are dreamers Pallavi!!! On a funny note… What will happen when 2 dreamers are rowing the boat that too on unchartered waters!! Pallavi: We will sail where we are taken… Himanshu: It’s important to follow your dreams but that does not in any way allow us to demean our karma…to take care of our little children- Godly souls totally dependant on us…You have to toil hard to earn for them cos they are a fragment of our own self… Everything has to go hand in hand but simultaneously not sequentially…Some things will take precedence over others at specific points of time but you are so much bound by the responsibilities that you can’t turn your face away from… Pallavi: Himanshu…you partner with us. This simultaneous and multi tasking approach makes me feel sick in life…I am finding myself failing at it more than ever…I want to sit all day…only witnessing one thing…with awareness that is one pointed Ye bati bati si zindaagi Jo kis hod me hai…pata nahi…where r we running to. Himashu: Ha ha…always…Have my own exhaustive list of dreams the journey towards which I plan to embark in the next 5 yrs… My trysts with disappointments or failure have only led me to understand myself n my needs better…Life is long but every day evolution is what makes us grow progressively though slowly.

• 37 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Pallavi: We are exploding with intellectual and technological booms, but slowly losing our connect to the essentials of life. I guess…we live in the ‘now’…that’s how we find peace Vishu: Interesting discussion friends. I have been thinking a lot lately about finding the right balance. I don’t want to spend majority of my time in the clinic; because years pass by so easily without us realizing. More commitments for all of us, at least for the next 10 years till the kids grow up I guess. I was thinking, for my situation, 3 weeks of work and one week time off, where I can concentrate on spiritual growth would be ideal for the next 10 to 15 years. But again it is very hard to implement. Aaeyna: Why did you become doctors if you don’t find peace in hospitals? Vishu: Not about peace in the hospital Aaeeyna. I feel there is much more in life than just work. I enjoy my work Pallavi: Aayeena…you nailed us well. Aaeyna: If you consider it work my friend, then you don’t enjoy it! Pallavi: Another nail. We are all so lovely! Aaeyna: Pallavi go for what you want. You won’t get another chance. You only excel if you are passionate. Love you loads. Pallavi: And more so…if you are graced. Vishu…your idea of 1 wk off is superb. Vishu: Pallavi and Neha, you both make an amazing combo. May be you can start a spiritual retreat for the Delhi people. Aaeyna: Why only delhi? Neha: Not a bad idea Vishu. Vishu: That’s true. Please don’t limit this just to Delhi people. Pallavi: We will dance, cry and love in the retreat. Neha: And Aaeeyna… You are right about work being passion… Finding spiritual delight in work. Vishu: While we are on the topic of Lord, I have to confess something. I get bhakhi feelings only when I think of Shiva and Krishna. I don’t get that amount of bhakhi feelings with other forms of gods. Is it bad? Comments please friends

• 38 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Pallavi: Bhakti is something that wells from within your innermost depths…it is your attribute…then why worry? Vishu: Ok Pallavi: Initially, some forms trigger it until when u become a universal devotee…No forms or all forms… Your devotion stands the same. Vishu: I completely agree with that explanation. That’s reassuring Pallavi: Coz u become the form, formless and all the remaining too. The borders are illusions. So…the focus should be on enlarging our cup of devotions. The rest plainly ensues Every saadhna is a step towards this. Vishu: So, you think with sadhana and intensity of bhakhi, I develop devotion for other forms. Pallavi: Yeah…for every form…even the formless. But ultimately it comes down to grace. Saadhna qualifies us for grace. Aachi: Coffee bar with book corner. Good idea If it is in your destiny your very bones will make u do it Sri Ramakrishna once said Naren will teach people in the future. Naren adamantly refused. Sri Ramakrishna said it is in your destiny. Your very bones will make u do it.-Sri Nannagaru Transcend the Illusion of Effort! Pallavi: Yeah…waiting to be lifted off this illusion. By the grace. Neha…soch lo. Kal resignation de doon? Aaeyna: Do you have a place or a blog. The first step should be to start. Resign next A book cafe Pallavi: Suno…idea sounds good to me…fabulous Neha: Book cafe… We need funds to make it viable Aachi: I will chip in Neha: I had also thought of book cafe and book bakers earlier but dropped the idea due to lack of funds. Aachi: Work it up and let me know. I am ready to invest.

• 39 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Neha: Let me work out the entire plan first. Pallavi: I am in for whatever you plan. Thanx Aachi. The universal devotee… I started out as agnostic, Then on love befell, How had I lived all these years, I wondered in a deep applause. My days were brighter My songs were joy And then on a similar day Love taught me its final lessons Of how to let go… The ache was silent, I bled at nights. At the dawn of this dark night of the soul I was shown a glimpse of light Here, I was still very loved. So…like a child, I held it in my embrace It soon became my core. And every sight would make me wail. The boundaries of the self and other Losing out on merging forms Until all forms became a divine formlessness With ‘me’ sinking into global compassion Karuna…in my hridayam, Devotion in my veins, I was transmuted From a lover To The universal devotee… @p.k The true devotee is never a fanatic…

• 40 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Even the native Americans, the shamans, the Greeks, the kaballah all speak of spirit, life force and light…their focus is a diffuse formless entity and not fantazied as personal gods… Eventually, how does it all matter? Neha: Yeah Pallavi… How does it all matter! Take wine and chill. Pallavi: I don’t have wine…what intoxication is better than life…so ‘high’ on it already. Vishu inspired my poem, universal devotee…kaisi thi? Thanx vishu Vishu: Really nice one Pallavi. Pallavi: Happy minds sing similar songs. Neha: Oh! What lovely words… Pallavi: Neha…I ordered 3 books y day…the quest and notebooks by Paul brunton and kama sutra by Deepak Chopra…the latter is a beautiful picturesque book I happened to land on in the Mumbai airport…a must read… Neha: Thanks Pallavi… Will note them down Aachi: In the glorious state wherein the mind has died,even deep sleep will become God Consciousness -Padamalai of Sri Ramana Pallavi: Aum Aachi: So long as you are seeking something other than yourself as the agent for gaining bliss, there is no bliss for you.- Padamalai of Sri Ramana Vishu: Really nice quote from ‘Ramana Maharshi’ Mithin. Aachi: Its teachings of Ramana maharishi recorded by his disciple Muruganar You will find many such in Ramanasram library when u go there. Finite is my mind…infinite Thy Being. It is difficult for me to comprehend Thee but it is easy for You to have compassion on me… If the meditator and meditation be understood to be the same there will be no headache or similar complaints. - Sri Ramana

• 41 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Neha: The Veda says that as long as we do not accept life for what it is, as long as we try to control and change things, there will always be CONFLICT. Conflict ends when we realize that beyond tangible material reality, there is tangible spiritual reality. Life is a journey of knowing. Vishu: Good Mithin and Neha. Pallavi: Neha…for me…it is about unknowing. May you be bathed in cascades of joy…the ecstasy of your divine connection is the greatest truth of your life…be grounded in that and shun all illusions of separatedness…in love, we find our recluse and a shade to pause in the journey of life…halt there…awhile to take on newer flights…be love… Aachi: Guys please give me ideas for prelaunch marketing my science fiction book: How to make it more conspicuous What should be on the cover Who should write foreword Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Aachi: Publisher is of the opinion a foreword by science fiction author or man of science will be good Pallavi: So…let it have your innermost core as reflection…and u have Nanagaru’s blessings and grace…so, don’t worry…flow in spontaneity. Aachi: I thought of Sri Nannagaru as dedication Aaeeyna: I agree with Pallavi. How will a person who doesn’t know you write a foreword for you? Pallavi: All my writing is only master’s grace…I have no hand in it, whatsoever Aachi: Haha true. Once (2010) an article of mine got published in the International Journal of Sri Ramanasram Sri Nannagaru read it and said “You are an author, a painter, a singer, a doctor and many things. How did you inculcate such talents? Who trained you?” He was curiously surprised to note my multifaceted talents.

• 42 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

I said “You gave me.” He paused and said “Aha. You have attained a rare spiritual state” Pallavi:.Aachi…I am sending my poems for publication to the Delhi ramana Kendra magazine… Aachi: Good send. Send to main Ramanasram journal also. Pallavi: OK…I am so excited about my Thiruvanamallai trip…I seeked masters permission for d same…she was very happy and said I must go… and soak myself in the positive energies. Thanx. Ramana has beckoned me very mystically…… Pallavi: I meditate on arunachala and ramana everyday…briefly though. Aachi: See my now defunct blog on Arunachala: www.arunachalaheart. blogspot.com Haven’t posted in it since 2010. But I discuss a lot of darshans of Arunachala. Pallavi: OK.why did u stop posting? Aachi: Stopped feeling the urge to post. Pallavi: One of the methods of Sadhana that Nannagaru emphasizes is watching Arunachala. You have to just sit and watch the Hill. Watching the Hill is sadhana for it is Surrender…we surrender to the Hill’s will. No waves of the Mind…only Arunachala…This was your last post…I’ll read each of your posts slowly… Every dawn brings with it a new hope, new reasons for gratefulness and creates a milleu of joy and the celebration of life and its multifaceted goodness…it is a reminder of the transience of every phenomenon and also of the infinite capacity of life to rejuvenate and refresh each and every time…so, rejoice in the knowing that we are so very blessed and with a deep gratitude, rise to the occasion of today. Today is Sadhguru’s birth day. Many many happy returns of the day. Sadhguru. Koti koti Pranam. Neha: Pallavi…beautiful words Pallavi: Blessed life…words come from there. Thu, 03 Sep - Every aspect of my life is soaked in Devotion. Devotion not for a God above, but for all that is around me -Sadhguru.

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Prerna: Glad to know that you are always blissful. Pallavi: The striving to be…this or that is slowly fading in me……I feel blessed…I do have my shares of lows too…it’s a journey… Prerna: I totally agree but to keep up the spirit like u do…consistently is commendable! Pallavi: It’s only master’s grace. I wrote this to master today… At the initiation of a new day, I ensure you come to mind first, So that every ensuing thought Becomes a multiplied blessing… Any of u have an idea about the Saligram stone? Blissfullness is not a verb…it is a quality of our soul… Pallavi: Reading Deepak Chopra’s book on Kamasutra…he has spoken very highly about Vatsayana’s work as a spiritual text. And it’s so amazing that our Indian culture valued and studied every life process in so much detail and awareness… Also…Vatsasayana’s absolute shun of shame and opening up the platforms of pleasure equally for both genders must have been quite an urban thing to do even at that time… Neha: Pallavi, I guess the book is about the connection between sexuality and spirituality and how these two are connected. Just received my book today- Ideal by Ayn Rand. Pallavi: Yeah and a lot more…gulping it Neha: I guess… Listening to you talking about the book… I will order that one next. Day by day, my hunger for reading is increasing! Pallavi: Yeah yeah…order it… Neha: What a wonderful day today… Both teacher’s day and Krishna Janmashtami falling together… Who other than Krishna can be the symbolic teacher…the one who gave us ‘gyan ‘, the beautiful, eternal knowledge in Gita. Aachi: Celebrate the birthday of the One who is beyond birth and death.

• 44 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Pallavi: Hare Krishna! Aachi: What is Guru’s Grace like? When the arrow sent by Karna almost reached Arjuna’s head Sri Krishna puts His foot down and the chariot sinks. The arrow which was meant to kill could only touch the crown of Arjuna. Such is Sri Krishna the Guru of all. Pallavi: Shree Krishna Govind hare murari, He naath Narayan vasudeva… Celebrate the birthday of the transcdental wisdom, the perennial lover, and the fountainhead of eternal bliss… A yogi beyond compare…morphed into a lover…wow…what a subtle blend of both… The deeper your connection with existence, the sweeter your experience of life. Krishna was a living embodiment of that -Sadhguru. Neha…thanks for sharing the dual blessing of today In the end he must inwardly walk alone-as must everyone else however beloved-since god allows no one to escape this price…-Paul Brunton. Pallavi: Neha…The Ideal by Ayn Rand seems very nice…should I read it? Neha: Pallavi, have you read any of her earlier works? Pallavi: No…I find them tough to comprehend Neha: Then don’t try this one… It’s one of the lesser known works. Her best fiction works have been Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged Pallavi: These two works I know of…Sampath told me about her. But I did not read any because I went to her site and her philosophy seemed quite to fly above me Neha: She is like that… Pallavi: Finished this book in a single night. Neha: Try Fountainhead. Her philosophy is basically based upon capitalism. Pallavi: She seems to be quite a revolutionary for her times…even now. OK. I was planning to read Ramana’s verses of Updesha Saram… read a few…love them…AACHI, tommorrow I’ll go to Ramana Kendra, for a discourse by the head of chinmaya mission on advaita…

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Nishant…where are you? Neha…kalam’s autobiography is wings of fire? Neha: Yeah Pallavi…Wings of fire and also My Journey. Pallavi: Which one should I read out of the two? Neha…your brain will start sprouting with books and books if you go at this speed…your passion spurs and inspires me on…enjoy your blissful sojourn. Pallavi: Or should I read…Transdencendence…the new book by kalam Neha: Start with wings of fire, Pallavi Pallavi: Krishna.the enigma. In the change of spectacles, We have fresh sight. Twisters to the brain, enchanting to the heart, A single one, completely complete… And yet, a mirage for the unawakened one. Myriads to offer to each one of us In forms that our eyes are attuned to see, He is the regulator of the universal plan A mischievous toddler, anchored in strength An erotic archetype that spells of lust A devotee personified, a master in disguise, A king maker, brings the flute to life. Wisdom unparalled via the bhagwatam, A dancer that vibrates with life. A true yogi who plays with life. So many personas and yet not identified, Profane desire paradoxing with immense control, This world is his matchless Maya Where he keeps us magically enthralled Shows us glimpses and then disappears, Our devotion, our best guide

• 46 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

To unlock the diverse personifications And scale to moksha His leela, an eternal celebration Of life and its immensity… Lets rejoice to his anointed birth… @p.k Effortless and choiceless awareness is our true self. - Ramana maharishi. Pallavi: Compassion is the biggest philanthropy. Aachi: To whom is the compassion? Pallavi: Oneself Aachi: If there is only one who shows the compassion and to whom? Pallavi: Thanks. I have to commit that when I wrote those words…it had a background of duality. i.e me and others…now, after your enquiry, its phantomness has struck me. Aachi: I am just pulling your leg. Pallavi: Went to Ramana Kendra today…felt awesome in bhagwan’s benevolent presence. Devotion: When You Don’t Matter Anymore - YouTube - https://m. youtube.com/watch?v=ZXTOs60qgc4&feature=em-subs_digest Pallavi: May today be the beginning of some golden days where you find yourself moving closer to the treasures of the heart and the discovery of these rubies and gems unfold on you a realization that this life is worthy and has a divine purpose…may the glory of yourself unleash itself to you in unimagined ways…Om Guru! Aachi: Verily in us is the fountainhead of Bliss. We are Infinite and Universal. A billion years of sadhana cannot give it. A moment of Unconditional Love gifts the Glimpse or Satori Pallavi: Wow…Aachi. Pallavi: Aachi…if you remember…we have been talking about importance of saadhna and grace for a very long time now…I am still very confused…

• 47 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

When I asked master…ma’am said that it is your lifetimes of saadhna that brings you to grace. Aachi: As long as there is a sadhaak there should be sadhana. Actions are inert to produce results only if one stops thinking that he is the doer. Everything is in THINKING Pallavi: You mean to say…as long as there is saadaka, there is saadhna. This is a super evolved way of looking at it. It will take great grace to witness it this way. Aachi: A man leaving Ramanasram said sadly ‘I enjoy presence near Bhagawan Feet very much. When I am in Chennai I miss being near Bhagwans Feet. How can I cure this?’ Bhagawan replied ‘By renouncing the THOUGHT that you are not with Bhagawan even then.’ Om Namo Bhagawathey Sri Ramanaya How to get enlightened? asked a devotee to Sri Nannagaru Sri Nannagaru replied ‘By renouncing the THOUGHT that you ate not enlightened. Whatever exists is God Alone. Om Sri Nanna Paramatmane Namaha Pallavi: Aum If one loses sense of doership, karma becomes inert… Have I got it right now? Vishu: Very interesting discussion Mithin and Pallavi. Staying away from thoughts and trying to live in the present moment - we can get closer to the “Self.” That’s what I am trying to follow. Aachi: If you don’t have thoughts there is no ‘you’. There is God Alone Vishu: Yes, God or Self, whatever you call. But keeping the distance from the thought process is the biggest challenge. Pallavi: Vishu…being in the now is the key…even I am investing in it. Aachi: When you see God in everyone, everyone can see God in you. Neha: Pallavi, Aachi, Vishu… Awesome discussion. Though quite a lot of it went over my head! But it feels so good and peaceful and positive to read your words. Pallavi: Neha…love u.

• 48 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Neha: Love you too Pallavi… You inspire me a lot! Pallavi: I’d rather have you love me a lot… Neha…njoy d wilderness with merry friends Neha: Of course Pallavi… love is the foremost… Love you dear. Vishu: I feel blessed. Thanks Pallavi for creating this group. Pallavi: Thanx Vishu for being this group Neha: Finally re- reading Bridges of Madison County… Don’t know why but this book has been haunting me since years!!! Bought it as a gift for someone… But now it’s becoming very difficult to part with it. Have you ever been haunted by a book? Or by a surreal memory? Or a phrase? Pallavi: Neha…each of us continue to be haunted by memories and experiences etc…but r they soul imprints, sometimes I wonder……I feel all this is only our periphery though sometimes it appears to be our core… our feelings, our minds, our thoughts are only our surface… Prerna: Great Neha, I read the book when I was in college, it’s one of the best books ever!! Neha: Yeah Prerna…indeed. I too read this book for the first time in Mangalore…but the hangover remained for many years!! (Pallavi changed the subject to “The mosaics of friendship”) Himanshu: Oh…I thought the name semi enlightened was incomparable and perfect. It somehow celebrated the beauty in being partially ignorant and vulnerable. Pallavi: Yeah.But it was time for change…I don’t want us to be stuck with semi-enlightened…we are meant to go beyond. Aachi: People with desires or tendencies pertaining to enjoyment need the world. Otherwise why is this world needed? - Sadguru Sri Nannagaru Pallavi: In the various shades of the sky at dawn lie hidden God’s mercies and his matchless forms.compassion, love, forgiveness, power, celebration and play…on the auspicious occasion every day, he gives us the opportunity to be grateful and sing his glory and praise…we must be lucky to seize this every single day…we must be blessed indeed…Good Morning

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To be one’s own self is samaadhi. Ramana maharishi… Aachi: If you start seeing God in others then others will start seeing God in you. Aachi: To see something as separate is samsara…world…etc To know everything as one’s own Self is Moksha. Sama Bhava is samadhi, Bheda Bhava is samsara Neha: We need to fully enjoy GOD’s creation. Smell the earth, take delight in the flowers blooming, and take awe in children’s innocence. The list is endless. This amazing group had given me so much of positivity. I have begun changing as a person. It’s like my heart is being polished to reveal its shine. But this “I” isn’t leaving me yet! Pallavi: Neha lets rejoice as we walk together to the light. Let’s celebrate our divine associations set against the backdrop of a caring friendship and love. Neha: Yeah Pallavi. So much of positive energy flows here! Vishu: True Neha. I feel the same. Lot of positive energy here. Nicely said Pallavi. Walking together towards the light, helping each other. Pallavi: Co travellers. Aachi: Being is superior to seeing! Pallavi: Aachi…arunachala’s silence has all ready travelled to me Its kind of engulfing…I was so silent one day…kind of very thoughtless…I have a great prayer to arunachala… ‘I want to be empty’ Aachi: It is the most Silent Place on Earth. So if it calls you have to go. Pallavi: Arunachala and Ramana came to me through you for the first time when you spoke about it. I believe about 1.5 yrs back… I was attracted to it…slowly I have been experiencing it on me…then in Dec 2014, I became very disillusioned with my spiritual practices…the only thing I connected was with the silence of being…I was beckoned to go there but instead landed up at Coimbatore aashram…still, ramana tugged at me…I purposely kept away…one day before guru purnima, I connected by mistake (believe me) to the deputy secretary of ramana Kendra, Delhi

• 50 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra who happens to be a doctor. On guru purnima, he was visiting arunachala. So, I requested him to take me on a virtual pilgrimage along with him. All through 2 days…he made me visit the place. And then, I am going there now because it is inevitable, I know. All this is like a dream Aachi: Chant O mind Arunachala name Bestower of ego-death and spiritual fame Remember the One in the lotus cave Attain the One, the Ramana aim. Be the One that you are Arunachala is in you You and Arunachala are the same –Mithin AACHI Nov 26, 2008 Pallavi: Yes. I have been made to learn about so many spiritual masters and actually be available to their grace. My life has transformed with so many blessings…it is all unfathomable… Aachi: Once a man went with flowers with intent of worshipping Arunachala for a boon. He marveled at his devotion. But on reaching Arunachala he was stunned to see that millions of beautiful scented flowers from thousands of trees were being offered daily to the Hill by nature. The air was filled with sweet calls of birds. The streams from rains washed the Hill’s body. His pride burst and he realized that Nature worships Him. The clouds bath Him. The trees offer Him fruits and flowers. The birds sing for Him. And humans…humans only ask boons from Him. Aachi: Arunachalam and Venkatachalam (Tirumala) is the same. Arunachala is within Pallavi: Aum Apple pies, cup cakes, rainbow munches, tooth fairies, dreamy eyes, the merry swings, timeless abandon, joy of nothingness, fairies and pixies, boats in rains, sand castles, chocolate houses, candy floss, friendship bands, lunchbox shares, grandma’s tales… The innocence and sheer joy of childhood waits on us…Lets live it again…

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Neha: Pallavi… Such beautiful words…timeless abandon, joy of nothingness Pallavi: Got mesmerized with the plainness of childhood… Every day…when I wake up…the first thoughts that come are shared. Neha: We love those shares Pallavi. Pallavi: In a mind that has been rendered fertile with the aid of meditation, contemplation, devotion, sathsang and scripture, blooms the precious flower of realization. This tender care provides the perfect ambience for the blossoming of the eternal self. May we be devoted gardeners for today and forever…regards…GM. Vishu: Attended the monthly sathsang this weekend. It was amazing. Had a chance to hear from the isha volunteers about their encounters with Sadhguru. Pallavi: Wow Pallavi: At the crossroads when all paths seem to be equally in appeal, the hazy mind has no choice but to make an intuitive choice. At the brink of such a maze, a concealed solution must lie somewhere within the vault of himself. Inner guidance and silent approval from the higher self are trustworthy maps at such a juncture. May we have wisdom to make the perfect choices…GM. Himanshu: Aptly said.Beautifully worded… Pallavi: Thanx Neha: You write so beautifully, Pallavi, at par with Keats and William Blake and Lord Byron. Pallavi: Who are they? Yesterday a friend asked me if I really feel what I write…I think the answer is a no…Not all…most of it is merely voiced through me. Neha: Those are famous English poets. Aachi: “Late one night a female Zen adept was carrying water in an old wooden bucket when she happened to glance across the surface of the water and saw the reflection of the moon. As she walked the bucket began to come apart and the bottom of the pail broke through, with the water suddenly disappearing into the soil beneath her feet and the moon’s reflection disappearing along with it. In that instant the young

• 52 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra woman realized that the moon she had been looking at was just a reflection of the real thing…just as her whole life had been. She turned to look at the moon in all it’s silent glory, her mind was ripe, and that was it…Enlightenment.” CHIYONO– NO MOON, NO WATER Pallavi: In our quest, there come along various characters at different times who act as divine instruments, leading us to the light. Through life lessons and associations, the soul keeps evolving to bliss. In deep gratefulness for all the Co travellers and channels that chase the light… GM. Pallavi: Arunachala…An intended pilgrimage unto the enlightened void. Life has a manner of passing by Where seeking and striving, a deep conditioning. In the enthusiasm for results, The beauty of the journey most often missed. Spirituality, another zone of the mind game Where striving to moksha, a high end illusion. The shortest routes in the fastest times Are what are the favoured way. I had intended to be on a pilgrimage With a similar chaste desire. In a meditative mood, I was awakened to this. In the ambience of arunachala, In the gaze of your grace, All I need is to surrender in silence And be open to receiving bliss. No striving, no reaching, no talking Only ‘being’ must be the qualified way. So, I’ll come to you Only to participate In your enlightened void. @p.k

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Aachi, I am submitting this poem to Ramana Kendra magazine This is pre pilgrimage…wonder if I will have words left after returning I am doing Surya Kriya. The Surya kriya is a little tough for me but it’s an amazing practice…every limitation breaks Aachi: Ok Pallavi: Today,I got a crystal bracelet for me…it has malachite green and blue turquoise in it…rejoicing in it Neha: You are an inspiration for all of us Pallavi.keep strong… Keep smiling always. Pallavi: Crystals choose us. Whatever causes night in our souls may leave stars. - Victor Hugo As the mass consciousness escalates to newer zones of love and light, each of us become worthy recipients of the overflowing grace. The universe corresponds to us in newer and simpler decoded language that had earlier been carefully concealed. These translations of perfect synchronicity are readily avalaible to corroborate our inner guidance… may we transmute our vibrations appropriately to hear such sacred correspondence…GM. Vishu: Well said Pallavi. GM Pallavi: In a single minded devotion come to an abrupt end all aspiring and striving. In the orchards of piety, there bloom many beautiful flowers with a spontaneity and effortlessness. A single pious moment of bhakti is the culmination point of eons of saadhna. And that moment is too a gift of the grace. With this understanding, effort drops and is replaced by surrender…GM. I am not an adventurer by choice but by fate.”Von gogh The spiritual dignity. When the misplaced gods in us have finally awakened, When the ‘I’ is the projection of a global icon, When mighty compassion has replaced petty love, When a single tear salts a million mouths, When kindness is the crown of strength, And wisdom a natural way of life,

• 54 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

When beauty is the highlighted asset And gratitude the highest honour, When freedom is the valuable glory And laughter the grandest adorn, When joy is a must over spill, When the universe is a single consciousness And no borders tear our hearts apart, We will rejoice In the lap Of Our sacred spiritual dignity. @p.k Sampath: 6 Quantum Physics Facts That Make You Question Your Very Nature - http: //www.epochinspired.com/inspired/1167829-7-quantum- physics-facts-that-make-you-question-your-very-nature/ Pallavi: Thanks Sampath. I am reading Dr.Deepak Chopra’s “Ageless body timeless mind.” It connects quantum truths with our real time life. Sampath: Article: Quantum “Weeping Angel” Effect Freezes Atoms in Place - Quantum “Weeping Angel” Effect Freezes Atoms in Place http: //flip.it/IJ8Dk Sampath: Article: Is another human living inside you? - Is another human living inside you? http: //flip.it/JNNF2

• 55 • C h a p t e r 2 FEBRUARY

(Pallavi changed the group’s subject to “The urban satsang”) Pallavi: In an accomplished life, aching and healing are equally embedded. The presence of purpose can often traced to a root of personal misfortune. Darkness is a perfect platform to begin the chase for the light. So, in effect, nothing is a shun, not even the pain and sorrow of growing up. In the ambience of pain, stunning compassion carries its seed… may we have a day of global embrace. All shades of our spiritual journeys are reflections of an ever evolving soul. Through dark patches when one comes face to face with one’s limitations of fear, anger, restlessness and sadness, there might be a pause where one feels disillusioned and demoralized. In those phases, it remains important to use the navigation of our inner compass and realign and reorient our faces to the light. Also, an important ingredient to remember is to learn to forgive and love our own selves through these shadows. May we be eternally in love and enjoy our ascending with both feet on the ground. Aachi: The Now Alone is the Truth. Any attention to Time is Nontruth. Every Moment there is ManoNasha. Manonasha is the Truth. Let attention scorch the seed so that it will never sprout. If you stay in the Now, every moment is Manonasha - Mahatma Ganesan Neha: We have such talented, creative and positive people here…it’s inspiring. Pallavi: And so much fun too Neha: I am always unable to meditate! Why is that so!! I guess some people are not meant for meditation. Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Pallavi: Maybe. Aachi: Make work your meditation. Pallavi: I’d say…just BE! Aachi: If meditating appears an effort it’s better not to meditate. Pallavi: That’s what I meant to say. Aachi: Sri Ramakrishna gave a beautiful way to transcend this A person came and said I can’t meditate on God but I love my nephew. He was advised to meditate on the nephew as the face of God. So meditate on something you love as essence of God. Pallavi: That could be books for Neha. Aachi: From what I can gauge of Neha’s personality her path is Karma Yoga alone. Giving up the fruits of actions to the Lord and engaging in meditation on work alone. Work done without Ego Sense is Worship said Sri Krishna. This is the Supreme State. - Sri Nannagaru Neha: Thanks a ton Pallavi and Aachi. I always used to feel miserable that I am unable to meditate. But now listening to you both, I realize that ‘work’ that I love always acted as a soother for me. So maybe I should focus on that. Working without the expectation… That’s what is needed. And that’s beautiful Aachi - meditate on something that you love. Pallavi: The sweetness of the guru’s love remains as the universal antidote to all ailments of life, enriching us in treasures that are matchless in quality to any other. A million years of striving comes to a screeching halt at the lotus feet of the beloved guru. Calling him beloved is most appropriate because of his engulfing and unconditional love. In a single gaze, the cataracts of ignorance and delusion are mercilessly slaughtered and all is illuminated and bright. Om guru. “Enlightenment happens quietly without any noise - no big fire crackers happening, very quietly from one dimension to another” - Sadhguru How long does it take to get enlightened?

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http: //www.ishafoundation.org/blog/sadhguru/masters-words/how- long-does-it-take-to-get-enlightened/ Aachi: Today is Sri Nannagaru’s Birthday His teaching in a nutshell ‘God and World are not two entities. Whatever exists is God Alone. If you think world as different from God you are living in illusion. When you recognize the world also as God then the world disappears and what always was… GOD… alone remains. Pallavi: Hare Krishna. The grace has its own intelligence to discover every hidden void in us and explode it with its light. We might believe that these dark corners will never be found only to find them transformed into puddles of light. The kindness and compassion of such grace brings us to turn inside out and empty all darkness. May we remain in such illumination, today and eternally…GM. Pallavi: The sunny path is interspersed with the cool shades, winters transmute into springs, the once a chrysalis is now a butterfly, the new soon becomes the old and light alternates with the grey of darkness. Everything is in a state of flux, a change that is the biggest truth about life. This constant and dynamic transformation runs in the undertone of everything in life…let’s embrace it gracefully. Sampath: Article: Proof That the Human Body is a Holographic Projection of Consciousness - Proof That the Human Body is a Holographic Projection of Consciousness http: //flip.it/GKvFF To understand this one must understand the double slit experiment and quantum physics Pallavi: The day of meeting the beloved preludes by a sleepless night. The many dreams of the holy encounter where one’s life becomes crystallized into a blessing lead onto a living reality when one is in the sacred presence of the guru’s light. Moving into the shade of the guru’s overwhelming presence is enough to corroborate one’s blissful soul self and there could be no bigger a prayer…Gm! Neha: Just got this book. by Dr. Radhakrishnan! We all should have been taught such essays and works of great people in school.

• 58 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Pallavi: Share something from the book, Neha Neha: Sure Pallavi. Will do. Vishu: Watch “sadhguru jaggi vasudev - nassim haramein - higgs boson’s impact” on YouTube - https: //youtu.be/XYI4NByNi10 Very interesting video Sampath, I saw your link. It is really nice. I had watched the above stated video few days back and you would find it very interesting. Sampath: Thanks Vishu……I’ve seen this before. I have been wondering; after all this discussion here, what are we trying to achieve in this forum? To convince ourselves? By now we must be either convinced by this philosophy, ideology, science, notion, and concept, whatever you wish to call it OR not. This video, for instance clearly points to the fact that science meets spirituality or the Spiritual existence. Each and every word of Sadhguru is worth its weight in gold. Now…if we are really convinced, don’t you think we must let others know? There are billions out there who would benefit from this. If not spiritual upliftment, looking at life in a less materialistic way would make them more satisfied about their existence It would make the uninitiated be calmer and mature about general everyday situations…to accept things as they are If one were to indulge in this spiritually, we know it would transform their lives. It has transformed ours isn’t it? So why don’t we spread the message. Speak out loud and clear in support of this concept? Aachi: It’s a long video. Sampath: Popularize it in all social forums. Aachi: What does it talk about? Sampath: Aachi, a montage of Sadhguru’s talk interspersed with scientific explanations. See it, Aachi it’s worth the time. If we remain quiet are we doing justice to this idea?

• 59 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Secondly, we talk and talk about this. It’s become so fashionable to talk about spirituality. How many of us who believe in it have actually practiced it to the point of perfection? By just talking about it and by watching people speak on you tube and TV…all it becomes is a TV soap in our lives. We are captivated by it but the moment we leave it behind in the screen, we go back to the old routine. Spirituality is to be EXPERIENCED. Not spoken about or discussed beyond a point. It’s not a public show but intensely personal. This forum is worth its value if at least one of us have progressed to the next level. And trust me…when that happens even with one of us, we will ALL, without exception know about it. Whether you write about it or not. Pallavi: Sampath, I am glad you voiced your thoughts with frankness and clarity. I stand convinced with you on this. I will be abstaining to share on this forum from now on as I have found myself not qualified enough.I am trying to seek some very deep answers about my own life and I think it is best to maintain silence when one is going through so many intense processes…speaking and sharing both dilute the flow of silence. Aachi: It s a travesty to think something is achievable by us. It s also a travesty to think something happens because of us Pallavi: What is the context, Aachi? Aachi: By sharing something you are not diluting anything nor are you adding anything. It s just how it is meant to be… When the body took birth the day of its death the entire gamut of its existence has been charted by God already. There is no new thing which one does. Nobody can progress to the next level by any effort whatsoever. Everything is the decree of God. If one can absolutely resign to this then everything falls into place. It is destiny which leads the body. If it us in destiny that one should progress spiritually then one will irrespective of effort or absence of it Destiny = Gods Will Sampath: This is a good discussion point Aachi, I had this discussion once before with someone else. While I agree that everything happens

• 60 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

God willing…it is a fallacy to think that we have no control over our destinies. Aachi: If I have gained any understanding by being in the presence of Jnani it is this. Whatever happens, it is God’s Will. If you understand this, it is peace. If not, it is misery. Sampath: Don’t you think it’s very nihilistic? Then why must one even strive towards spirituality? We will when God wills. Aachi: It’s very liberating actually if we really follow the concept. Trust God. Do not wait in the thought: “When will I attain Self Knowledge?” Do not question God: “When will you liberate me?” Rather say: “Oh! God; It is your will whether you want to bestow me with Self Knowledge or not. It is your will whether you want to bestow me with liberation or not. Let thy will be done and not mine. I will not command you to act in a particular manner. Do as thy wish.” Attain such a state of mind. God will then bless you with peace. Sampath: So according to you, should we begin or let God decide for us? I mean do I start meditating today or wait for God to make me do it? Aachi: If it is in your destiny to meditate now you will. If not. Everything happens at its own time Sampath: Do I take a decision or wait for the ‘time’. You must also mean this for everything in life isn’t it? Not just spirituality. Aachi: If you have decided now then it was in your destiny if not also, then that was in your destiny. There is no EFFORT. Once someone asked if even small things like switching a fan switch is predetermined. Ramana replied, ‘Every act is predetermined.’ Sampath: It’s this for everything in life or only spirituality? Aachi: All things spiritual or otherwise Sampath: So everything is predetermined…isn’t it? Aachi: Absolutely Sampath: We are all remote controlled. Aachi: Even this conversation. Sampath: We are working at the behest of the Creator

• 61 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Aachi: Yes like puppets. If we understand this concept then there is no ‘we’. There is only He Sampath: Ok. Then let the two of us decide that we understand this logic perfectly well and think of what we will do next…I am on my bed… do I get down or stay in bed? But either way God wins.…because if you step down…He says…it’s my doing. If I don’t he still wins. Aachi: What happened will happen as it is written in your destiny. Sampath: Fantastic!!!! Aachi…listen carefully now.… Aachi: Absolutely Sampath: So it’s God who works everything through us. It is his doing that we are having this conversation right? Aachi: Everything Sampath: Right? Through us he acts right? Did God then rape Nirbhaya? Aachi: Why point out that act alone. God kills everyone. Isn’t death common? How many nirbhayas happen? Innumerable! Sampath: Ha ha…answer the specific question Aachi. Did GOD RAPE NIRBHAYA? Aachi: All acts are in the gambhit of Divine Will alone Sampath: Yes or no Aachi: Yes. Sampath: Ok. That’s all I wanted. Aachi: He was the one who did it and on whom it happened. Sampath: I don’t believe in your God anymore Aachi. My God doesn’t rape people. Aachi: You think the ones who perpetrated the act are God but forget even Nirbhaya was God. Your vision looks at the criminals only not the victim. The perpetrators are God as much as the victim. You forget this simple point. Sampath: I don’t care if Nirbhaya was God or not. I’m talking about the act. Is he is pervert to rape himself? Aachi: I am all consuming and all devouring death

• 62 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Sri Krishna in BG. Don’t be selectively righteous Sampath: Lot of injustice happens in this world. It has happened in the past. There’s an ant going past a street.…a car crushes it. There’s somebody who dies in an accident. There’s someone murdered. It’s not all about God Aachi. Aachi: If you are ready to believe all is Gods Will you can exclude ANYTHING!!! Sampath: Ok…Let me believe everything you say Aachi: Let’s continue tomorrow sorry. Have to rock my baby to sleep Sampath: God is in everything. So God raped God. Some other Gods like you and me saw it and condemned. Some other Gods didn’t care. Where is this going? Sampath: Ok. Ciao Aachi Aachi: It doesn’t go anywhere Sampath. I will catch up tomorrow. Sampath: Sorry Mithin it doesn’t make sense. Ok. Catch you tomorrow Neha: Whoa! What a discussion! Sampath: What do you feel Neha? God rapes God? Neha: Nope. I am a bit of an agnostic. Sampath: Me too. A lot actually. I question everything.…every philosophy. Neha: It is easier to accept the basic fact- life is unfair… God, if he is there, is also unfair Sampath, I am not as evolved as you… Still in the experiencing and learning stage Sampath: It is only by discussion that we evolve. And by discussion I mean questioning every philosophy. There’s a lot of crap out there. Neha: I agree. In fact, Dr. Radhakrishnan also talks about amalgamation of science and spirituality a lot. I think we should motivate others to read Vivekananda lectures also… I am learning so much from that. Sampath: According to me there’s God and there’s free will too. Neha: May be. Sampath: I had in the past written about my concept of God…

• 63 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Neha: What’s your concept? Sampath: He is himself in an unstable state…He is creating…and evolving Himself Neha: Interesting! Sampath: He is the state between matter and energy. We all know that the universe is headed from a state of more disorder to less disorder… entropy. It is seen in evolution…in our social behaviour. We are getting more organized genetically and psychologically. We were in dark ages… now we r in the age of constitutions and world orders. We are organizing ourselves So is nature So is the universe There is a state of fluxes where there’s a movement towards the better. This is God organizing Himself. Neha: So everything is happening in a planned manner… Nothing is random. Sampath: It is naturally getting organized. There could be cycles…I don’t know. But we are midway through entropy. We will make mistakes till we are 100% organized. That is the true state of Godliness. Neha: And what will happen when we are 100% organized? Will it be a perfect world, Perfect God? Sampath: I was about to answer this. Maybe the perfect state is not stable too. After this point there’s disintegration I guess. That’s what is called the cycle of Yugas. I guess Neha: Oh! That’s an interesting theory. Samapth, however much I want to continue this discussion. But need to make my daughter sleep. Sampath: These are my own theories. Coz I find every other theory not perfect. But even my theory has holes. Let’s keep that aside for now. Pallavi: Sampath, you will be left only with me Sampath: I believe one can never get the answer so easily.…just by thinking about it. It’s the biggest secret since creation. We can only try. So Pallavi…what say u? Pallavi: I am boggled with different matters now.

• 64 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Sampath: Question everything. Don’t believe everything. But discard nothing. Pallavi: Like low self esteem, a loveless and detached disposition… basically tasting severe vairaagya. Himanshu: I really like your theory Sampath…but more than that I like your habit of putting a question mark in front of many established thought processes or dictums.… All I can say is…I believe in God and I have felt Him or perceived Him at certain junctures of my life. Pallavi: We have our demons to fight… Also…all this talk reels my head sometimes…it seems futile and bankrupt. Sampath: It is quite futile Pallavi. Trust me. So the best thing is to deal with life. Enjoy life. Sadhguru says what he says coz that’s the role he plays in this world. It’s not a role we can play. Me and you have different roles…Different lives…Each atom is different, has its own role Himanshu, tell us your experience of God? Pallavi…there IS no answer. Otherwise there are so many who speak of spirituality…how many of them have walked on water or done something similar? Pallavi: Then why discuss these matters at all? Sampath: Yes. I’m all for it. Stop it. You will find no answers. You can believe in any concept though. It will satisfy you.…but it may not be the truth. Himanshu: Too late now Sampath…Have to get up early tomorrow morning and have to travel… I feel He provides channels to my fluid like life to guide it through various trouble ridden fields n is ultimately going to lead it n end it unto a final vast infinite water body…He Himself Sampath: What if what was written in the Bhagavad Gita was by some philosopher called Veda Vyas…who believed in a philosophy he wanted the world to know or follow? Ok someday I would like to challenge your theory.…Maybe it will lead you to improve upon it. Himanshu: I mean I see myself being ultimately brought closer to Him by His Divine Self only.

• 65 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Sampath: Is he a spirit? Is he nature? I mean universe? Is he you? Or is he dormant in you? There’s the Hindu concept that you are one with God. There’s the brahiminic concept that God is separate from the system Himanshu: Can’t say Sampath. I am not that evolved a soul and have never actually questioned it so objectively like that. But today you iterated something which I thought many times…If He is within me, then why does He allow me to sin…or maybe someone else to rape… Is it to teach the world the lessons of Karma n its retribution? Sampath: Question Karma and the laws of it. Use it not as something that’s established and you are the one who needs to know about it. Nothing is certain. If it was Sadhguru would have treated himself his daughter who’s lying in a hospital with dengue!!! Himanshu: Bad Karma leading to bad consequences n good karma leading to good ones… Then why many corrupt n evil people stay so happy apparently… (If happiness is the ultimate parameter of reward) Sampath: You are at the very beginning. But it’s a very interesting journey if you keep at it. It changes your personality Himanshu: I somehow felt this change in you when I met you this time during your visit to Delhi and Chandigarh… Will catch up tomorrow Ciao…Good night. Sampath: Ciao Himanshu! Aachi: Just made the little guy sleep. Whatever path one feels comfortable, that path is for him / her. That is Advaita Samapath. It makes perfect sense. Only the presence of differentiation makes one miserable. Sampath: Advaitha says You and God are the same. So does God do mistakes? Aachi: Mistake word pertains to duality. There should be someone who does and to someone which it is done. That’s duality. In Advaita, there are no others. Sorry but again I have to go. Will chat again Vishu: Wow, woke up to find out there are 225 messages. A very interesting discussion. I am not evolved enough and have as much

• 66 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra knowledge as some of you on this forum, but will express my views. Like Mithin says, every action is predetermined is a hard concept for me to understand and you need to be a great believer in God to be able to understand and follow that. I would consider myself agnostic but waking up to find out there is God in each of us, just that we are obscuring it by our ego (collection of thoughts, opinions etc). Under all these layers of ego, there is pure consciousness which has all the answers and is part of the so called creator. The person who raped nirbhaya also has the same consciousness but is much polluted and thickly covered by layers of ego. It may take many life times for him to lose all those layers. I would love scientific explanation for everything, but as Sadhguru puts it, it is not possible to understand everything with our so called intellect which is very limited and based on our limited perception from our senses. Other explanation that makes sense is “soul age.” The fact that we are discussing these things suggests that we are old souls, may be after going through many life times of learning. Person who raped nirbhaya is a young soul with all his energy concentrated in his base chakras. Same goes to many people who feel the need for endless accumulation of materialistic things. Aachi: All of you with your varied paths and understandings are right. Kaletmanam Vidanti Everything comes to pass in time Himanshu: Vishu…I can relate to your concept of pure inner consciousness with layers of dirt of ego etc around… Aachi: Lose the habit of seeing wrong and right. Nobody improves self by doing so. In deep sleep you are unaware of the Same. Same too should be while waking. You should be established in waking sleep. This is possible only when Atman is realised. Be established in the Now and be silent. This silence increases your spiritual strength. Then the world manifests as God. (Pallavi changed the subject to “Enlightenment IS”) Pallavi: On this beautiful morning, I have set out on my pilgrimage to Arunachala. It’s a blessing that I will be forever grateful for. Aum.

• 67 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Vishu: That’s amazing Pallavi. Please keep us posted. Pallavi: Sure. Neha: Have a great spiritual time, Pallavi Himanshu: All the best Pallavi… Pallavi: Thanks. Reached Chennai…on my way to Thiruvanamallai Aachi: You will be on Tindivanam highway. After 50 to 60 km a beautiful Ganapati will be seen near the foot of the hill. You need not go till Tindivanam there will be a bypass before itself. Once you take the bypass an awesome shrine of the Mother with Subramanayam and Ganapati will come to your right. Once you cross Gingee fort keep your breath in check…suddenly the Holy Hill will spring in the horizon!!! Pallavi: Thanx Aachi: Only those who are dead to desires for [the pleasuresof] the vast delusive panorama of the world will have their life transformed into Siva. There will be no bliss by any means other than the dawn of the pure and fresh experience of Self. – Guru Vachaka Kovai 859 Aachi: Where are you Pallavi?!! Did you see It? Pallavi: Just reached the aashram… saw the fort and arunachala Aachi: Wow! What did you feel? Send It’s live picture please. Himanshu: Send a pic of the sacred mountain Pallavi: Sure Aachi and Himanshu Prerna: When are you coming back Pallavi? Pallavi: On sun night…going for grivalam tonight…14 km pradikshna around the sacred mountain of arunachala… Prerna: God ! Pallavi what keeps you going?? I am intrigued… Vishu: Wow Pallavi. Post your experience please after the pradakshina. Pallavi: The pradikshna was beautiful. Took 4.5 hours. arunachala was stunning beauty at night… Sampath: ‘Photons of light do not experience time. That is, when a photon is emitted from some light source, say a star, from its perspective it arrives at its destination instantaneously, no matter how close or how far away it actually traveled through space. Only matter in the universe

• 68 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra experiences time, so to some observer elsewhere, it may have appeared as though it took a billion years for that photon to travel from its source to its destination. So imagine this: inside the core of every single star, millions or even billions of years ago, hydrogen atoms were being fused together to create helium atoms. The energy released from all of those essentially infinite numbers of reactions steadily made their way to the surfaces of their respective stars, and photons were ejected into the vacuum of space. Those photons travelled across the galaxy for millions of our years, avoided the countless number of obstacles in between us, and entered the Earth’s atmosphere. Those photons avoided even more obstacles as they passed through the atmosphere before finally reaching your eye’s cornea, focused by your pupil, and landing on your retina. The absorption of these photons by the rods and cones in your eye triggers signals to your brain, which are then interpreted into the amazing cumulative image you are observing. That entire process, from hydrogen fusion to traveling for millions of years to triggering an image in your brain, is by itself an amazing thing to contemplate. But here’s the mindfuck. Every single photon your eyes absorb are yours and yours alone, and from the perspective of each of those photons, that process from nuclear fusion to absorption in your retina occurred at the exact Same instant. No one else can ever see those Same photons. No one else can ever possibly witness the exact Same set of photons from the countless number of stars in the sky. Every time you look up at the night sky, you are observing a beautifully unique image that will never ever be reproduced. And it’s all just for you, this tiny little creature on a planet orbiting a star we call the Sun, in a galaxy we call the Milky Way.’ Pallavi: Wow Sampath…this is so very amazing…thanx for sharing… We have so much to be grateful for…every photon weaving to us beautiful sights are themselves timeless and isn’t it amazing to know specially designed for us… This article is very amazing coz it suggests that only matter perceives time…which in a way is liberating coz we r consciousness, not matter and henceforth the conclusion that we r not ordained by time…we r ever free, ever travelling…isn’t it so amazing…this freedom from racing towards a certain goal or end point… we r TIMELESS…

• 69 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

BE. When the edge of time announces its termination, There is a majestic herald of an enlarging void, In meditative trans or a single moment of bhakti, We are consented to touch this realm. Where all sense of doing or pushing takes a backseat Only allowing remains as perfect qualification. In this pious dimension, all conditionings experience a drop out, Even the task of observation fades, The duality of prayer is effortlessly transcended, And one can joyfully ‘BE’… @p.k Aachi: If you have firm faith in the Existence of God, Surrender unto Him. If you can make His will as your will, His resolve as your resolve, you will cease to exist and He alone will prevail ie the Jiva vanishes and the Lord alone exists. - Sadguru Sri Nannagaru) Pallavi: reading the yoga vashishta and ashtavakra geeta. (Pallavi changed the group’s subject to “Joy is forever.”) Nishant: What’s ashtaavakra geeta. Ashtaavakra’ story is well known…is it called ashtaavakra geeta Pallavi: These are a series of verses… http://www.ishafoundation.org/blog/sadhguru/masters-words/ navaratri-sadhana/?utm_source=Sadhguru_Spot&utm_medium= email&utm_campaign=Weekly_Spot_Mailer Vishu and Prerna…check out the link Vishu: Thanks Pallavi.

Pallavi: ईश्र मेरे बिना भी ईश्र ही है…पर म ℂ ईश्र के बिना कु छ भी नहीं… Aaachi, send me your mail id…I’ll send u a write up on my thiruvanamalai trip. it as submission for direct path magazine, Ramana Kendra, Delhi… Vishu: Can you send a copy for me too Pallavi.

• 70 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Pallavi: Sure…Vishu Pallavi: Vishu and Aachi,.I sent you both. Aachi: Yeah read it. It’s very nice. All the best Pallavi: Thanks Vishu: Beautiful. I am glad that you had an amazing experience Pallavi. Pallavi: Thanks Vishu Aachi: To conquer a desire control it brings more joy than to satisfy it. Every day try to renounce prominence. Bear injury bear insult that is also part of Sadhana. Unless we experience Truth we will never stop believing the illusion Pallavi: You are unattached, action less, self effulgent and without any blemish. This indeed is your bondage that you practise samadhi… Ramana Maharishi. Reading a soul wrenching book…”A woman unto herself” by Tina Benson…recommended strongly for all who can dare to see themselves in the most naked way… Prerna: Pass it on… Pallavi: It’s on kindle.can’t share…download it from amazon…330 for book and 1300 for paperback Prerna: Great Pallavi: The sampoorna ramayan verses talk about Rama’s life in entirety…I love to read it on all days of the navratras. Also doing the Bhairavi stuti and making offerings to the powerful and divine feminine of Linga Bhairavi(female shakti form consecrated by Sadhguru) every morning. Devotion is not a concept, ideology, or act – it is an agent of dissolution -Sadhguru. Prerna I am following you to Corbett… going there Nov end for a spiritual treat (retreat) with master…Amazing life…going to rishikesh end of the month Aachi: I bought Amethyst

• 71 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Pallavi: Wow…amethyst is good for the third eye…strengthens one’s intuitive, intellectual and divine connections…you can keep it in your meditative area Aachi…u must do the crystal cleaning and prime them to your energies…they work superb then… Aachi: I just collect them. Pallavi: They are not dead stones…they become a comrade or friend if one befriends them… Aachi: I collect them so that I don’t have desire to collect them and prevented from being born again to collect them. My Crystal is Sri Nannagaru alone Pallavi: Great. We know it all and yet we remain… Attached Aachi: My desires in this life look queer and varied. Art photography, stones, idols etc etc All are desires which I taste and leave. For they never torment me again and I am not born again for satisfying them Pallavi: Desire is another paradox… Much advocation talks of shunning desire, others talk about living them, so that one does not return to full fill as u said…But the question is that every desire starts a new karmic matrix. So…should desire be lived, forsaken or healed? Aachi: You can taste it if you are ready to renounce it the next minute. Pallavi: Yes…but it is not that easy…once tasted…the mind wants it again, and yet again… Pallavi: May the opulence of the navdurgaas flood your life… May the benovelence of the Devi brim your heart with compassion and divine love Lets greet this overflowing grace with gratitude in our hearts… Love and light for now and forever…

• 72 • C h a p t e r 3 MARCH

Sampath: The fact that shit happens to us all the time and more if this happens by the passing minute, left me wondering how the creator could let his creation suffer? Why all the pain around us if God was indeed God and we were his children? It was this elementary question that took me through a fascinating journey. After years of dabbling with science, religion and spirituality in a quest to quench my inability to comprehend or rather accept the Creation and the concept of God, I came to my own conclusions about God. I conceptualized that the ‘Event of God’ could lie in an unstable state of nothing and the smallest possible manifestation of energy which then goes on to attain the smallest possible manifestation of mass. From the point of manifestation of the tiniest point of energy, somehow, the laws of nature automatically take effect. Laws of nature that can be scientifically explained and mathematically calculated like, for instance, energy, by the law of nature, can turn into mass (E=MC2) and vice versa. Due to the fact that this ‘Event’ is an unstable state, it has to keep spitting out energy and hence all of creation continuously thereby potentially creating millions of universes (and Big Bangs) like ours by the millisecond. But the ‘Event’, despite being the original creator does not actually have control over what happens AFTER the tiniest particle of energy is created. Once the ball is set rolling, it is then governed by the laws of nature. This in turn leads to events like the gases that came out milliseconds after Big Bang, the formation of matter, the particles, stars, amino acids, life, multiplication, evolution, all of which can be scientifically explained. Since the laws of nature take effect from the point of creation of the tiniest form of energy, this is also the starting 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution point of science. The termination of creation is also ingrained in the laws of nature and is perfectly explained by science. We know that mass is unstable too and turns into energy and those elements like the sun will implode someday into a supernova or a black hole and maybe back into nothing. Hence retrospectively and prospectively everything can be scientifically deduced till this point of the ‘Event’. But NOT BEYOND. THE ‘EVENT’ itself is beyond science and will always remain so. According to this theory the Universe, the Broth of Life, Evolution and the shit that happens in our lives IS purely due to entropy and chance and hence have perfectly scientific explanations. If you are hurt it is explained by probability and statistics. Everything between the ‘Event’ is scientific. Somewhere in between the scale of time WE live on…scientifically, by all probability and by chance. No amount of Gods or prayers can change our fate or the shit that happens to us, of which there is no bigger example than our death itself. That which began must decay and come to an end. It is simply scientific. No God can save us or the creation. We can improve our lives by organising ourselves better. Reducing entropy. Prof. Mir working at the Large Hardron Collider at CERN in Switzerland states that “everything” that we know came from “nothing” and by “nothing” he only meant absence of energy, and not the absence of laws of physics. He also says, “If by God you mean a supernatural super man who breaks his own laws then yes he’s done for, you just don’t need him. But if you mean God as a great mathematician, then yes!” But things get murkier as we take a peek into our religious scriptures, be it in any religion. An interesting fact is that the RigVeda (circa 7000BC to 2000BC) quotes “If in the beginning there was neit her Being nor Non- Being, neither air nor sky, what was there? Who or what oversaw it? What was it when there was no darkness, light, life, or death? We can only say that there was the One, that which breathed of itself deep in the void, that which was heat and became desire and the germ of spirit.” If you interpret heat to be a reference to creation of the universe, desire to be creation of life and germ of spirit to be the multiplication of life forms, you get the feeling that we have come a full circle. Futuristic Science just said Hello to Ancient Religious Philosophy.

• 74 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

How is it possible? How did people know this with certainty thousand of years back? With all the technology in our hands don’t we look foolish in front of our forefathers who smile down upon us from the heavens above and say ‘I-told-you-so’! We needed a 16 mile Large Hardron Collider and a million other intelligent or stupid gadgets along the years, billions of dollars wasted or well used, centuries of learning and unlearning, reams of useful and useless scientific publications, theories: from gravity to relativity to quantum……to come to the EXACT same conclusion that our ancient civilizations came to with none of the above. The answer may lie in the concept of Self Realisation. The concept of Tat Tvam Asi. ‘You Are That’…’Event’? Were they the ‘Prophets’ and the Gods who enlightened and guided us with their wisdom? Was this the birth of religion? Pallavi: http: //www.express.co.uk/news/science/612340/Origin-of-the- universe-riddle-solved-by-Canadian-physicists-and-er-it-wasn-t-God Sampath check out this video called ancient wisdom in modern times Deepak Chopra and sadhguru…It resonates with your perceptions… hope it helps. On my way to Rishikesh…another rendezvous! Aachi: Physicists prove that God didn’t create the Universe is a fantastic article heading. But our ancients have reiterated that THERE IS NO UNIVERSE which was created in the first place since long. It’s called the Drishti Shristi Vada It means the world exists as a mental construct and has no substantial base whatsoever. It is illusory like a dream. The appearance and disappearance of the world is based only on mind fluctuations like dream deep sleep and waking. God did not create the Universe for the simple reason that there is NO UNIVERSE which has been created. What IS is Alone. Nothing ever happened. Imagination and mental construction alone is the culprit of variety. There was, is and will be no Universe which was is will be created.

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This is the Ultimate Teaching of Hindu belief. There is no you nor me nor this nor that for everything that is supposed to be is dependant on mental state of waking sleep or dream Hence cannot be true. What is constant for all three states is Truth Pallavi: I am at Rishikesh… An ode to maa ganga. The inkling murmurs of ceaseless flowing, The perenial joy of just ‘being’, Rested in a sacred sanctuary of bliss. An embrace that welcomes home The pains, the prayers and ashes all the same. A memoir of our dignified association With the elements in such entwined harmony. Sometimes in rage and rapid travel, At others a ripple free serenity. So many faces and yet so global, You bless, nourish and create a divine fervour For our soul vortexes to emerge anew. The feminine dynamics of beauty, surrender and power Are an epitome you potray without fault. In this womb of your mesmerizing devotion I compose this ode of universal piety. @p.k Sampath: Watch “Moola Mantra” on YouTube - https: //youtu. be/9ebpgVj3Wtg. Pallavi: Vishu…how’s your Shaambhavi treating you? Vishu: Good Pallavi. I can feel the difference. I am coming to India this weekend and attending one of our batch mate Das’s wedding in Hyderabad. I am going to spend 3 days at Isha centre in Coimbatore from 3rd to 6th of November. Pallavi: Hope u have a wonderful time at the aashram…it’s a different world all together…

• 76 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Vishu: Would love to, Pallavi. But again, this is a very short trip. One week in total. Pallavi: Make the most of it… Pallavi: The trinity of Brahma,Vishnu and Shiva have come to rest in my heart as ma’am, sadhguru and ramana… Attachment is a consequence of exclusiveness. The moment you choose between one and the other, you naturally get entangled -Sadhguru. Aachi: Unless you fill me with Your Love people will call You a Hill of Stone, O Arunachala. Pallavi: Wow! I am planning to read the arunachala mahatyam and sat darshanam…The yoga vashishta is a very enlightening scripture… reading it every day has slowly begin to shift ignorance. Aachi: This Atman cannot be attained by studies of the Vedas, nor by intelligence, nor by much hearing. He whom the Self chooses, by him the Self can be attained. To him this Atman reveals its true nature Katha Upanishad Pallavi: There are no chosen ones in the world. The Divine is equally involved with everyone and everything -Sadhguru. (Pallavi changed the group’s subject to “Singleminded seekers.”) Aachi: A sacred experience in Shirdi for me when I went there recently: When I was in darshan line trying to see Baba Vigraham someone nudged me from behind in the back and said in the rush ‘Why do you keep jumping here and there?!! Be still!’ Turning back I didn’t know who it was! Everyone was busy with themselves! Did the Divine rebuke my extroverted mind? Who knows the Will of Baba, Who Is verily Lord Anjaneya! ‘Om Sai Ram’ ‘Om Sri Nannarpamanamastu’ Pallavi: When the heart longs for a long forgotten love and seeks it with great fervour…the guru lovingly turns the gaze within… Wow.what blessings…

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The heart leaps in joy and rejoices in the glory of the self… Om Guru. Neha: A very good morning. A very small question to all of you…Is ‘ignoring negative’ being positive minded? Aaeeyna: Easy said than done…it eventually builds up in you if you ignore Aachi: If you see the sun you never know what’s dark. Be positive. Negativity concept will. leave you. Syam: On contrary, I believe it is better to ignore Negative than think much about it…unless that negative thing needs your action for sure. If my boss is ultra negative… I need to take action.I can’t avoid. I may have to change jobs.or role etc… Can’t ignore……but if a negative news such as false intolerance claims by Aamir khan hurts.I better ignore than think and feel sad.That Aamir stooped to this level Pallavi: Acceptance ought to be global…positive and negative are the Yin and Yang… Observation is the key Neha: Let me just reframe the question. Is ‘ignoring wrong’ being right? Aachi: In the true sense. When one is truly in the right, he never sees anything as wrong. Jo Sooraj ki taraf mooh dikhaatha hain woh andhera nahin jaantha. The problem is we are not content being right…for ourselves…but want to fight what we perceive is wrong. This attitude makes us confused. Neha: Thank you all for the wonderful responses…let me ponder over them. Well, I think whatever ‘wrong’ or ‘negative’ exists either inside us or around us, first needs to be acknowledged. Aachi: That too is a path. Neha: Then focus on all the positive energy we have to fight or dissolve that negativity. Aachi: Jatho Math Thatho path. Neha: I don’t know… I am still groping in the dark. Syam, I liked the examples you gave… We need to learn to sieve the actions that affect us.

• 78 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

We need to know when to ignore and when to act. At the same time, what you say Aachi that there IS no dark… Dark is just absence of light…That is understandable too… Aachi: Diads of existence are relative. Neha: However I personally have not reached that stage where I can FEEL this. I can just understand it or imagine it. Aachi: Understanding is YOGA! Pallavi: Neha…I am sharing my master’s message for today as synchronically it answers your query of the negative and positive… You and only you are responsible for how you live, love, laugh, and create your future destiny…only with the greatest care you should make decisions as the answers on how you should take actions is based on your deep searching for what is right for you…taking charge means to not let yourself be limited by negative vibrations but to enhance the positive… Healing everything… You will be surprised by how much there is to learn about your positive healing self…change your attitude about deep understanding and appreciation of life and fulfilment…self love is the greatest healer and requires daily practice…… Healing daily Hugs and blessings… Renooji… Neha: Great words Pallavi. Thanks a lot dear for sharing this message here. Pallavi: I start my day by messaging ma’am…she sends her love and guidance for the day. On a retreat(treat) with master for the next 7 days starting today… yippeeee! Vishu: Wow, sounds exciting. Where is this retreat Pallavi? Pallavi: Two days at maam’s residence at Delhi outskirts…next 5 is a surprise…don’t know yet where we are being taken…some hills…that’s all is known Syam: Great. Enjoy Pallavi Neha: Enjoy Pallavi. Rope in lots of positive energy and spread the light in our group too. Himanshu: Soak yourself in this state of warm indefinable bliss. And come back rejuvenated…Spread the light.

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Prerna: Great Pallavi, will meet soon to share your experience. Aaeeyna: Keep safe Pallavi… Pallavi: Thanx for all your good wishes… Masters grace and love is overwhelming… Pallavi: Always in the light.Today’s moon has a mesmerizing beauty… Aachi, you must capture some shots if possible Aachi: Yes today is Karthikai Deepam. Biggest festival in Arunachala Syam: Such a sacred place… Tiruvannamalai Aachi: Arunachala Deepam today The Light is lit on top of the Hill Pallavi: Neha…the isha aashram has such energies that u can’t sleep there beyond 5 am. The surrounding vellangiri mountains are breath taking. Syam: Peaceful place… Stayed for 3 days this year. Good place for a quite holiday Pallavi: On my way to ma’am…she was kind enough to allow me to stay night over at her place…will leave at 5 am tom Vishu: True. There is so much for us to be grateful about. Syam: Pallavi, is she also a reiki master??. Malli and I met Jaya Wahi in Hyderabad. She is the author of the famous book- “Sai baba is still alive.” Jaya Wahi also teaches reiki and is from Noida. I remember one of her relatives telling about Delhi based Renoo, Reiki master Pallavi: Yes, she is a Reiki grandmaster. She has offered to the world reiki in a pure and easily practicable form. Her book, “Joy of Reiki” by Macmillan is one of the established books on reiki worldwide. Aachi: Wow. Pallavi: Maybe Jaya Wahi is her student. Syam: Jaya Wahi apparently was the last student of someone who migrated abroad. She told us the story as how her master knew and was anticipating her meeting. Read her book- “Sai baba is still alive,” if you haven’t read it yet. Nice book Pallavi: Many healers who received their training from master are doing great healing work all across the globe. Master also attunes and

• 80 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra initiates into another form of healing called KQ (Karmic Quotient). Yes, masters chose their students and especially the ones who are blessed to carry their legacies forward. The lineage of the light is eternal… People come and go… The light prevails. (Ramki and Syam were added to the group) Pallavi: Friends…please welcome Ramki! Syam: Welcome Ramki. You are doing a great job with your Bhagavad Gita talks. Pallavi: Tell us more Ramki. Vishu: Welcome Ramki ! Ramki: Thanks guys, guess a lot of people really want to know the ultimate knowledge,”raja Vidyam raja guhyam, pavitram idam Uttamam”- BG9.2, wherein The Lord says to his disciple ARJUNA, this is the highest and the most confidential knowledge, knowing which there is nothing more to know or achieve. But guys you have to develop an intense sense of devotion (Bhakti) in your hearts as LORD is very much fond of bhaktaas. Syam: How did you develop interest in Bhagavad Gita, Ramki? It is one of the most influential book that I have read. Ramki: Lord JESUS Says, “Ask and ye shall receive, knock and the door will open.,’ Knock the doors of immortality through the subconscious mind and attain eternity. Ramki: Transcending the mind from the material mode to the subtle mode and then to the ultimate transcendental mode gives you the DIVINE EYE to perceive GOD everywhere, as William Blake says” there is GOD EVEN IN A GRAIN OF SAND.” Pallavi: Remember I used to always ask this question-Surrender or Saadhna? Master has answered this in her book… “It is through our Saadhna that we come to surrender”

• 81 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Vishu: Good explanation. Pallavi: So friends… what’s your take on pain? Aaeeyna: pain ought to be accepted. It doesn’t heal Pallavi: Pain heals… When touched by tender loving care In fact, I feel that compassion is healed pain Aaeeyna: Yes you are right…understanding comes with compassion but it doesn’t heal. You just accept it. Pallavi: Healed for me. Its a new lifetime… Guru kripa! Aaeeyna: Happy for you… Pallavi: The bliss ignition. In the midst of a forlorn night I have been rudely awakened. The grudges of lifetimes stare at me wide, The horrors of loss are as if unarmed Every inhibition of the past has been shunned All ambitions call out hesitantly to me. I have been on fire And yet…there arise no fumes. I have been ignited to bliss… @p.k Our cellular memory and DNA structures carry pain in coded formats… it is a vast reservoir which lives in the deeper subconscious layers…generally whatever u spoke about accepting pain is like a denial and superficial response system to pain…it’s a coping mechanism merely… survival instinct…at a deeper level…pain has roots that are vast and invisible and very hardcored…to deal with this… we need empowerment and grace… One has to be honest and realistically hardcore to peep into this gamut of emotions.

• 82 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Pain springs often from fear and is the false ego image of “being” the doer. The controller within us is disregarded when things don’t go our way and this causes pain. This pain then starts to cause disease in our mental and physical body and as early as 3 yrs before its manifest form in the aura body. These pain patterns are being generated afresh every day and also a whole baggage from past lifetimes. Most healing modalities go and process these patterns and transform them to love and joy rather than fear and pain…it’s a whole lot of internal work that is conducted with delicacy, care, and under the guidance of a realized spiritual master. However from the Advaita point of view… Brahman is all perfect, untainted by any feelings whatsoever. The self is a prevailing that is not identified by the body, mind or our emotions. So from that point of view, pain or pleasure are the same because the self is essentially free from all these. So we need to make our choice whether we wish to heal the pain or ignore its false identity and move deeper to being identified only by our pure sacred self. Ramki: Great Pallavi.The Brihadaranyaka upanishad says,”ASANGO HI AYAM PURUSHAH:”- “THE SELF IS EVER UNATTACHED.” Through the various layers or KOSAS, the pure being in us in concealed, “The physical sheath, the bioenergy sheath, the mental sheath, the intelligence sheath and finally the BLISSFUL sheath. Deeper dissection into the layers you will find the “THE IMPRISONED SPLENDOUR” as Robert browning calls it, the eternal SELF which is beyond the mind and speech where THIS play of the opposites no longer entice you where you realize that pain, pleasure are just the two sides is of a coin, the VEIL of the material existence drops off and you will be gazing unto eternity. Pallavi: Yes! The Koshas.…the bliss body or anand maya kosh is where the explosion of bliss happens! Here the dualities fade…there is unison Pain is a part of the emotional body…superficial layer Ramki: The BLISS OF INFINITE EXISTENCE, KNOWLEDGE (SAT- CHIT-ANANDA) / BRAHMAN. About pain - a twin mutation in the SCN9a

• 83 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution gene prevents you from experiencing any kind of pain; pain becomes a feeling of bland non-stimulation. Pallavi: So, how do we cause this mutation? Ramki: Sorry, its DNA CODED. We will have to ask the CREATOR of DNA from the initial chemical soup formed in THIS earth in the edicarian period of the late neoproterozoic era. I don’t think there is way to physically cause that mutation. You really wouldn’t want to abolish pain as pleasure would become indiscernible as far as the material body is concerned. Besides you would want to awaken your spirit soul and permanently realise the non- permanence of either as stated by the SUPREME BRAHMAN LORD KRISHNA: (BG: 2.14- sitousna sukha dukha dah:, agamapayino anityas- pain and pleasure are like the seasons of summer and winter, they come and go and henceforth impermanent, realise this O Arjuna that these are due sense perception and tolerate them equally and finally transcend Them. Vishu: Wow Ramki and Pallavi. Pallavi: Ramana says: “It is false to speak of realization. What is there to realize? The real is as it is always. We are not creating anything new. Pallavi: Vishu, thanks for the inspiration to tap the brahmamurta. I am getting up and doing my kriyas at that time and sleeping only few hours now. Vishu: I am doing morning kriyas from your inspiration. Morning is definitely the best time. I was not used to waking up in the morning. I got inspired by Pallavi. Now I am enjoying my morning sessions. Pallavi: Vishu, our love and inspiration is mutual. Vishu: True. Ramki: Iti paribhavaya smara vara Varma, vishwam tyuktva svapna vicharam”- Ask yourself “who are you, who am I, who is my actual father, mother, when you start contemplating on this you will realize the fleeting nature of the present existence which might make you think the universe is just a stepping stone to realize the infinite nature in you. Vishu: Ramki, how did you achieve so much of fluency in Sanskrit? Truly amazing

• 84 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Pallavi: Wow! Neha: Wonderful folks… You all amaze me and inspire me too.; though some of the things written here are like Over Head Transmission for me! (Karthik was added to the group) Pallavi: Welcome…Karthik. Neha: Yeah… Welcome Karthik. Pallavi: Neha, the love sure flows here. It’s not just an intellectual community. We share vibrations Neha: Yeah true Pallavi… This is like a virtual Spiritual Sanctuary. Ramki: I love the great language of the GODS where lies the secret of everything, the “theory of everything “as Stephen hawking puts it.All of us can decipher it but as I said with extreme devotion GOD himself guides you as LORD KRISHNA says(BG 10.10:”tesam satata yuktanam, bhajatam prithi purvakam, dadami budhi Yogam tvam, yenam mam upayanti te”- whosoever thinks of me(SUPREME BRAHMAN) all the time with extreme devotion, I give him the intelligence to understand my true nature which is beyond even the mind and speech.” Welcome karthik! Pallavi: So true Ramki…bhakti is the highest wisdom…mahavigyaana! Karthik: Thank u… Super Ramki! Ramki: Thanks guys. It feels great to see the spiritual interest in all us. BG (18.55- “bhaktya mam abhijananti yavan yas casmi tattvatah, Tato mam tattvato jnatva, visate tad anantaram “- LORD KRISHNA says “Bhakti is the best means of knowing ME(the supreme ABSOLUTE truth),and as the individual soul develops extreme devotion and love for ME, I guarantee him to my ABODE where all duality, misery and the play of the opposites end. (Pallavi changed the subject of the group to “Congregation of divinity”) Pallavi: The honoured connections of this life are valuable because they help one to complete the karmic and spiritual destiny one day at a time in fulfillment, as one moves through all the time zones of life…… Remain in silence and reflect… Pallavi: Shivoham shivoham!

• 85 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

A suggested movie by Walt Disney…’Inside out’ We watched it in the retreat…it’s a kids animation movie but has a deep message of how we carry memories in our coded DNA structure. It’s super cute…a must watch with kids… Sampath: I wish to contest the post on the Sandhyas i.e the perfect times to do our spiritual saadhnaas. What would be the Sandhyas in Europe, the north or south poles? Sampath: Because according to the clock, the transitions are related to the sun (or the lack of it) right? The sunrise in Europe is past the spoilage time in winters and earlier in summers. In summer there is brightness all around till 8pm here; similarly for all other muhurthams. In the poles this is even more exaggerated. There is sun for 6 months without a break and vice versa. Apparently the people who wrote about the muhurthams had never been out of India! Spoilage…stipulated Aachi: I think it has more to do with Cortisone Circadian Rhythm which starts peaking at 3.30 AM Sampath: But does this have to do worth the sun or is it constant all over the world. In any case it’s just another theory. Aachi: It’s not the sun…it’s always the internal milieu Sampath: I don’t think the ‘Enlightened’ people in the past knew about cortisone. this is just an unproven retrospective justification which cannot be proved or disproved. Aachi: Difficult to argue that point with no records. But Enlightenment is knowledge of everything so I guess they might have. Sampath: Then the muhurthams are wrong for me. Pallavi: Then every moment is brahmamuhratam. Sampath: Every individual had his or her own sleep pattern. Pallavi: Meditate whenever where ever. Sampath: That’s the message. Mediate whenever you can. Separate the wheat from the chaff. And in India, we feed on more chaff than wheat. I believe in nothing of all this. Aachi: Actually it is a conducive time for beginners; as you progress in sadhana u can chose anytime. Aachi: Like a plant hedged with protection till it becomes a tree.

• 86 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Sampath: All this is like the background music, dance and the dramatization in a Bollywood movie that keeps you engrossed for 3 hours. In the end it was just that a boy and a girl fell in love with each other. The theme is meditation. That’s something that I’m interested in. I don’t believe in it completely. But yes it is a door that needs to be tried. Neha: Do you BELIEVE in mahuratams? Did u take out mahuratam for your wedding or any such occasions ? Sampath: Neha, I did. But that’s only because it is customary. I had no choice. But I guess there’s nothing to be lost if it is done if it keeps your folks happy. But I NEVER see muhurthams otherwise. Rahu Ketu etc etc. Been out of it for years now. Neha: Yeah… Absolutely… Nothing wrong at all. Just curious. Aachi: True. I don’t follow Muhurthas as of now. But probably there is an explanation for them which got lost in time. Sampath: There’s nothing mysterious in the Indian spiritual past, Aachi. There is NOTHING that has been lost. There’s still a lot of bull shit that NEEDS to be lost. I detest this argument that India had a glorious past and having unraveled the secrets of the Universe they could do magic Aachi: Perhaps you are right perhaps u r wrong. Who knows! Sampath: All the frills…muhurthams, rituals etc are a creation of the Brahmins over a 1500 year Renaissance of Hinduism between 1AD to about 1500AD. All this bull shit was created then to monopolise the religion Neha: Agree to that 100% Sampath: I agree with the statement that I could be right or wrong. But when that is the case I do not support or practice it. I’m neutral to it. I will certainly not practise it. Aachi: It’s again personal choice. I don’t practice it but I can’t deny that there probably IS an explanation that is missing or has been lost Sampath: I am strongly of the belief that truth can NOT be buried. It will always prevail. Like the concepts of meditation. Aachi: Or…there is a good explanation but perhaps we don’t see it… yet.

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Sampath: If it is lost with time it was never the truth Aachi: Truth is relative and Absolute. Absolute Truth can never be buried but relative knowledge pertaining to certain practices can be lost or buried Sampath: The frills will disappear. But meditation will stand the test of time Aachi: Science recognizes Relative Truth. There cannot be anything absolute in Science. Sampath: Rightly said. Truth is always simple. Like the statement ‘You can meditate any time’. Similarly God is simple. God does not need priests, idols, rituals, practices, muhurthams etc. The day we shed this Hinduism,we will become the most attractive religious concept in the world Aachi: Everything stands scrutiny and change. Sampath: Yes if it fails scrutiny it must be abandoned. Aachi: But perhaps that is the beauty of Hinduism. Perhaps Your path is such but there might be others who love it the way it is. For its Catholicity of accepting all paths. Jatho Math Thatho Path. Sampath: If I had a choice I would make a religion with the Advaitha philosophy at its core, meditation and the non idolatry and the concept of Islam as a means to achieve it. The others are sadly blinded by belief. That’s ignorance. Aachi: that’s your path. There might be a soul who Loves Dvaita with bhajans and Idols. How is he lesser than anyone? As many Faiths so many Paths…that is the beauty of Hinduism Sampath: Yes he is. He is taking a longer path to his destination. Like the way we used to walk before we invented cars.That is the beauty AND the fallacy of Hinduism. It’s ok to have many rituals as long as they don’t hold the fear in you. If you do it like a means to celebrate and let go of yourself. But if you do rituals out of a certain fear or belief that is seen with most Hindus today them is bad.

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Aachi: Sampy read this from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna It will clear your doubt God with and without form MASTER: “Well, do you believe in God with form or without form?” M., rather surprised, said to himself: “How can one believe in God without form when one believes in God with form? And if one believes in God without form, how can one believe that God has a form? Can these two contradictory ideas be true at the same time? Can a white liquid like milk be black?” M: “Sir, I like to think of God as formless.” MASTER: “Very good. It is enough to have faith in either aspect. You believe in God without form; that is quite all right. But never for a moment think that this alone is true and all else false. Remember that God with form is just as true as God without form. But hold fast to your own conviction.” The assertion that both are equally true amazed M.; he had never learnt this from his books. Thus his ego received a third blow; but since it was not yet completely crushed, he came forward to argue with the Master a little more. God and the clay image M: “Sir, suppose one believes in God with form. Certainly He is not the clay image!” MASTER (interrupting): “But why clay? It is an image of Spirit.” M. could not quite understand the significance of this “image of Spirit.” “But, sir,” he said to the Master, “one should explain to those who worship the clay image that it is not God, and that, while worshipping it, they should have God in view and not the clay image. One should not worship clay.” God the only real teacher MASTER (sharply): “That’s the one hobby of you Calcutta people - giving lectures and bringing others to the light! Nobody ever stops to consider how to get the light himself. Who are you to teach others? “He who is the Lord of the Universe will teach everyone. He alone teaches us, who has created this universe; who has made the sun and

• 89 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution moon, men and beasts, and all other beings; who has provided means for their sustenance; who has given children parents and endowed them with love to bring them up. The Lord has done so many things - will He not show people the way to worship Him? If they need teaching, then He will be the Teacher. He is our Inner Guide. “Suppose there is an error in worshipping the clay image; doesn’t God know that through it He alone is being invoked? He will he pleased with that very worship. Why should you get a headache over it? You had better try for knowledge and devotion yourself.” This time M. felt that his ego was completely crushed. He now said to himself: “Yes, he has spoken the truth. What need is there for me to teach others? Have I known God? Do I really love Him? ‘I haven’t room enough for myself in my bed, and I am inviting my friend to share it with me!’ I know nothing about God, yet I am trying to teach others. What a shame! How foolish I am! This is not mathematics or history or literature, that one can teach it to others. No, this is the deep mystery of God. What he says appeals to me.” Sampath: Ok. Let’s debate this anecdote “Suppose there is an error in worshipping the clay image; doesn’t God know that through it He alone is being invoked? He will he pleased with that very worship. Why should you get a headache over it? You had better try for knowledge and devotion yourself.” This is the crux of the debate Aachi: I am not debating da. I am saying you are right I am also saying opposite view is also right. How can I debate. I accept all views. Sampath: There are 2 issues here. First- The problem with this is that it would be OK if it was just a small clay image. But when the clay image is turned into a magnificent temple, run by powerful godmen, weave mythological stories of how the ‘God’ killed this asura and that and how He or She HAS TO BE worshipped in a particularly way, when people donate money (bribe God) to ‘FULFILL’ their wishes, when castes, lineages and surnames get around after the God, when politicians and film stars come to pay ‘obeisance’……it is no

• 90 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra longer a simple clay God. It is a Tamasha. A spectacle. The ‘ORIGINAL GOD’ is lost in transition. Second- The statement implies that the devotee is an innocent ignorant. # ‘God knows that through it He alone is being invoked. And He will be pleased’ This implies that God does not mind the ignorance of the individual in assuming that the clay idol was God. Is it compulsory to be ignorant in a religion? Third- If Ramakrishna himself achieved self realization, which in theory is that YOUR GOD YOURSELF…or you are a part of the system called God…is it not then a disservice to support a practice that will drive people (lesser mortals) away from this core Advaitha philosophy? I mean when there is the idol…people who don’t understand SR will ‘pray’ to the ‘other’ God. This defeats the purpose of SR One can say this is Bhakthi…and say Bhakthi Yoga in turn leads you to God. Now that’s a different argument and I accept that. But what should be the general direction of the religion? Idols or not? Bhakthi is for those who cannot be initiated into SR. It is a medium of culture (like the agar medium) that needs to form the base for SR. But the core emphasis of Hinduism must not be Bhakthi but Karma. Unfortunately this is not the case. There is severe corruption in religion in India as there is in every walk of life. Syam: A contrary opinion Sampath.… Prophet Mohd slammed idolatry because people were divided among 360 idols at Kaaba in those days and each family had their own idol. Sometimes a different family /clan idol and were considering these idols to be Gods. There is a huge difference in idolatry in that region era to the ones/Hindu practice The current Hinduism in its current form is rejuvenated and what we see today is what Adi Shankaracharya rejuvenated during late 700AD more recent that Prophet himself. Now Shankaracharya on one hand was the main proponent on Advaita. He championed Advaita… argued

• 91 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution against the best those days, famous one being against Mandan Misra (Sureshwaracharya) With same gusto, Adi Shankaracharya also reinstated temples and idols in many famous temples incuding srisailam, badrinath, kedarnath, puri etc., The main difference between Idolatry in Hinduism and the rest of the religions is…In Hinduism, idols in temples undergo a process called Pranaprathishta… Or currently, the practise is to do yagnas and japas for days before it is finally installed What does this do? It concentrates the spiritual energy in those idols/ places. Normal mortals with lesser spiritual practice many not be tuned enough to identify these energies but there are many in current world. Who can feel the amount and types of energies in such idols and places… many reiki master,.for example Bhagavadgita clearly mentions. a very handful of ppl can attain god realization… Just thinking and studying advaita for years many not guarantee SR. It is better that to believe in idols and live by the right rules, as BG mentions- that not believing in idols and living life the wrong way Coming to the point that, most of our hindu scriptures could be articles of philosophy of ppl of those ages…how come different realized ppl over centuries said the same phiolosophy? Those were days without instituionalized networks or universities or printing presses or internet How people communicating and not understading each others language said the same truth as in Bhagavad gita or Ashtavakra geeta or Yoga Vashishta ?? If at all these were written by philosophers?? Why did they not want to be different from each other and become popular to establish their own cult. Even if we ignore Bhagwat gita and other scriptures as philosophies… Try to get information on the realized ones you believe in. May be Shirdi sai, Ramakrishna paramahansa, Ramana maharshi, or whoever it is, why

• 92 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra did they repeat the same philosophy…as in those revered scriptures even without reading them, some of them ?? Does it not confirm the greatness of these scriptures.??? and truth in them ?? There are several vidoes on youtube that experimented on the energies in these slokas I personally know people who transformed or could differentiate energies chanting different mantras. I agree that the best stage to be in SR or Advaita…but it is probably the mooossst difficult one for majority >90% of population… If I have to give my 2 cents it is as below in the ordetr of priority. 3 being the highest… 1) Be an atheist and live by the rules.2) Do the rituals or mantra jaap or idolatry and live by the right rules 3) do certain techniques yoga sadhana that can negate your karmas and lead closer to SR either in this life or in later lives Enough for today: -)… Sampath: I will answer all these questions to your satisfaction Shyam. One by one. Firstly the Kaba. I know the story of the Kaba Syam. I am inclined to believe that the Kaba could have been a HINDU place of worship. There are many things that point to this fact. Firstly Kaba is a corruption of the word ‘Kapa’ which means black in many Indian languages. Black refers to the black stone which could have well been a black Shiva Linga of pre- Islamic times. Secondly see the attire of the Muslims at the Kaba. It is no different from traditional Hindu priestly attire. Have you seen Muslims dress up anywhere else like this? ONLY at the Kaba. The Kaba was protected by Mohammed own clan. This clan thing is also very Hindu. Very casteist. People go around the Kaba…a Hindu custom even if it is anticlockwise. And finally it is the only contradiction in Islam an oxymoron in Islam because Islam in principle does not believe in idolatry but still considers Kaba worship as one of the main tenets. And Muslims all over the world pray TOWARDS Kaba. Neha: Agree to that Sampath

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Sampath: The moral of the story is that even the all powerful Mohammed could not defy the deeply entrenched long standing local customs even if it meant going against His own core philosophy. Coming to Adi Adi Shankara was a religious scholar a very intelligent philosopher. There is no evidence that he was self realised. He was proponent of Advaitha. He debated and convinced himself and others that his was the right philosophy. Like the way we are doing now. Are we self realised? No. But we still debate hard. Shankara came from a very traditional Brahmin family. He could not move away from his roots. He was religious man first and a philosopher later. He had no qualms propagating his philosophy in the then religious social mileu He however denounced the then prevailing overtly ritualistic Mimamsa tradition of Hinduism. Shankara was born into the Brahminical system. He grew up studying them like we studied medicine. So he established many temples supporting the Brahminical theory of Prathistapana.There is no proof that he transferred energy into idols that he established. These are plain myths. The difference between Self Realised people and the complicated Philosophers like Shankara and Madhva is that the Self Realised just simplifies things. They ask you to sit quietly in a corner, control your breathing, and control your thoughts till you reach a point of no thoughts. They do not ritualize. They do not talk of idols and practices. Finding God is a simple thing. It cannot be complicated. It might be true that if 10 self realized people meditate in a room there could be increased energy levels in the room; similarly with some forms of God creatures. I believe that God to man. There are many forms. Pallavi: God is simple…we are knotted Sampath: But to say Shankara did many Prathistapanas transferring his energies everywhere is I think a myth. In any case how did the energy in those idols help you and me? I was born into a Brahmin household and I grew up between rituals idols temples, shtapanas an pratisthapanas. Even the Udupi astha matha seers today regularly do idol pratisthapanas

• 94 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra while establishing new temples. It’s a routine Hindu ritual and according to me a myth. These idols are not the reason for my devotion to God or craving for the unknown. It is just my devotion and craving. When I go to the temple the idols distract me in a way as they tend to make me think of God as a half-man-half-elephant entity. I don’t want to think of God that way. The rituals repel me. Why do arathi? Or go round the idols? Why not simply mediate and think of God. Why invoke fear of God in ourselves? Coming to the third point. Scriptures Pallavi: Sampath…each one for himself…I know u don’t believe or disbelieve most stuff…remain there…everyone is at different levels of evolution and so has a choice to make… I choose love. Sampath: The scriptures have a core philosophy at its core and then loads of corruption accumulated over 3000 years. That’s a long time in history. While it’s a phenomenal achievement that we have successfully preserved our 3000 year heritage it is equally important to recognise, at least now, in the age of knowledge, the corruption that the core concept is thickly coated with. I agree with you Syam that the core message has always been the same. Through the millenia. What Adi Yogi said thousands of years back is the same as Adi Shankara in 700 AD. The same was said by Krishna and all the thousands of realised souls and also the learned intellectual (but unrealized) scholars. That is why SR appeals to me. It is tested in theory and practice. The only thing left is for it to be tested against science. This is why I’m obsessed with the connection at the moment. Pallavi: http: //fnp-sutras.blogspot.in/ A blog on self realization by a dear friend. Sampath: I moved from religion to spirituality and now to science. It’s terribly exciting for me that if science proves SR philosophy that’s check mate. And the magic is indeed happening. With quantum physics. Sampath: But religion is a diversion.

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It is in contradiction with the philosophy of self realization. Religion gives you an identity. Spirituality needs you to LOSE your identity. Your mind (identity) must be an empty pot for you to Realise. How can you be empty when you believe in Hinduism which makes you believe in idols, Godmen, myths and legends? Hinduism is intensely complicated and the more complicated it is the more it gives you an identity. Once we reduce the influence of all these frills in Hinduism on oneself, one will realize that it is easy to move one’s identity between religions. You can be a Hindu at one moment a Muslim at another and a Christian at yet another because you are not bound strongly by any of their tenets but you float above them. Adi Yogi, Shiva, taught the principles of Self Realization for the 1st time on earth. He is always represented as being in a meditative yogic state. Why is the Supreme Yogi still meditating? What does he need to achieve? Similarly Krishna in BG reinforced to us the principles of Realization and the Universal Existence. Now in both these instances, what did we do? We turned both these Spiritual Masters into Gods. The population of India, the Hindus today, then started ‘worshipping’ these Gods blindly. Today we know all the temples that are associated with these Gods. We know and follow all the rituals, we do Gana Homas, Satyanarayan Pooja, we celebrate Shivaratri and Krishna Jayanthi. We defy cults and religious leaders. We do everything BUT follow what these Gods asked us to follow in the first place. They mediated and they asked us to mediate. But today we on a Shivrathri we do everything but meditate. What a disservice to the Adi Yogi that we prefer to starve and stay awake through the night instead of a few hours of meditation on his birthday Then comes the issue of whether EVEN all this is really true or not. Adi Yogi, Self Realisation, Bhagavad Gita…it’s all this true or not? Sampath: My pursuit continues. From this point…it gets very complicated. But I guess I am close to a logical answer. Scientifically tenable spirituality is the answer. Every bit of spiritual philosophy MUST have a scientific explanation. One of these days I want to vomit out everything. But it will be a very very very long discussion.

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We must focus less on what the serpents and the tridents mean and focus on simply finding the nearest quiet place and start meditating like the way Shiva is seen doing. The description and the focus on Shiva’s prowess is a distraction. Is there an equivalent to meditation, Advaitha in other religions? That led me through another tortuous but critical path of yet another discovery. That there are only two fundamental spiritual principles: Dvaitha and Advaitha. Both made their debut in India. Islam believes in Dvaitha Also Judaism Christianity is a contradiction when you see it through the prism of spiritual principles. The old testament is Dvaithic. The New Testament is Hinduistic (Idols plus Advaitha)!!!! Sufism is 100% Advaitha. Aachi: 100 messages! I went and did a knee replacement and came back. Sampath: But Islam needs to be given the benefit of doubt coz it was born amidst difficult circumstances and hostile terrain. The social circumstances were harsh. So I would forgive the Prophet for not being able to completely convey the facts without antagonizing the people of his times. I analyzed all this to be sure I was not wasting my time on meditation. There’s an overwhelming case among all religions for Advaitha. Sampath: Aachi…90 of them are mine. So please ignore and bear with me! I’m completely jobless today being weekend. Aachi: Sampy it is against the nature of Sanatana Dharma to talk exclusively about one path. It is all inclusive. Why do u miss this simple point? Ha-ha I read through all Sampath: This democracy in Sanatana Dharma is to enable find the truth. Not to diversify into 100 different untrue truths. Sadly we have abused the democracy or half truths Aachi: We? Kaletmanam Vadanti

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The Supreme Understanding comes with time regarding Advaita. Till then leading a life of Dvaita and Worshipping a Supreme Spirit either in the heart or in a clay image is not an issue. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: “As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.” -Swami Vivekananda speech in Chicago. Sampath: As long as we deny people the True knowledge expecting a futuristic point of time by saying ‘till then it’s ok’ we are doing injustice. If there is a good philosophy then make it your center point. In present age Hinduism it’s not even that Dvaitha has a center stage. Neither Advaitha nor Dvaitha had center stage. Only idols, temples, rituals and Godmen take center stage. In other religions the focus is on the philosophy not on idols and mortals. That statement by Swami was made in a Congress of Religions itself defeats it’s relevance to my side of the debate which says that religion must be principle or theology specific. Not idol or Guru specific. Aachi: As they approach me, so I receive them. All paths, Arjuna, lead to me. - BG Sampath: I think it’s time for us Hindus to accept that we are gullible, ignorant and confused. And we call it a religion! It is the justification of the century! Aachi: Let the ones who feel so accept. The others I am sure are quite content Sampath: Content in ignorance. Everyone can be content. The rich can be or the poor can be. The knowledgeable and the ignorant. It is a frame of mind to be contented. It’s not the truth. Aachi: Leave it to Truth da to decide. Sampath: Agreed! Ramki: Great discussing guys. I think Sampath is plagued with what is known as “militant atheism” promulgated by Dawkins. Being a Brahmin

• 98 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra myself I had all these questions in my mind about the supreme absolute truth. But as of now it’s as clear as the LORD himself. First of all, I agree that this cosmic manifestation is by no way a piece of luck. 13.5 billion years ago modern science states that thus multivariegated universe as we perceive with our senses is what is known as a state of singularity and then after the BIG bang, science is still wondering how the critical rate of expansion was more than the involutional gravitational pull so as to cause the continuous expansion of the universe, proved only about 70 years by HUBBLE by means of the Doppler shift.so that’s the beginning. Take for the structure of the DNA with about 5 million genetic codes codifying everything.who created it?? Take another example, Euplectella. A underwater sponge.science is wondering how this sponge converts silicic acid in the sea to silica, it’s structure being of fibre glass, the fibre optics of today owe it to Euplectella. Now let’s get about the ABSOLUTE TRUTH itself. The Brihadaranyaka upanishad says.” Ya to vaca nivartante aprapya manasa saha”- the mind and speech recoil failing to understand the absolute truth.objectification of GOD is impossible as GOD is the eternal subject. As with regards to form, Brahma samhita says: “advaitam, acyutam, Anadim, ananta rupam, Adyam Puranapurusham nava yavannam ca, vedescha durlabha, adurlabha Atma bhakto, Govindam ADI PURUSHAM, aham Bhajami.” “non-dual, infallible, beginning less, multiformed including formlessness,the eternal supreme soul who is ever young, Vedas try to define HIM With great difficulty (your adavaitavadins, other impersonal faiths of the world) and still the rarest is the self realized Bhakta, which implies Bhakti is the supreme among the Karma yogis, jnana yogis, Hatha yogis and so forth.i worship that premieval LORD who gave rise it everything.” GOD IS EVERWHERE, He is within us and everywhere including temples, churches, mosques, and gurdwaras and do forth. HE need not prove to our little minds anything nor are we qualified to question HIS EFFULGENCE. DERIDING ANY FORM OF WORSHIP IS ITSELF A SIN. Every soul takes up his or her way according To his her mental capacity.

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Aachi: Just like a person who is given to meditation on Advaita will not bother about the paths of others as he doesn’t see ‘others’ so too should people be left to follow their paths in a sense of disinterest from the sadhaka Pallavi: Lovely ramki. Ramki: As Einstein said, “Science without religion is blind, and religion without science is bland.” The implication is to use science as an augmentation for the spirituality in us to understand the secrets of creation. Coming to ADI SANKARA as I have a distant descendency with the great master being a kerala Brahmin. To understand advaita is extremely difficult for our capricious minds, never ever do the mistake of comparing yourself with the avatara purushas. SANKARA’S unparalleled intelligence is beyond the imagination of even the great saints and spiritual giants of today. To give you and example of his brilliance, I will make a statement from his great treatise “vivekachudamani” “sannapi asannapi ubhyatmika no, bhinnapi a bhinnapi ubhayatmika no, sangapi anagha hi ubhayatmika no, mahaadbhutham anirvachaniya rupam” ADI SANKARA is telling this present situation is neither existence nor non-existence, neither the whole nor true parts, neither the same or different (in a state of flux) the MAYA is indeed the greatest of the wonders.” Now when you try to decode SANKARA here(with my small mind of course, it is impossible to understand the master’s thought process) SANKARA says this is neither existence nor non existence, which if you break down the entire material world you end up in the quantum pool, as Einstein says in the present physics there is no role for matter,only the field is present(meaning GOD consciousness) and matter are points in the field where the particle vibrations are extremely intense (wave particle duality of light) and temporary as only the field is said to be ever existent. Oppenheimer says you actually cannot ascertain the state whether an electron (including other subatomic particles)which are actually present at that particular place with a given momentum and and velocity as the

• 100 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra very act of our observation changes the position of the particle. Here as science says the entire manifestation is said to be in a state of DANCE (NATARAJA OF LORD SIVA exemplifies the entire cosmic spectacle- a statute of which is kept at GENEVA, CERN) the subatomic particle dance which is what our bodies and the entire sensory manifestation is about. I really think GOD is the ultimate destination for all if us as without his power all the planetary systems would have just flewen away from each other to dust.As somebody asked Einstein after his master work in relativity as to what was his ultimate ambition, to which he replied “I want to study the MIND OF GOD.” But I not only want to study HIS MIND but I am willing to take any number of births with extreme deviation to GOVINDA as I want to always think of him, remember him, gives my obeiscence a to him and love him infinitely as to experience always the transcendental bliss of HIM, HE who has given rise to everything.In the Bhagwat Gita, The Lord says “aham sarvasya prabhavo MATAH sarvam pravartate, Iti matva bhajante mam Buddha bhava samanvittahah” “I am The Lord of the entire material and spiritual worlds and the cosmic manifestation has spring from ME, THE WISE AND INTELLIGENT KNOW THIS AND THEY KEEP ME IN THEIR HEARTS.” OM NAMO BHAGAVATE VASUDEVAYA. Vishu: Thanks Ramki, for sharing your highest level of knowledge. We are blessed. Syam: Ramki. No words Ramki: Welcome Vishu. Thanks Syam. Anytime and every time whatever little I know I will always help you guys because you are my dear friends, BG (18.65) “Prati jane Priyo asi me.” LORD TO ARJUNA; I am telling you all this because I LOVE YOU AND ARE MY TRUE FRIEND.” Hare Rama Hare Krishna. Syam: Sampath… Loved all your arguments…against idolatry and doubts about scriptures and Adi… Good thoughts on how people should spend more time on advaita compared to rituals… Again, would like to present a contrary view ;-)

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1. to your point that Adi sankara grew in a typical brahmin family of those times and hence got influenced by then brahminic way and went on to popularize it… Adi sankara’s father died very early in his life. He was broought up by his mother. If at all he had influence of brahminic upbringing in his life, it was only until 8 years of age. (EIGHT YEARS) Now most of us on the group who have children know how much a child of 8 years can absorb culture, thoughts, philosophy etc. Ramki: Great Syam. Keep going. Syam: For a second class child to be convinced on advaitism / sastras/ vedas and to have a conviction to become a sanyasi and change the system…!!!Can you imagine this?? Can this happen if the child is not gifted/ karana purusha? I have been to Kalady in Kerala twice to the place where Sankaracharya was born… Not many temples not much historical brahminic sites He renounced the world at the age of 8yrs!! Ramki: The only AUTHORISED SAGE who can give a commentary on the entire Upanishads, BHAGAVAD GITA and the Vedanta sutras, that’s ADI SANKARA for you. Syam: Kanakadhara stotram which he recited at age of 8 at Pazhamthottam.a village about 40kms from Kalady. the house is a living testimony. Anyone can go visit. We can discount the kanakadhara as folk lore Coming to the point that there were no incidents in his life that show him more than a philosopher… Few incidents below Sorry, before that…lets imagine whether it is possible for a 16–18 year old sanyasi to debate with the then great scholars like mandan misra and others who had a deep rooted system of ages around them. believers…Practically could the kings of the time, allow a 16yr old boy brahmin debate with their spiritual gurus in whom they had immense faith ??? Not to forget many of these kings were not even believers of Hinduism those days. There were Jain and Buddhist kingdoms until as much south as Tamilnadu.

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Unless they were convinced that this bacchaa of less than 16yrs was something beyond a foolish philosopher, they may not have done it. Now coming to the point that Adi Sankara was probably no bigger than a philosopher and had never shown any signs of beyond… 1. Story goes that while on his way to Mookambika, in a village, a couple was grieving for the loss of their child.Adi sankara gave life to the child again 2. Hastamalika who gave Hastamalika stotra was a dumb and foolish child in a karnataka village. Few minutes after he spent with Adi sankara rectied Hastamalika stotra.that is available to us 3. Same with Thotakashtakam. thotakacharya was a illiterate servant. adi sankara wanted to teach his other students a lesson for their egos… with his grace thotakacharya gave thotakashtakam on a spur Let us ignore them as folklore for a moment Sampath. lets imagine.these were stories and not real incidents…with no historical evidence… Ramki: Great syam to just add on Again the kanakadhara states”ANGAM HARE PULAKABHUSRAYAM ASRYANTHI”- “I worship LORD HARI in who’s chest resides the goddess of wealth who grants all the desires of HIS devotees”… Syam: Let us look at other saints in the recent past… where we have historical evidence with a great degreee… let us not go too far. Let us just pick up two people in 20th century recent 1900s who were in Sankaracharya’s order… 1. Chandrasekhara sarwaswati of Kanchi matam… and 2. Chandrasekhara Bharathi of Sringeri matham… First person lived until 1970s/80s.… how could he become a trikala gyani who could help ppl with his will power and miracles ?? Called saint of chennai ? documented by Paul Burnton’s book Search of Secret India also Both these seers who achieved the highest levels were idol worshippers of Kamakshi and Sharada respectively… We cannot ignore the energies of Pranaprathistha just because we are not spiritually advanced to perceive these energies. I personally know people who can perceive energies in these idols…and since I know them well; can tell for sure that they are not faking…

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Sampath: Ramki, it’s always good to have fresh ideas come into a debate. But you will do well to know that I’m an old monkey in this business. Coming to the point of me being an atheist; not for once in my comments did I deny the existence of God. One who denies the existence of God is a fool. So that makes me a Theist. However it is mostly understood that a Theist by default is a follower of religion. This is not true in my case. I am not fond of any religion per se. But I am interested in any clue to the properties of God be it in religion, spirituality (which is different from religion per se) and even science. We were today debating the eccentricities of religion. Pratisthapanas and stuff. While I agree that the theory of a mortal being able to control the energies of the world and install it in idols could be true in an extreme sense I do not believe that Adi Shankara was such a person. But that does not take away from him the fact that he was a giant among philosophers. You take pride in your Shankara lineage but you yourself confess that you do not have his mastery. I too am the lineage of Madhvacharya (AD 1200s), considered to be the incarnation of Vayu after Lord Hanuman (I am a Shivalli Brahmin from the Udupi Pejawar Mutt) the proponent of the Dwaitha philosophy pitted as the rival to Shankara’s Advaitha. But I do not take any pride in it. It means little to me. In fact one cannot know which of these philosophies is the winner because for this one has to know God himself. If either Shankara or Madhwa were Self Realised they would have know for sure what the truth is. Assuming that both were, who is speaking the truth? On the contrary assuming that both were not self realised and were only formulating philosophies based on their interpretations of scriptures (like I’m working on one right now) their work or philosophies remain just that. Philosophies. Not the truth. And both of them did not even know that the Earth was round!!!! The Upanishads are a commentary on the Vedas, or rather a correction of it. The Vedas are paganistic. They are philosophical. There is very little ‘Hindu’ about it. Infact Vedas are one of the books of Hindus but the religion itself is a far cry from the Vedas. Vedas do not speak of Shiva or Krishna. It does not say one has to pray in a specific way in temples. It dies not talk of Shivarathri or Ganesh festival. But it does talk of animal sacrifice, of strange pagan beliefs. But incredibly it has some

• 104 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra philosophical statements that are fundamentally valid to this day. For example this striking sloka from the Nasadiya Sutra is as philosophically strong as Shankara or Madhwa. But even better. I’ll tell you why. But first this sloka

इयंविसषृ ्紿र㔯तआबभूवयदिवादधेयदिवान। योअस्यध्啍षपरमेव्योन्त्अङ㔗वेदयदिवानवेद॥७॥

Whence all creation had its origin, He, whether he fashioned it or whether he did not, He, who surveys it all from highest heaven, He knows - or maybe EVEN HE DOES NOT KNOW. It says even God himself might not know what He is!! This for me is more believable than Madhwa or Shankara. Because this Vedic philosophy concedes to the fact that it might be impossible for anyone to know. It concedes defeat and is not embarrassed about it. It shows the maturity of the author and the people it addressed. If a Shankara or Madhwa said they had another philosophy how will you accept it as the ultimate truth when even the Vedas themselves say they might not know what the ultimate truth is? Are the Acharyas not Masters of the Vedas?

• 105 • C h a p t e r 4 APRIL

Syam: William Dalrymple in his non ficition book, Nine Lives, documented the ancient procedure followed by ancient idol makers for temples somewhere in Chidambaram, the time they choose, purification they follow etc. It is worth a read Answer to your question… if advaita is mentioned in any other religion. One of the pillars of islam is Tawhid/ Taweed. which is nothing but advaita with a different name Sampath, you rightly suggested that focus should be on meditation and not rituals… There is no other religioin in the world that focuses on meditation and nothing else other than Buddhism But how many Buddhists have we seen doing it outside monasteries and realizing? These are different tools for sure but unfortunately it’s not the same tool that works for all As ramki pointed in many posts, all the other ways, rituals/idolatry do a great job in slowly making you reach the process that is right for you. It can be meditation/ contemplation.or whatever the means. Ramana maharshi advocated contemplation… Shirdi sai advocated bhakti now both are great masters… who to believe? point is there is no one technique that fits all. Aachi: Nasadiya Sukta…impossible to conceive by our mental acumen that is. Syam: True Aachi. spirituality is beyond logic. Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Sampath: Ramki, can you prove that Bhagavad Gita was Krishna’s utterances and not Veda Vyas’s own insertions? There was no Krishna till 3 to 4000 BC. If he existed there would be proof of it in the Vedas right? There are three of them. They don’t mention a word of Krishna. Our historical evidences are pretty strong between 2000 BC till now. No Krishna there too. So where and when did Mahabharatha happen? If it never happened could the whole thing be just Vyasa’s exaggerated writings of a seminal political event between warring families…like WW I and II? All the millions of Hindu Gods sprang up after the Vedic period and almost all of them are 100% imaginative. So what about Krishna himself? I know you will seek your answers in Yugas etc. But that’s taking things too far. Aachi: It indicates diads of knowing and not knowing should be used to understand that Ultimate Reality is beyond our mental gymnastics. Sampy I will do better. I will give you Sri Krishna’s birthday. Sampath: Guys trust me. I have gone much deeper into these issues than you have ever been. So just because I sound scientific and superficial don’t underestimate me! Syam…I’ll answer you now. Aachi: 18th July 3228 BCE- Sri Krishna Birthday. Syam: Agree Sampath. Mahabharat and Ramayana are probably dwarfing Bhagavadgita (attached to Mahabharat) and Yoga Vashista (attached to Ramayana). But probably they served the purpose for the people of yester years… Ramki: Do you think you know all Sampath. The thing is this mental speculation can go on for aeons, and every day we can just keep beating around the bush. BG (4.1–3) the LORD says” IMAM VIVASVATE YOGAM, proktavan aham avyayam, vivasvan manave prava, manuvir ikshvakve abhravit” Sampath: What do you think of Albert Einstein. He did not do any magic but he has changed our lives in a way you will not believe. He has mathematically proven that time is differential. That times slows down with speed. In fact time is relative and that there is either all time or no time.

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Syam: Its time people go beyond mahabharat and ramayan and also read Bhagavad gita and Yoga Vashistha. Sampath: I grew up reading the Gita!! I am more Vaishnava than anyone can imagine. For my family Krishna and Vishnu are the Ultimate Gods. My Mutt is the Krishna Mutt. The very same Mutt where Krishna turned his face to show himself to Kanaka dasa shudra. The only temple in the world where God’s back is to the main entrance. Ramki: Which means LORD KRISHNA SAYS “I have instructed this science to vivasvan the Sun god. The sun’a age is 5 billion years. Vivasvan instructed it to MANU(the word man had come from MANU). Rough estimate of that instruction would be at least 3–4 billion years (human).manu instructed IKSHVAKU (the harbinger to the suryavamsa dynasty the descendent Of whom is lord Ramachandra.so the wisdom is beyond space time or in better words timeless. If you are so much of a vaishnava as you proclaim, it is unbecoming of you to question the POORNA AVATAR OF THR CREATOR, LORD KRISHNA. Ramki: As I said the SUPREME CAN ASSUME ANY FORM AND ALSO WITHOUT FORM (BG 14.27: “brahmano hi prathistaham, amritatvasya avyayasta ca. Sasvatasya ca dharamasya, sukhaiyo kaantikasya ca”- I am the source of the IMPERISHABLE BRAHMAN, immeasurable, unfathomable, eternal, The ever BLISS FUL EXISTENCE.” Get beyond the deluded mind and become a TRUE VAISHNAVI BY WORD THOUGHT AND DEED. Sampath: So with all these stories, why do you consider Shankara and Madhwa Godly or saintly and not Einstein? @Syam… Ramki…I come back to you. Is Krishna the creator or Vishnu? Or is there another universal creator? Ramki: Saints they are. They don’t need our approval. As the Vedas say, “EKAM SAD VIORA BAHUDAM VADANTI” Truth is ONE but known by various names. GET BEYOND THE NAMA RUPA the world of names and forms. Read my previous posts as The Lord is immanent and permanent.

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Sampath: What do you mean by mythological characters being timeless? When was Krishna here on Earth? Does BG say that? What about Mahabharatha? I want to know your definition of the Lord Ramki. Ramki: I think you didn’t notice my posts on the science spoken by The Lord to the sun god vivasvan. Sampath: Yes they sound like gibberish. (Aaeeyna changed the subject to “We need a break guys”) Sampath: 4 billion years? Was Krishna here 4 billion years back? Aaeeyna, not now. It’s just beginning to warm up. When was Krishna here? Ramki: May be to the deluded mind, I told you KRISHNA CAN ASSUME ANY FORM ANY TIME ANY WHERE. Sampath: They say we invented the zero that’s why we are liberal with it. Ok. So by the present BCE calendar when did he live? Ramki: HE doesn’t require our approval for that matter. Sampath: That’s a completely different matter. But for him to influence us so much…We need to know when and where he came from. So is Krishna real or Vishnu or the Universal Spirit. Ramki: 3130 BC. There is no point getting jealous of the supreme personality like a common fool. Sampath: What if I prove to you that we were a pre historic civilization in 3000 BC with complete facts. And ZERO Facts to prove that Krishna existed then. Ramki: It takes his blessing to cross this ocean of materialistic existence as confirmed by the leading advaitist of yesterday swami Vivekananda. Your basic problem is what is known as skepticism. No point convincing a skeptic. Sampath: But I thank myself that I’m one in a billion (strong Indian population) that is not misled! Ramki: How has this intelligence come into existence? How do the neurons of yet occipital cortex specialise in vision and temporal for audition and frontal for personality. Wikipedia is created by a materialistic person which need no be fully authentic. In fact Darwin to me is a big fool.

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Sampath: So on 3000 BC there is a perfect documentation of normal civilisation in India. It does not mention Krishna or the Mahabharata which in essence might have been an exaggerated story like the Epics written by Homer. Bingo Ramki…that’s where I began my quest. This is 14th year in a row. I read history of India…of the world…of Hinduism…I already knew the scriptures…I read Koran…the Bible…then got into science…here I am. How did this intelligence come into this world. The million dollar question. But for this Ramki…there is another question.…is this really intelligence? Which ever way the intelligence came…Krishna 3000 BC or not…we need to find out if this IS intelligence or not. Syam: http: //m.timesofindia.com/india/Lord-Ram-was-born-in-5114- BC/articleshow/273107.cms Ramki: There is nothing called natural selection. KRISHNA IS MENTIONED IN THE GREATEST PURANA SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM. Please go through it if can get over your skepticism. Believe it has answers for all your doubts. Sampath: Syam…the problem in India is we are blinded by our beliefs that we read nothing else. Please read the history of India and the world and you will realise that between 1000 BC and today the entire Hindu religion was created. It took a little bit of everything…the Krishna philosophy is actually the BUDDHIST philosophy. It is wrong Syam that Buddhism does not have Self Realized people. Buddha was self realized and there is proof of his existence. Buddhism predates Hinduism…and Krishna…and Jainism predates Buddhism. There is proof of Buddha’s self realization Ramki: I never boast having gone through all the transcendental literatures but I have FAITH IN THE LORD. But I love all the literatures of all the religions and I really pity you for not understanding the universal intelligence creator KRISHNA. Sampath: Ramki…BG is like nursery rhymes to me. I grew up with it. Today I look at it completely in a different way. It had some vital information but a lot of chaff has to be separated from the wheat. Syam: Sampath… why go to BCs. I feel the current Hinduism is the one that evolved since 700AD. I am not saying no buddhists had SR. My

• 110 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra point was institutionalizing meditation.did not bring more SR peopel in normal life Sampath: Yes Syam. So where were all our Gods B4 700 AD? Ramki: Maccha don’t understimate ME. I am crazy about the VEDAS. there is nothing beyond it. Aachi: Sampy simple question. What was the religion of Buddha’s parents? Sampath: I cannot argue with 3 at the same time. One at a time please. Great question Aachi… Aachi: I am not arguing, I am asking… Syam: Beauty of Hinduism is that it doesnt believe in just 1 ‘paigambar ‘like other religions. Hindus accepted all the saints that came… all their teachings. They accepted Rama, Krishna, Shirdi Sai recently, Nityananda of Kanhangad (not the Bangalore one ;-)) Ramki: skeptics argue everything, “avajananto mam Muddha”- Fools deride me (BG 9.11) Syam: All of these saints became gods and their teaching became part of Hinduism Ramki: Tell me Sampath who was GARGI??? No internet surfing now… Sampath: Aachi…Buddha belonged to a post Vedic civilization, from the Sakya clan. He was the son of a king. If you met them they would not know anything about Hinduism. Krishna would not be so important, if he ever existed at that time, as he is now. There was surely no Ganesha or Kumbakarana!!!! Aachi: How do u know this? Ramki: Hinduism is a WAY OF LIFE,SAMPATH, not a religion. Get beyond religion… Sampath: Syam…the beauty of Hinduism is also the fallacy of Hinduism. I will tell you how we added Gods. Syam: pre Adi Sankara, india was several kingdoms… and each part was worshippng a different deity. some parts, they were worshipping only sun. some parts it was only fire. some parts it was skulls… etc…

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Sampath: In our life time, despite all the knowledge and literacy we still added 3 or 4 people who will potentially be considered Gods in a few 100 years. Syam: Adi sankara institutionalized shanmatham Ramki: There is GOD IN EVERYBODY. You have to manifest the god in you. Syam: So be it. Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya Glanirva Bhavathi Bharatha Pallavi: Guys… pls chill. Sampath: One is Shirdi Sai Baba…one is Puttaparthi Sai Baba… another is Paramahamsa, Mata Amritamandamayi…people pray to these Gods by keeping their photos on the alter place. Aaeeyna: In about hundred years we will read about the fight of ramki and sampath in the scriptures Sampath: Syam answered you Aachi. Aaeeyna: Now I understand there are no gods,only intellectuals on whatsapp. Sampath: Ramki, Hinduism is a way of life as defined by the 1995 Supreme Court order Ramki: Skeptics never win syam. They will keep on taking birth after birth speculating and getting no where. Aaeeyna: And us lowly beings worshipping them. Pallavi: Aayeena and me revolt!STOP! Sampath: But it is also a GRAND mixture of history culture religion literature and philosophies. Ramki: That’s what I said Sampath in my previous posts. Syam: dont say that ramki. I was a big time sceptic too. Sampath: Hinduism is a pool. One has the liberty but one also has to be careful in choosing what he or she wants. Aachi: I don’t accept vague ideas. How do you know Buddha’s religion of birth? A scientist like you cannot conjecture. I need concrete proof that Buddha’s parents weren’t devotees of Lord Rama or Krishna. (Aaeeyna changed the subject to “WhatsApp veda”)

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Sampath: Aachi…because people from the Mauryan empire have documented Buddha’s life extensively as did Ashoka. Ramki: Just get down to the basic, worship the SUPREME absolute truth,call it whatever holy name you like and feel the divine transformation in all of US. Aachi: Then you must know the Gaya VishnuPada temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in which Lord Buddha is said to have lived Ramki: No point speculating and no point in utilitarianism. Syam: FABULOUS…DISCUSSION GUYS… LOVE YOUR ARGUMENTS SAMPATH. SUPER RAMKI! Sampath: Am I allowed to cut and paste Aachi…I’ll give you proof!!!!! Ramki doesn’t like me doing it. Syam: GOOD NIGHT Aachi: Be my guest. Ramki: Lord BUDDHA is an avatar of VISHNU. Aachi: It’s all history…he said another one said etc etc Sampath: I said Buddha lived in a post Vedic period. Vedic period is devoid of Vishnu. Neha: Enough guys. Sampath: Post Vedic period is where Hinduism made its debut. Aachi: U maybe right or wrong. Who knows? Nasadiya Sukta. Sampath: There might have been stories of some important Hindu Gods back then but they were not so mainstream as they are now. Aachi: As I said WHO KNOWS! Ramki: The word HINDU was incidentally coined by the British to the people living beyond the river Sindhu. Sampath: Aachi.…I KNOW FOR SURE THERE WAS NO KRISHNA during the Vedic period. Otherwise it WOULD BE IN THE VEDAS Ramki: Hindu’s included the Christians and Muslims. Aachi: Who knows! Ramki: But now the name is being followed by the people following the vedic religion. Information given by SWAMI VIVEKANANDA.

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Sampath: Yes I agree Ramki…Hinduism also included Islamic and Christian principles. Or maybe vice versa. The Heaven hell concept was borrowed from Islam to Hinduism or vice versa. I don’t know Neha: They are becoming unstoppable!! Sampath: Ramki…the word Hindu was not quoted by the British BUT BY THE GREEKS to East of Sindhu. Ramki: Who cares? Just surrender everything to the LORD. Sampath: Which Lord Ramki? The Universal Spirit? Or Krishna who fought with the Pandavas? Or Mata Amritamandamayi???? Ramki: A secret for posterity as I know the creator.you will give 10000000. Reasons to counter probe. Sampath: Or Sai Baba? Yes I will ask questions.…like Subramaniam Swami! Aachi: No problem. Ask a billion more. It’s your path to ask and probe. Sampath: Girls…can’t you see there’s a war that’s broken out. Don’t get war zoned!!!!! Move away. Ramki: I told you the CREATOR THE VEDAS, matter, intelligence, space time.creativity…LORD KRISHNA… Sampath: Then Vishnu? Ramki: SVA-AMSA OF LORD KRISHNA. Sampath: And Shiva and their progeny Ganesha who wrote the Gita with his tusk? Ramki: Siva was generated from the forehead of lord brahma. Sampath: Who are our Gods? When are they here on Earth? I need to know. Where was Brahma when the Vedas were written? And to say Vedas were never WRITTEN. But only reproduced verbally. Ramki: The earth is a dust in the material sky.the real sky is the spiritual sky 4 billion miles away. Sampath: Ramki don’t deviate. Who created all the million Hindu Gods? Who created Saraswathi for instance? Or Dattatreya? Ramki: Brahma was generated from the garbodakasayi Vishnua expansion of KRISNA. From BRAHMA THE ENTIRE CREATION.

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Sampath: Or Subramaniam. Where did they live. There are proofs of all other Prophets…Buddha Jesus…why not Hindu Prophets. When did Krishna live on Earth? 3000 BC was the Indus Valley civilisation. Ramki: If you go to Kashmir, there is still the tomb of LORD JESUS lying in an east west direction/ Jewish. Sampath: Nothing mysterious about it. It’s all well documented. Their language and script is undesciphered to this day Ramki: This earth is only one among the many earths and universes of Krishna. Sampath: That is a fake story. If you believe it then I can’t expect you not to believe in Krishna Ramki: I told you… get off skepticism. Sampath: I’m after facts. There’s something in Hinduism that does not make sense at all! !! Ramki: Do you just rely on facts given by your imperfect senses. Sampath: All the million Hindu Gods have no factual basis and originate between 2000 BC till now. While in the west there have been like 3 or 4 (major) Prophets in that period? Ramki: As swami Vivekananda says’ human mind is limited by what is known as the circle of reason, but the beauty of creation lies beyond this circle of reason.” Sampath: I want your opinion Ramki. Because I share MINE Millions have come and gone and there will be millions of opinions too. Not all had to be true. Ramki: The mother tell father to her child. The mother is the VEDAS and they tell you about the creator. Just follow it without bias. Aachi: All Opinions are true for the ones who profess them. Sampath: Ok. So when we’re the Vedas written and by whom? U believe they were words of God? Aachi: If your path to Delhi is from Italy it doesn’t mean that people of Bangalore should also follow same path Sampath: They will be fools to follow. So I don’t have to follow what had been followed till now if I’m not convinced. Who wrote the Vedas?

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Ramki: VEDAS are the eternal spiritual laws present throughout the universe. It”s like FM. Tune your mind with devotion and you will get it. First told by KRISHNA TO BRAHMA AND THEN TO THE KUMARAs, NARADA, VYASA, SUKA MUNI… Sampath: If Vedas are God himself.…how does it make sense when Vedas talk about animal sacrifice? The Ashvamedha ritual - in which a horse is sacrificed - is described in the Rigveda, the Shukla Yajurveda, the Taittiriya Shakha of Yajurveda, the Shatapatha Brahmana and in the Srauta-sutras of the Aitareya Brahmanaand in the Kaushtikati Brahmana of the Rigveda. In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad the symbolism of the sacrifice is described, with the horse symbolising the cosmos. In theRamayana, Rama performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice for becoming the Chakravartinemperor. In the Mahabharata, Yudhishtraperforms the Ashwamedha after winning theKurukshetra war to become the Chakravartin emperor. But Bhagavad Gita…written much later completely condemns animal sacrifices. Who is correct??? Ramki: Ashamedha sacrifice – here the learned rishis test their spiritual powers by killing the animal body of the horse and awarding the soul a higher birth. Sampath: Why is it condemned in the Gita? Ramki: It’s no longer needed now. Because simple answer: no qualified Brahmana. I told you again imam vivasvata Yogam- I spoke this science to the sun god 3–4 billion years ago. Sampath: What???? Pls come again. It was needed then but not needed now Ramki: This is KALI YUGA-the fallen age Sampath: In 4000 to 3000 BC animal sacrifice was needed but not in 1000 BC till date? When did Kali Yuga start? Ramki: Started 5000 years back. Most of the people are deluded, faithless, sense crazy and dumb. Sampath: How many cycles of years makes a Yuga? So why animal sacrifice was needed during Vedic times?

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When were the Vedas told to humans? First answer this pls So 5000 BC is not Vedic period? Ramki: Satay Yuga- 1728000. Treta; 1200000 Dwapara: 864000 Kali: 432000years. Sampath: So the Vedas must have surely been there since Satya Yuga???? Ramki: I think we better stop as guys are leaving from this group. Sampath.will continue with you personally… Take care. Sorry guys for getting involved too much. Sampath: One moment pls. Ramki this group is for crazy discussions like this. People are free to leave if they are not up to this. We’re Vedas told in Kali Yuga or in Satya yuga Aachi: Awesome time. Thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks guys Aachi: You missed it from the morning. Aaeeyna: Aachi we will call you narad muni now. Sampath: If Vedas were told in Satya Yuga…that is about 4224000 years from now…you must come with a justification why humans did not exist in that age scientifically! Aachi: I learn by observation. Sampath: So to whom were the Vedas told to? Chimpanzees? I give up. Ciao!!! Aaeeyna: Sampath cool down. U need to chill before you go. Sampath: This whole religion business is humbug! Aaeeyna: Read your conversation with a cool mind Sampath: God must be laughing at us Aaeeyna: Maybe you will find the answers there Aachi: Absolutely! Go in Peace Aaeeyna: U bet…gods were intellectual men on whatsapp. Nothing else. It’s a compliment Sampath: Explain. Coz I’m depressed and tired.

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Aaeeyna: In about a hundred yrs people will be reading about lord ramki and lord sampaths fight in some vedas. Go through the whole conversation. U both have your answers. Sampath: Absolutely! That’s the way I see it. Well said. We make our own Gods. Makes me want to be Indra God! See Pallavi…you can’t create a monster and orphan it. Aaeeyna: Gnite guys Sampath: Goood night all of you! Good night Aaeeyna! (Aaeeyna changed the subject to “All is well”) Ramki: Good night guys. Last word; ‘GOD IS LOVE AND LOVE IS GOD.” Aachi: After the storm…there is always CALM Neha: Finally!! Om Shanti Sampath: I cannot sleep tonight without posting this. Please tolerate me! I believe in what follows India had an ancient civilization and Hinduism is an ancient religion that we must be very very proud of. We must be proud of them like the way we are proud of our grandfathers/mothers and great grandfathers/ mothers. We cannot let ourselves believe that our grandparents were more informed about the works than us. Respect but realise. If you look at the Indian past you will find it very difficult to separate Hinduism from the history, culture, religion, arts and literature of India. It is one big flow. The past is Hinduism and Hinduism is the past of India. So when the Supreme Court of India ruled that Hinduism was a way of life it got it absolutely right. We Hindus have or don’t have a religion depending on how you look at it. Let us put this into perspective with what happened in the rest of the world during the same period. Circa 5000 BC till now. The Pharaohs ruled in Egypt at that time. They had their ruler as God. They built the mighty pyramids, they had their own literature. Around 1000 BC the Greeks were an advanced civilization. Homer wrote Iliad and Odyssey. They had their Gods like Zeus and demigods like Achilles. The difference between their civilization and ours is that

• 118 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra there was a discontinuity in the social relevance of their past in their day to day life. In India the past continued and continues to this day. Zeus is no longer a God in Greece. But Krishna is. Achilles was a furious warrior like Arjuna. But Achilles has been relegated to the corners of mythology or mythological literature. Not Arjuna. In India Arjuna, Krishna and ensuring else became mainstream religion. This is an example of mythology or literature integrating into Hinduism. Songs, dance forms and art helped in adding to exaggerations. Arts are nothing but beautiful exaggerations. So if Vishnu had 4 limbs it was just an artistic exaggeration. If Sharada was considered the God of literature it was perhaps a poetic exaggeration of the literary intelligence of a queen in Kashmir (Namaste Sharada Devi Kashmira Puravasini). Buddha is both a part of Indian history and religion. He too was pulled into Hinduism. He was later called the incarnation of Vishnu. Because Buddha was too famous to be ignored. He had to be connected to Hinduism. The only place he could get into was an Avatar of Vishnu. Buddha was not a part of the Vishnu incarnation before the life of Buddha. This is an example of integration of Indian History and Indian religion into Hinduism. To secure the religion from another goof up like the Buddha affair, a futuristic Kali incarnation was predicted just to play safe in case there came along another prophet! Dvaita and Advaitha are philosophies that got integrated into Hinduism too. In Greece, philosophy was the domain of the philosophers/scholars. Like Plato and Socrates. They did not merge into religion of Greece. The reason for this vortex that sucked everything into religion was just one simple factor. Brahminism. The Brahmins existed from the Bronze age to this day. Not always did they have a thread around their chest. Brahmins were priests in the Vedic and post Vedic civilizations. They kept control of things. In Greece Plato was a scholar separate from the priest. But in India this was not to be. The Brahmin WAS the priest, the scholar, the philosopher and in many cases the poet and writer. So Brahmins ruled all aspects of the society. They kept power along with the Kshatriyas. This was not exactly planned but it came to be. Brahmins were priests in the first place so like in all civilisations they were patronised by the Kings, the Kshatriyas. But the Brahmins showed an uncanny knack to

• 119 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution survive and to tilt the entire social structure to their advantage. But they did justice to their elevated position and also contributed immensely to all aspects of the Indian intellectual sphere. If not for them we would have never preserved the Vedas, we would not have had this grand opium of a concoction called Hinduism. Somewhere inside it was also precious stuff like Self Realisation, Dvaita and Advaitha. The fact that some of the Brahmins were powerful scholars, religious heads like Veda Vyasa, Agastya, Shankara and Madhwa and perhaps a few of them self realised too made them indomitable. The millions of Gods, rituals, the rules of a casteist society came from their minds, pens and tongues. Krishna was important for the survival of Brahmins and the religion that they created along the way. But they are not sinister people but they were intelligent and situation favoured them all along. But this phenomenon is not without parallels. Brahminism is what the Papacy is in the Christian world. The religious heads of Europe de facto ruled the western world and created Christianity. Christianity is very much a political movement as it is religious and it peaked with this attitude till the Reformation where people disgusted with the corruption and elitism of the priests and the Papacy, rebelled against it. At one time there were 3 Popes fighting to be recognised as the Holy See. The exploits of Mohammed is again more political than religious. Those familiar with his story will know what I’m talking about. What happened after Mohammed is more political than religious. Shia/Sunni, Caliph and the Caliphate, the connivance of religious heads with the rulers that sustained both of them are examples we see even today in the middle east. In the 3000 BCEs advanced Indian civilization was limited to the northern parts of India. If Krishna and the God company existed before the Indus civilization there would have been evidence to this effect in the ruins of Harappa and Mohenjodaro. There is nothing to suggest that Hinduism existed like there way we see it today before 3000 BC. Then came the Vedic period. Vedas and pagan Vedic philosophy bloomed in eastern India. I stress on the word pagan because there is a whole lot of forest and element worship stuff in the Vedas which indicates the elementary scientific temperament of that time. But what was happening elsewhere? The ancient Greeks and Egyptians too indulged in deep philosophy during the same contemporary period. But in the west the

• 120 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra segregation between religion, philosophy, history, culture, arts and even science was distinct but not in India. In India everything melted into one pot called Hinduism. This is the reason why we get lost in a discussion when we seek specifics in Hinduism. Because a historical thread starts where a mythological thread left off. So a mythological character like Vishnu is forced to make a connection with Krishna, (who is most likely of the lot to have existed) as an Avatar. And Krishna is forced to make a connection with philosophy in the form of Bhagavad Gita which in fact was written by Vyasa. But the blurring doesn’t stop there. There’s literary exaggeration that blurs other barriers. Lord Ganesha most likely a mythological character is made to actually script the Epic and in the process there’s a scientific blurring. Ganesha is mocked by the moon and he throws his tusk at him which cuts the moon and brings in the half moon effect. Events in Hinduism are so interconnected that it is one grand mess!!! It’s best left as it is and is diversity and color is best enjoyed as it is. But as I said earlier one has to be careful when one chooses to rigidly adherent to any part of it. One has to chose with care. Islamic and Christian principles too are already in Hinduism. So it’s useless to go out there to find something more. I did and I found them to be nothing exciting at all. They too have strengths and fallacies. But Hinduism, that’s Made in India, is truly the mother of all things intellectual. After all this there are times when certain informations do make me think that I could be wrong in my assessment. But I’m not fully convinced that I’m wrong about my beliefs. But I’m certain that a lot of information in Hinduism is worthy of a place only in the dustbins of the history of India. If religion is seeking God, it must be a very simple affair. No temples, no rituals, no E=MC2, no building rockets to go to a distant galaxy to meet him. It must be as simple an affair as breathing or just simply being. God must be accessible to even the most primitive forms that seek Him/Her. Meditation is surely worth looking into when you think of it this way. Of all religious things available today to me SR is the only thing that fits my religious and scientific temper.

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Vishu: Sampath, you are crazy. You have put so much effort and dedication in trying to find the ultimate truth. well done. I am sure it will happen one day. What an amazing group of friends we have. Ramki, Mithin and Syam in the path of bhakhi yoga, Sampath in the form of jnana yoga and Pallavi in the form of kriya yoga. All different paths but searching for the same thing. The ultimate truth. Syam: Well researched and superb effort. Aachi: Sampy we all are at a meal and you have dedicated your life to finding out how a dish was made and how much salt was added and at what time and how that amount of spices is not good etc etc. Eat what you like da. Let others eat what they like. In the end everyone’s hunger is appeased. Don’t count the leaves in the orchard of Mango trees… Eat the Mangoes. I personally do not know the answers to all questions about Hinduism that you might have. But I enjoy the abandon of enjoying my path and respecting others’ path. IN the course of his pilgrimage through the southern parts of India, Sri Chaitanya Deva came across a certain devotee who was in tears all the while a pundit was reading from the Gita. Now this devotee knew not even a single word of the Gita. On being asked why lie shed tears, he replied, “It is indeed true that I do not know a word of the Gita. But all the while it was being read, 1 could not help seeing with my inner eye the beautiful form of my Lord Sri Krishna seated before Arjuna in a chariot in the field of Kurukshetra, and giving out all those sublime thoughts embodied in the Gita. This it was that filled my eyes with tears of joy and love.” This man, who knew not letters, had the highest Knowledge, for he had pure love for God and could realize Him. Neha: All different paths but searching for the same thing. The ultimate truth. Go ahead and write a book on this da. (Pallavi changed the subject to “Love always”) Aachi: Arguments only lead confusion for in a relative existence one can paint the Absolute as one pleased.

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Ramki: A true devotee must have the courage of PRAHLADA,the conviction of DHRUVA, the heroism of a SUDAMA,the perseverance of the GOPIS, the ardour of radha and the faith of KUNTI, - by Ramki. No if’s and queries about our great culture which is beyond the mind of even intellectuals who solely rely on the information derived from the mind and the five senses. Get above you mind as SANKARA SAYS. You might rattle off Islam and Christianity and other impersonal faiths they nevertheless have some truths in them, but don’ t forget when the LORD Says in (BG 7.7: “Mattah parataram nanyat, kiscit Asti dhanajaya, MAYYI sarvam IDAM PROTAM SUTRE MANIGANE Iva”- “O ARJUNA there is no truth superior to ME, and I am the string which connects all the pearls of faith.” A really knowledgeable soul is never ARROGANT about his knowledge, he is SOFT about everything that he does, he doesn’t create confusion in anybody’s mind, he is a friend of All and all faiths. He believes in the scriptures without a doubt(otherwise there is no meaning in this conditional UNENLIGHTHENED existence).He never downsizes existing beliefs and practices, each practice is intended for the spiritual position of his/her mindset. He never claims that he knows everything; he is humble in his knowledge and approach. NO BULLDOZING of his concocted self-ingrained theories unto someone else and like as I said before never thinks that he is equal to the supreme in quantity (though qualitatively we all are)which is the last snare that MAYA imposes upon than particular soul depriving him of the highest benefit that is GOD CONSCIOUSNESS. Jai hind. (Aachi changed the subject to “The semienlightened”). Pallavi: Aachi…Sampath does not favour this semi enlightened name… that’s why I had changed it earlier. He says ki phir hum semi enlightened hi rahenge. (Aachi changed the subject to “Seekers’ Paradise”) Neha: I know… Yesterday everything was OHT(over head transmission) Vishu: Over my head too. Today’s is my level talk. Pallavi: I dint read any of those long informative messages. My brain had network interruption.

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Neha: I tried, but gave up finally! Sampath: Thanks for reminding. For a long time now on weekends the first and the only thing I do in the mornings is check messages on what’s app and fb. I need a coffee. Pallavi: Love contains amazing strength… had this not been the case, Sri ram would not have eaten shabri’s left over plums. Sampath: Sri Ram who never was never ate the plums that never existed given by Shabari’s who never existed too. Pallavi: Maybe. Sampath: Sri Ram MIGHT have existed. Pallavi: Chalo…itni grace to mili. Sampath: The Greeks (and the whole world) accept with utmost respect that Iliad and Odyssey with all the Gods and demi Gods in them were just imaginary Epics written by Homer. Why is it hard for us to accept the same about Ramayan and Mahabharat? Why the reluctance to harbour even a doubt that this COULD be one spectacular and immensely creative Epic written by a gifted writer. If it turns out that all that we believed was indeed true then it changes nothing. But what if it was the contrary. Pallavi: Sampath…u have ur coffee…no one is up for your and my polls. Sampath: Ramki…is your interest only in Bhagavad-gita or all the scriptures? I deeply appreciate your efforts. More of us must be taking this up. Ramki: Everybody is free to have whatever they like… No problems… The thing is I have attained “vinivirtta kamah” (BG: 15,4) done with all the basal urges… My interest is the BG, Puranas and the Upanishads. Sampath: What is your primary source of motivation? Do you follow someone or some type of yoga? Just curious Ramki. Ramki: Relax guys, I have really had every bit of the best material enjoyment in whatever way you can imagine ever with this physical sheath of mine,,, hope you have heard of greats like AJAMILA AND VILVAMANGALA.

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I love SRILA PRABHUPADA. Sampath: Then you must know Dvaitha? What do you think is true? That we are the shadow of God and that we can never be one with God or that we can be one with God, eventually? Ramki: We are the eternal part and parcels of the LORD (BG: 15.7) (Mamaivamso jiva l loke jiva Bhuta sanatanah”)we can only be ONE IN QUALITY BUT NOT IN QUANTITY, as eternally liberated spiritual beings beyond the constraints of this four dimensional space-time continuum. Sampath: By quality you mean? By quantity you mean? Ramki: In Quality(spiritual intelligence,awareness, creativity), not quantity otherwise you and I would still not be stuck here with this sheaths the of 26 elements.the GIANTS like BUDDHA, ADI SANKARA, lord Jesus, Sri Ramakrishna paramahamsa,swami Vivekananda found their ways to the effulgence of the LORD but the devotees of the LORD are even greater as the were humble as ever as attained the highest perfection beyond the Jnanis.so just be a great devotee like ARJUNA and enjoy this existence and guarantee yourself the highest existence after your sojourn here. Sampath: What happened to Arjuna after his exit from here? Did he reincarnate? Ramki: Once you SEE THE SUPREME AS HE IS INVISIBLE EVEN TO THE LEARNED RISHIS, there is no question of getting back to this transmigration.(BG ; 15,5: “yat gatva na nivartante tad dhamam paramam mama”) Liberation guaranteed even for the trees and birds around LORD KRISHNA’s time let alone ARJUNA. Sampath: So what is liberation? Ramki: Next time Sampath… because that itself is another exercise, and besides I don’t want to get our pals too much on this. Let’s make things simple and easy. Liberation is attaining your true eternal nature which is your birth right, but only if you want too.”anyatha rupena hitva swarupena vyavasthithih.”Srimad Bhagavatham. Guys just enjoy every moment here (keeping the LORD In your mind), relax enjoy everything life has to offer you and relish all this years in your

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childhood,school days,college days, KMC days, post KMC PERIOD and all those moments which you really would want to remember, including family and so on and just take it easy.as time goes when you are ready you will get the answers from the LORD. Have a nice time guys. Sampath: Ok Ramki. But this forum is for discussing these aspects of our being. No one minds. This is for the Seeker. To find answers. Anyways I look forward to discussing more with you. Ramki: Great Sampath definitely, the vaishnava in you will get you the answers. Sampath: Ramki the Bhagavatham that you quote was written by renouned Brahmins around 6th to 10th AD to promote Vaishnavism. Krishna was connected to Vishnu and Brahma during this time. Shiva makes no impact in this Purana. The Bhakthi Yoga was promoted in this Purana coincides with the rise of Vaishnavism. Nope…I cannot be convinced so easily. Bhagavatham is a splendid religious book but it is clearly an attempt by the North Indian Vishnu leaning brahminsto whitewash Shaivism which was a South Indian phenomenon. The Bhagavatham was written in two different periods if one goes by the language. There are at least 20 versions of it. Everything was written and rewritten by mortals, but seekers, like us, interested in knowing the ultimate truth. They published their thesis as Puranas. The Puranas also served as a tool for a religious ideological battle for supremacy. Ramki: Bhagavatham Purana written around 5000 BC BY Veda Vyasa, the literary incarnation the ABSOLUTE. He has also complied all the Vedic literatures beyond this including the revered Upanishads. But still, he was not satisfied with regards to Bhakti, so for the great yoga called Bhakti yoga he wrote the Bhagavatha Purana so that we are benefitted. Sampath: So Vyasa wrote the 3+1 Vedas, the 200+ Upanishads, the Bhagavad-gita, the 18 Puranas???? All by 5000 BC? This is impossible just by content analysis. The contents of Vedas are COMPLETELY different from the Puranas. The Upanishads are analytical

• 126 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra texts of the Vedas. Hinduism as we know today makes its debut with the Puranas. So Vyasa could not have written everything. You will know your error of judgement if you read more about the origin of our literary texts. The Shaiva Puranas have a typical South Indian flavour…the setting is South Indian. The Vaishnava Puranas have a typical North Indian flavour…the setting is North Indian or Central Indian. Could this have happened if Vyasa wrote all of them at one go? The Bhagavad-gita was retro inserted into the Mahabharata by the Vaishnavites. This was not a part of the original script. Bhagavad Gita is a text that attempts to merge the Transcendental yoga of the Buddhist era into a Krishna oriented Bhakti yoga. It’s a clever clever job. I always wondered why BG introduced and emphasised on (Krishna focussed) Bhakthi and Karma Yoga and not simple Kriya. There was another ideological battle in the background as all these texts were written. Buddhist ‘Kriya’ vs Hindu ‘Bhakthi’. That Hinduism defeated Jainism and Buddhism in India is clearly due to the incredibly clever adaptation and assimilation of the Vedic, Buddhist ideologies into Krishna and Vishnu (God) based ideologies. Buddhist and Jains did not wish to corrupt their ideologies and cider to go alone. Who benefitted from multiple Gods? The authors themselves. The Brahmins. Shiva was secondary. But eventually he managed to get into the boat too. The same Jainist, Buddhist Transcendental ideologies were attributed to him too. But to their credit the Brahmins pooled everything together. They kept all the sparks alive in a way they wanted.…from Vedas to Harry Potter!!!!!! (Sampath changed the subject to “To Be or Not to Be”) Aachi: Sampy more than spirituality you are just discussing history. History is virgin till something else is discovered. How does it help you? U r basing Ur arguments on the historicity of people Sampath: In India History=Religion=Spirituality. So it is important to know your sources. Aachi: Is it? More than history if perhaps arguments or discussions were based on spiritual paths, pros and cons then it would help everyone more Today’s history was yesterday’s mystery and tomorrow’s story

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It relies on flimsy pillars of discoveries and anecdotal or researched knowledge which can change in the course of time. Why bother? Sampath: Because if Krishna or Shiva or Bhakthi becomes more important than the process of meditation then there is a problem. Apart from the fact that we might just discover that despite the millions of Hindu Gods there’s less of God and more of religion in Hinduism. Because we do not need more Gods and Heroes. We need more paths and destinations. We need less of deities and deifying and more of practical lessons in what to do to reach or to know God. One of the proposed path is SR. We need people who will tell us how to go about it. Not God to pray to. Sampath: Because we do not need a logic that says worshipping a particular God (Bhakthi) is a better path than meditating ones way to salvation. Because the concepts of SR is for one to realise oneself. I know there are many long justifications or counter arguments for each one of issues. But dare I say why not we all just fold up religion for a moment, forget all the Gods and kneeling before them and JUST meditate? Do what they asked us to do? Why does getting kissed by Amritamandamayi or getting a Vibhuti from Sai Baba become more important than meditation? Why do we need to justify Buddha’s or Ram’s actions of leaving their families behind? They did what they felt was right. Why can’t they make mistakes? Why do they always have to be right? Why does Buddha’s wife have to projected like ‘she knew the future…and she knew her destiny and yet preferred it?’ We will never know. So why conjecture? This is like the Goebbels phenomenon. Tell a lie a hundred times till it becomes the truth. The truth in both the above examples is that WE DO NOT KNOW and we will never know. The lie we are made to believe is that Buddha and Ram were correct in what they did because of…blah blah.

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Why do we spend so much time on things in religion that we will never know? I followed many spiritual leaders in the past. Then I followed Einstein for a while and then I realized how wrong we all are. Here is a guy who changed our lives, changed science, religion AND spirituality (though he was not aware of it himself). But we call him a scientist, not even a Yuga Purush, let alone God. Many in India do not know that our lives today, our phones, our cars, depend on his discoveries. Yet many don’t even know his full name. On the other hand we build temples to Gods that were created out of thin air, Gods that never existed, Gods who never gave us anything; we pour time, money and devotion, worshiping deities in an apparent demonstration of our Bhakthi, when all we are doing is wasting our time. There is a God for medicine called Dattatreya. How many people did he cure? But Salk’s vaccines have. House’s Cochlear Implants have. I’ll explain the phenomenon in a way we will all understand. We are making the same mistake of deification as we speak. Right here right now. In this forum we have been speaking of Ramana, Paramahamsa, Nannagaru, Sadhguru……Krishna…the BG and as we speak of all of them we are defying them. Because it makes US as important as it makes them. We make them famous and then go on to ourselves a little famous by speaking about them. That’s what we do here and that’s what Shankara and Madhwa did ages back. Religion is useful for our ego. What it tells us to do, meditation, is difficult. Saying I’m a follower of Sadhguru and quoting something intelligent or not that he said makes more people say wow than saying I meditated today for one hour today. Because talking about it costs nothing. But practising it and moving closer to God (if at all it does help us that way) is impossible. That’s why I ask everyone who speaks of these issues…So what have you done about it? The answer is anyways ‘zilch’. Speaking gives rich dividends but doing gives very little. The next question is what’s the harm in speaking about Ramana, Sadhguru or Krishna. It doesn’t kill anyone. But of course it does. Because people, sooner or later kill in the name of Gods religion and cults. Temples and Mosques have been brought down and people killed in the name of Allah and Ram when the followers

• 129 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution of both these religions care zilch about what Allah and Ram told us to do. This happens when religion becomes bigger than God and God becomes bigger than ‘God philosophy’. It should be the reverse. If meditation is what Shiva and Krishna did and exhorted us to do then there must be meditation halls with a Guru and pictures of Shiva and Krishna hanging on the walls looking down with benevolence upon their followers, fellow Yogis. Instead we have a temple with Shiva or Krishna in the center with a Brahmin as a middle man who does not know what the hell meditation is but exhorts us to offer coconuts, bananas and aartis to the sitting deities (appatently installed by super human gurus using secret super human exercises called pratisthapanas). And all we do is walk around aimlessly around these idols, fold our hands with reverence (and fear) amidst a jostling crowd, and we come out happy to have got a ‘glimpse’ of the ‘Lord’ and happy to have received His prasadam. Meditation just went for a toss. We do this a million times all our lives!! But seriously, is it not much more simple to stay where you are, close your eyes and meditate? Is that not what Shiva and Krishna told us to do? When there is a religious text that says an Enlightened Soul asked his followers to worship him.…TRUST ME…that was not written by THAT Enlightened Soul. Enlightened Souls are beautiful and selfless people. They do not ask to be worshipped. It is their incapable followers who cash in and make a religion out of them. So my gut feeling is that Krishna did not write the BG. But I believe that he was a Master. One of the very best. Like Sachin. Do I worship Sachin? No. But I do respect him immensely. Do I worship Krishna? Not quite the way the world does. I show him my obeisance by following what he says. By meditating. The day we stop focusing on Gods and focus more on the proposed philosophy we will make progress. Because then we get out of religion and get into Science. Because from that point starts the Science of Spirituality. Here we must be discussing less on religion and more on the different paths to reach God. What type of meditation? Share our experiences.

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Vedas proposed a path. Upanishads dissected the Vedas. Puranas strengthened the concepts of the path but in the process, due to vested interests, shifted the discourse to unwanted realms like Mythology, Gods etc. Had they simply focused ONLY on the path the whole world would have been Hindu by now. Vishu: Sampath, I agree on many things with you but you are discarding the bhakthi path completely. There are people who have attained divinity through the path of bhakhi and dissolution. Coming to meditation, I follow meditation path too. But there are hundreds of ways and you need to choose a model that suits you. Be it sadhguru, ramana, ramakrishna etc. So what’s wrong in choosing a guru and following his path? None of us, I believe are evolved enough to have our own method of meditation. Sampath: Vishu, Bhakthi must be directed towards the Supreme Consciousness. If it is believed that Krishna IS the Supreme consciousness then I agree that Krishna must be the recipient of the Bhakti. That is why I try to get into the history behind the evolution of our religious figures. To find out who maybe real and who may be not. Krishna could be a Master but very much hyped. I think there’s a lot of exaggeration around him including in the BG and all the Puranas. Bhakthi by itself cannot lead to Realisation. It can only act as a culture medium, a good atmosphere that could help the seeker get into a meditative state or prepare him for it. I completely agree that one could choose a Master to follow, in the path of SR. However the reverence to Master must not be elevated to the state of prayer. In essence Masters must be revered as teachers and not as Gods. Their photos should NEVER adorn the altar. The problem in India is people focus more on the person than his philosophy. We love to worship, Hero Worship. If me and you become Enlightened Souls, whether we like it or not, we will have people worshipping us, we will have followers, our photos will be in prayer rooms and we will get rich in no time. This is wrong. This cult building must cease. It is also the responsibility of the Masters themselves to redirect the focus of their followers towards the path. How many saints have INSISISTED that their followers must simply meditate and not to make a God/Cult out of themselves?

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This makes me doubt the Saints themselves. The life of Buddha is completely the opposite. He learnt from scratch. Was not influenced by the ‘scriptures’ and at all stage insisted on spreading his message. He was very much grounded. His followers were grounded. He did not exhort his followers to write Puranas on himself. He controlled his followers. The message that went through to his followers was that of Yoga, peace, simplicity and service. He did not say it was a sin to not worship him. This is the true sign of Enlightenment. But all the Big Gods in Hinduism reek of Supremacy. They reek of dominance. Intimidation. Of demanding obeisance. They get angry, curse people, kill people, seduce people. This for me is very mortal. Not Godly. The handiwork of my forefathers (Brahmins) is clearly behind all this. Bhakthi for me is the reflection of the desperation with which the seeker seeks the Supreme. Not singing peans and offering flowers to some incarnations. If the Bhakti is supposed to be directed to Krishna why not to his superior, Vishnu, or to the Brahman, the Supreme. The counter argument will be that the layman is capable of Bhakthi in a worshipful way as he is incapable of meditation. I agree with this BUT If the principles of meditation, I mean the Ultimate Path, is not in focus and in all religious places (temples) only worshipful Bhakti is promoted but not meditation then it’s completely wrong. How many temples in India have halls for meditation? Practically ZERO. We hybrid because worshipful Bhakti brings the frills, the business of religion, to play: dominance, superiority, money etc. The problem with present Hinduism is that we are completely out of focus. We need to have meditation centers as primary centers of religion for those who can cope up with mediation and temples (with meditation areas) for the lesser mortals…even there they must be encouraged to meditate rather than blindly worship and do poojas If the core Hindu philosophy is meditation as espoused by ALL Gods them where is its place in a temple today? I don’t see it. I only see an idol and a Brahmin. Vishu: I noticed a funny scene when I visited the sadhguru’s isha yoga centre. this place has a central Shiva linga called dhyana linga and there are no priests. People are allowed in every 15 minutes and they are supposed to

• 132 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra sit there in meditative state for that 15 minutes. It was funny to see many local people entering this space and pray and with in few seconds getting out to go. Volunteers had a hard job explaining to them silently and making them sit for those 15 minutes. People are not used to that at all. Prerna: Wow guys!! What a discussion!! I just believe religion is an offshoot of fear, more or less to keep the society under check. The ultimate truth is SR, whatever way u get it thru! Neha: Sampath, what u r talking about is what was shown in the Hindi movie OMG(oh my god)… Wherein the man who condemned God was eventually being worshipped… Basically the ignorant people need something tangible to cling on… So clinging on to a person sounds easier than clinging and following a philosophy. It doesn’t matter what you pick - a religion, a God, mediation or meditation like practices, your follow your karma yog,… What matters in the end is that whether that path is leading you closer to yourself. If yes, then that’s the right path for you… And everyone has a different path… No two people can tread the same path ever. Take Buddhism for example- many people around me have joined this, some because it’s a fad, some because they believe in that philosophy, some because they are looking for positive energy vibes. Everyone has a different reason. As long as a person is getting positive energy, he is becoming a better person, it’s fine. Many people known to me who have joined Buddhism are mainly into the chanting process and its protocol. I don’t see them following the teachings of Buddha… Nevertheless, I see a positive change in their thinking… They seem to have become more AWARE of themselves… So that’s good enough. I guess, NO ONE can ever guide you or teach you about SR. It’s one’s own calling. Every seeker has to find his own way… And may be there IS NO final destination… SR is just your journey, a never ending journey. And all what we are talking about is semantics… Intellectual discussion…It has nothing to do with SR. Aachi: It’s like someone seeing a house fall and reports it to a friend But friend says it has not come in today’s newspaper so what you say is false.

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Spirituality is about personal experience. The paths we chose introduce God to us in that mode. A person Worshipping A stone idol Krishna will see Krishna in all one day. That is SR. A person Worshipping his own Consciousness will see the same in all one day. That is SR. SR is the goal of all paths which may appear to ones liking or not. This is the inevitable fact. People don’t kill in the name of religion or religious figures…they kill and hurt for the sake of ego gratification only. The subsidence of the ego is the goal of all paths whether it is ‘Thy Will be done’ or ‘I am the Supreme Consciousness beyond the ego’ Neha: Beautiful lines by Khalil Gibran: “Let there be spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of heaven dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love. Sing and dance together but let each one be alone.” Yes… Need to give up ego… That is the initial step to the path of SR Neha: Giving up one’s ego means giving up your identities… Religion, qualification, all these things bind ourselves to our ego… Discard all that. But easier said than done. Aachi: So renounce your thirst for proving or disproving history. learn to see the teaching if you don’t like the Teacher. The teacher one day will leave you. He or She doesn’t matter. As you evolve through various realms…the Teaching alone will remain with you. Grasp that Your skullbase teacher will leave you one day…but his teaching of how to do that surgery will never. Grasp that and honor his memory. That will suffice. The teacher always leaves. The teaching remains. Neha: Bye… Gotta go… Need to get ready. Love you all for the spiritual and intellectual stimulation. Take care and have a good day.

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Aachi: A little submission to gauge our spiritual progress. If any path that u are in increases your ego and then it is going to take u long. Any path which reduces the same is best Sampath: The two people who really influenced me are Sadhguru and Paramahamsa Yogananda. They created systems where meditation was taught in the purest sense. There are others too but less inspirational to me. My observation is that you can put the actions and sayings of all the spiritual leaders into one group. They all practically say the same things. Then you can put all the Gods into a category who also say the same things. But the difference is that in the second group the Gods themselves stay like a mammoth ogre between the seeker and the path. They become bigger to the Seeker than the path itself. Vishu: Yes Sampath. Sadhguru influenced me the most. I am putting all my trust and following his path. So far I am extremely satisfied. Aachi: Be satisfied in your path and let others be. Sampath: Neha…very rightly said. People get into religion to exhaust themselves. For a ego kick, for a change or for some kind of inspiration. Religion had the potential to give all this. Like you said some get inspired by chanting not knowing what they chant. But also meditation. People get into this too for all the above reasons. For me to get myself to meditate was a thing of faith. I had to do a while lot of research for years to know whether it was worth wasting my time on this. I discovered many things in the process. Discovered myself. I pitted this philosophy versus others. Got convinced (not fully yet though) and took it up. So for me meditation was and for some inspiration or an ego trip but a serious serious worry to know my creator. When Pallavi created this group I was so skeptical. We discussed about it once but I did not comment here. At least for me it’s a waste of time if we do not start discussing the science of meditation and how we have been transformed by it if ever we have. It’s been more than a year now, how many of us have moved to the next level? Aachi…rightly said. The message is more important than the person who says it. But such is the Hindu system today that if you go to any temple across India and distribute a questionnaire about what the respective

• 135 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution deity they went to ‘worship’ really asked them to do…what is the concept of God…how to reach there.…what did Krishna say about Moksha…10/10 will not know anything about it. Ask them even about Krishna…like the name of Krishna’s parents…they won’t know. I have done this. I play this trick in unsuspecting friends all the time. Ask all your relatives, all your friends, most if them will be happy to go to the temple to get a ‘glimpse’ of the ‘Almighty’ and they will be exhilarated to get a banana or a coconut as a prasad. It’s not important whether Krishna was God or not. It’s important to follow the ‘information’ that came through him…that is attributed to him. Once the discussion is restricted to what we begin doing about knowing God, our own experiences, personally I will get interested. Because trust me there’s huge excitement in that path. It’s a path of science, of discoveries. Our discussions must be focused on our experiences. Not philosophy written by someone mortal like us 2000 years back who had no exposure to science like the way we do today. Aachi: That’s the beauty of them. They don’t know Krishna’s history but they Love Him Sampath: After all this meditation may be a false start too. This also has to borne in mind. Sampath: I have started very many years ago. Aachi: Lose the rigmarole of intellectual gymnastics. Sampath: Try me Aachi. I can also discuss a little about real spirituality! I love Krishna as I love Harry Potter. Aachi: No problem in discussion. But when belief systems are painted as superior and inferior it leads to an ego tourism. My path is good for me…I respect your path but its not for me. That is best attitude. It removes the ego of exclusivity and helps in spiritual progress Aaeeyna: I also love harry potter. Sampath: I love Harry Potter and I love Krishna too. Krishna has been a part of my family and my life. It is impossible to separate Krishna from any Udupi Shivalli Brahmins heart. We are so indoctrinated. But when God comes into the discussion my mind moves to

• 136 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra spirituality and science rather than Krishna. I have dissociated all the Gods from MY religion. And my religion is limited only to seeking God. No frills attached. Aachi: The only frill I detect is to deride some others paths. That I sincerely feel should be eschewed Sampath: Because they are false paths. Why Bhakthi when there is Kriya? Why worship Krishna when you can meditate and become Krishna yourself (theoretically) Bhakthi to the Ultimate yes. To other ‘Gods’ completely unnecessary. Bhakthi is also not about worshipping. It is about your obsession with Him. To have the fire to be with Him. Not breaking coconuts in his name. Aachi: U have to Meditate more, my friend. Sampath: Why is there no Bhakthi in Buddhism? Why was there no Bhakthi in the Vedic and immediate post Vedic periods? Why Bhakthi philosophy proliferated only with the proliferation of Gods, proliferation of Hinduism as we see today? Aachi: Will return after hip replacement Sampath: To meditate more……yes…we have an agreement. Think of all the billions who have gone by this world trusting Bhakthi when each one could have been much more closer to salvation, had they meditated. Including my parents. They blindly follow Bhakthi based religion. Almost everyone on my family and extended knows the scriptures but none meditate. Aaeeyna: Maybe what they get from bhakti you get the same from meditation. They have chosen their path. You have to choose yours Sampath: Excellent point. That’s both possible and impossible in a way Aaeeyna. I’ll explain my take on it in a minute. If the Bhakthi is breaking coconuts. Then impossible. If Bhakthi is obsessive devotion to your deity it’s possible. In the second case you can have Bhakthi to a stone or nothing and you will still achieve salvation. True Bhakthi and meditation are inseparable. Bhakthi has unfortunately been completely misunderstood and turned into a enterprise called religion Aachi: Le Jongleur de Notre Dame

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it tells the story of a juggler turned monk who has no gift to offer a statue of the Virgin Mary except for his ability to juggle well. Upon doing so, he is accused of blasphemy by the other monks, but the statue comes to life and blesses the juggler. If one sincerely believes breaking coconuts helps in achieving the Diety then that Deity itself will fulfill. One need not harbor any doubts about that Just like a juggler who juggled in front of Mother Mary received Her Grace instead of all the monks in that monastery so too the Supreme Being sees our innermost bhavana before rewarding…IRRESPECTIVE OF PATH Understanding this is Yoga

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Neha: This is the reason I love this group… It is so motivating and exhilarating to voice your thoughts and seeing from others’ perspectives. Seeing your discussions, I was left wondering… Everything is so fluid and relative, our existence, laws of nature, everything. Then WHAT is absolute? Sampath, one question to you- Do you ever think it possible that a very poor, uneducated person who doesn’t know the S of science and spirituality… Can that person ever be more evolved than you and me or any one of us? Sampath: Neha, I love the way the discussion is going. Simply loving it. What a phenomenal question! Neha: Same here… Love u folks too… U give food to my hungry mind. Thanks a ton Pallavi for this amazing gift. Just received it. (Pallavi had sent neha a spiritual book). God (if we ever find him in our discussions) bless you dear. Sampath: Neha…the essence of Spirituality is in all of us. It’s like breathing. It’s like swimming. It’s imitative for someone NOT to know or get into spirituality. It’s there always. It’s our nature to be spiritual. It’s in our nature to go after God (liness). We just have to focus on it like we focus on anything else. Like you decide to focus on reading this text. You are focusing here isn’t it,? When you decide to focus on knowing God, yourself, you will start your spiritual path. People just have to be nudged. They will fall headlong into the abyss of Spirituality. 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Our material lives, 5 senses AND religion (as is practised today) are the diversions. Imitative…impossible Think about God…no think about how you came to being. Think of how you (would have)felt when you were a zygote. What was your identity before someone called you Neha, a Hindu…… When this thought becomes an obsession to know. And when this obsession devours you you are 100% spiritual. You DO NOT NEED A GURU!!!! This is a myth!!!!! Guru helps but is not compulsory Neha: Sampath, you have written wonderfully. Yes, we all have the basic essence of spirituality in all of us, especially the Indians. But you have skirted my question. Come back from surgery and answer my question directly. Finding God is the simplest thing to do. It is the most natural thing to do. Sampath: Will do…love this sort of discussions. Neha: You know Sampath. This art of evading the direct question is indeed awesome!! I guess all the intellectuals have this art. Sampath: It’s because the story has to have a beginning and an end. It will go from a slow beginning to a pacy exhilarating end Neha: If that poor rickshaw puller u recently saw in India can be more evolved than all of us doing this highly intellectual and spiritual discussion here… That rickshaw puller who believes in all the damn rituals and offers prayers daily and idol worships and blindly worships and gives his hard earned money to the so called God statues in temples? Sampath: Precisely my point!!!!! If u were in front of me I would have given you the hug of my life. You understand me perfectly! The bane of religion! Neha: Sampath, if u were in front of me. I would have taken u with me to all sorts of poor places and people and temples and shown the joy on their faces… The joy of believing in that God Their strength of faith in God that may not even exist. What I am trying to tell u a that presence of God does not matter, the FAITH matters.

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Whether that faith is religion or God or spirituality. And faith does not need understanding or scientific proof of any sorts Sampath: Just Faith doesn’t lead to salvation Neha! Obsessive faith does. That is nothing but meditation. I hate the fact that I have to operate today! The joy of trusting a particular God is just that. Joy. It is no different from the joy of liking SRK or Salman. That must be taken to the next level. Which never happens. Because religion keeps us satisfied with the lesser joy Neha: Sampath, who are we to judge ‘lesser joy’? Sampath: And another reason why Religion is an impediment to Spirituality is that it lends you an identity. Like your name. You need to forget that you are Neha and that you are a Hindu. Praying or not to Krishna and Allah must mean the same or mean nothing at all. Nothing must stick to you. Like the dew on a leaf. It must just flow off. No identity on this earth must stick to you Neha: First u answer me… Can that poor uneducated rickshaw puller be more evolved than us? Only YES or NO Sampath: 100% YES. Neha: In that case, u r contradicting your own theory. Where does science come in? Sampath: Lesser joy…coz what do you think can be the joy coefficient in knowing the Ultimate? And your role in the Ultimate Game. Neha: And talking about identity, you and me have more identities attached to us than those people. And that rickshaw puller is more dissociated with his identity and his loved ones than us Sampath: Can it match the joy of praying to Krishna?But praying obsessively…that’s different. Yes, I agree with you. I’m telling you the more we are educated the more we have identities… ego. It’s easy for the rickshaw puller

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Sampath: Science…I’ll tell you more when we come to the point. I have to go now. Neha: If u say so. Then that rickshaw puller does not understand Bhakti or religion or spirituality. Ok… Will catch u later Ramki: Faith as much as a mustard can move mountains said LORD JESUS. Have faith Sampath. materialistic senses are incapable of showing the eternal reality which is always the SUBJECT. Just your Close your eyes and chant and feel the power within you instead of simply rattling off your own concocted theories.theories will always be there, but FEEL THE PRESENCE. Lord vyasa is an incarnation of the absolute. The absolute needs only a glance to EFFECT this entire creation let alone formulating VEDAS. Neha: I don’t understand all this.All OHT(over head transmission) Sampath: I’m free now…Neha…To answer the question of yours.… There are 3 aspects to creation. Mass, energy, life and consciousness. In varying amounts The Sun has huge mass and considerable energy but zero consciousness. The amoeba has a tiny mass, a little energy but it is more evolved than the Sun due to the fact that it has life. The dog has mass, energy, life AND Consciousness. Consciousness is defined by the presence of awareness of one’s life and beyond. It is life plus intelligence to comprehend and more importantly to create. Man has mass, energy and the most evolved form of consciousness in the entire system that we know today. I say three aspects as I club consciousness with life. If we have a theory that explains God it must be scientifically viable too. God did everything very scientifically. As Einstein said…God doesn’t play dice Scientifically we know we all came from energy. The cells in your body have been parts of stars billions of years old in some long lost galaxy. The cells in your right arm might have come from a different star from the cells in your left arm. Weird as it may seem this is scientifically true.

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Energy condensed into mass…Mass into stars and the planets.…from planets came life forms. Aachi: Who says the Sun is not Conscious? Sampath: But something interesting happened in between. Inanimate mass and energy in a strange mix came to life at a point. Life that was capable of just survival and reproduction. Then to organise itself into a system that could ITSELF think and comprehend. And CREATE. God did not create I phone but man did. It can be considered as an extension of God’s creation but that’s besides the point. The point is in 14 billion years there was for the first time a creation that created. Aachi: It’s life span is billions of years Perhaps the sun inhales for 1 lakh years and exhales for 1 lakh year. We are just organisms which subsist for 60 years. How can we gauge the life of the Sun?? I am pretty sure there is life in everything. Only that we are not aware of it Neha: Sampath, I am seriously trying to get into your theory. But what exactly is the point u r saying? What do u want to prove? Sampath: This is my theory. So I define Consciousness. According to me, as I mentioned b4, Consciousness is Life+Emotional Intelligence+capacity to create. My definitions have an inherent problem. They HAVE to be scientific. They have to be proven by experiments. There is no room for perhaps here. If we don’t know that Sun inhales and exhales then according to me it doesn’t. Till it is proven. So at the moment Sun does not have Consciousness. Aachi: Even the very stones you are sitting on are Conscious - Sri Ramana Maharshi Everything is Conscious.There is no such thing as a non living thing in this Universe.It’s only our perception of life which is skewed.That’s the problem. U r using your yardstick to define Sampath: That is Ramana’s theory. If I wanted to listen to Ramana’s theory I would read his book. If I wanted Krishna’s I would read BG. But I also have read every one of them and come to this conclusion. My yardstick is science.

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Aachi: Hence the argument is biased and irrational. Neha: I got u there Sampath… But what exactly are u trying to scientifically prove? Sampath: My arguement is irrational? I just said something what is plain as water. And Sun inhaling and exhaling is rational??? Neha…I’ll come to it Aachi…just listen to what I have to say. I have always maintained that we are at a crucial point in history.… history of the universe, history of religion and history of Spirituality Neha: I guess I will step aside for a while. Will join later. First u both sort out ur issues on the poor sun Sampath: I have no issues on Sun. My Sun is what you read in your science books. It’s mass only. No life. Aachi: There is nothing to sort out. Sampath: Yes…Nothing. Aachi: U didn’t answer me on the juggler and Mary. How come such an innocent act got the Grace of God? Sampath: I forgot. I agree in part… Aachi: Same will hold true for coconut and rituals if SINCERITY is there Sampath: The Juggler can never attain SR if he focuses on juggling, even if he juggles for Mary. Because juggling requires one to be focused on it. If you said one went on throw flowers at Mary’s feet and eventually got so absorbed in her that Mary appeared, then I agree. Even in that case Mary appears. Not the Universal Spirit Himself. There’s a big difference between the two. Aachi: Don’t dodge my question in intellectual jargon but answer me directly Sampath: I agree with you Aachi. But where IS the sincerity in ritualistic Hinduism. We have all visited temples hundreds of times. How many have we been lost or in trance in devotion? Aachi: Perhaps that sincerity was missing…in you Sampath: What do you want me to answer to?

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Aachi: Those who were sincere did get what they wanted. Why can’t u accept that? Maybe u didn’t get but perhaps someone else got. If there is Universal Spirit will It look at the path you follow to it or will It look at the Sincerity of Purpose? Answer this… Sampath: All stories where God appeared, take the example of Prahlad, Draupadi, was when the prayer was intense. Not by offering to juggle. Do you mean to say God will appear to me if I say I will drive may car for God for 25 years or till I die???? Aachi: Most Definitely!! Try it. Any act done to please the Lord is rewarded. Sampath: I want to get to God sincerely. I will say I am a good surgeon and I will keep operating till God comes in front of me? Will He appear? Aachi: 100 ℅. Neha: But Aachi I never worked to please God ever!! Aachi: But u have to ask urself are u ready to put in such Love and Effort? Sampath: God does not NEED pleasing Aachi!!! You need to get to know HE is in YOU. In fact there IS no HE and YOU. There is NOTHING. Neha: I do what I FEEL is right. Sampath: God will never come on Earth…I mean the Universal Spirit. The laws of Karma do not allow him to. Aachi: These are intellectual words…if your efforts are sincere then truly you will realise Nothing = Nirvana. Neha: I just follow my gut instinct. So I will never be rewarded for my work? Not that I am looking for reward from him. Sampath: Only Krishna can…but he is not God. Aachi: Do what is right at that moment and leave it - Ramana Neha: Yeah that’s what I do… But where does God come in here Aachi? Sampath: Neha…this is wrong philosophy. Working well gets you in a better consciousness level (Karma) which will form a culture medium for you to go to the next level. If you want to keep things simple you will just try to discover God. I mean if you want to learn to play cricket you

• 145 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution will take a bat and start playing. Will you keep juggling to learn to play cricket? Aachi: He never comes in Neha. He always Is. These actions mature the mind to perceive Reality. Sampath: The main problem with religion is that we WANT God to appear. We want miracles. I have had hundreds of such debates and in 99 of them people have asked me…then show me a miracle! Aachi: Even now you are THAT! Sampath: Why would God appear? To make you happy? Aachi: Then they have worshipped miracles and not God. Sampath: And take you to heaven? So childish? Aachi: Still u don’t understand. Sampath: If you want YOU go to God. Aachi: Seeing God is Being God. Sampath: It’s up to you to find out what’s out there. Aachi: Can u show me God?Ramana answered ‘No…God is not something which is seen. He is the One Who sees. Sampath: I don’t believe all the stories that said God came to bestow a boon. That’s crap. God will NOT interfere in His creation. So why did Mary appear to the Juggler? And what did he achieve? Such stories are to regale children. Neha: Hats off to you Sampath and Aachi. Aachi: 1 sec, I have a patient to see… Neha: I am getting to hear contradictory point of views, each with strong theories and beliefs. It’s indeed an eye opener for people like me. And it’s always nice to be in the other person’s shoes once in a while. It opens up the mind Aachi: Sampy obviously for the juggler his Truth was Mary embracing him. I have had both types of experience. I have seen God and also Felt God By Gurus Grace Both experiences the underlying cause was a subtle absence of body knowledge. It means I failed to recognize the body as being Me. At that

• 146 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra threshold of that Consciousness between body thought and the absence of it I saw God as Sri Ramakrishna. Another time there was a total loss of even that figment of imagination pertaining to body…then I realized I AM the Source of all. By Me Alone is the entire Universe and the Void beyond sustained. And it was only in a infinitely small part of my being. I was…Unending Infinite inexpressible Calmness and Peace. I didn’t tell my Guru about these experiences but He asked me out of His own accord. He said didn’t you taste that Peace which comes by the loss of Body Consciousness I said ‘Yes’ He then said ‘You will be a Jeevanmuktha and will have SR in this birth. You will not come back to the world of name and form for you won’t desire them.’ I sincerely feel we cannot deride,make fun pint or dismiss any path as false only because it doesn’t suit our thought process. The Universal Spirit gives in for Sincerity Alone. Sampath: Ok Aachi. I can assure you that your spiritual experiences are not what you decide them to be. Simply Because You Believe in this and that. You believe in too many things. You see what you believe. What you want to see. If you really are Self Realized you will feel NOTHING. Aachi: That’s bookish knowledge da. I experienced it Sampath: You have to believe in nothing. Then you go into nothing. Aachi: It’s like I am saying salt is Salty. Sampath: If you believe in Ramakrishna you see him. Aachi: Unless u taste it no amount of words I say can give you the understanding Sampath: Aachi how often do you meditate? Aachi: That’s what…when the Mind was lost in the second experience I didn’t see anything or anyone…I just Was. Infinite Calm Peaceful. It is an Indescribable state. Which I am trying to express. I am so stupid even to try.

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Sampath: It has a perfect explanation. How often do u meditate Aachi. You are now sounding so bookish Aachi. Aachi: True. It’s wrong on my part to even describe it. I never do. Meditate that is. I don’t do japa. I don’t do any sadhana at all. Sampath: You never meditate? This happened at a special instance? Aachi: Yes. Sampath: Why did it happen suddenly to you and not to me? I know the entire battery of answers you will give me but I want to hear it from you. Aachi: Sri Nannagaru said I will have taste that state 10 days before and it came to pass. Sampath: Why did it happen 2u? Aachi: He said ‘You will attain Oneness with the Cosmos’’ It was during a Rajnikanth movie I was watching. Rajnikanth comes as the Divine Mother. Sampath: And u believed him? You won’t even try to do something on your own. You just wait for the Cosmos to be one with you one fine day? Aachi: In one scene. Sampath: Explain the philosophy behind it Aachi. Why are you the chosen one? Aachi: Seeing that I felt a rush of Awe in me and I suddenly lost my body knowledge as a knot near my heart unknotted itself. I was confused about the same. One day when I was sitting worried at His Love for me He looked at me suddenly and said, “I am gracious to you for I know your past births and the punya u did” Sampath: By His Love you mean? Aachi: That punya has matured into the rare state of Liberation for you in this birth. Well its something I can’t describe. His love Sampath: U mean with your Guru. Or God Himself Aachi: Yes Sampath: Ok. Your Guru, Nannagaru.

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Aachi: God Guru same. Well one thing I can tell about Divine Grace It’s something which is Given Cannot be demanded or argued for. Sampath: So by what you have said I understand that you are Given the Gift. And you don’t need to look for it. It came to you. I will reserve my comments on this Aachi for a later date. But nevertheless when we meet next I will deposit something I have written for you, in a locked box, in your hands which you must read only on your death bed. At that time it will be decided who is right and who is wrong. Ok with that kept aside we move on. Now I will tell you what I feel about the whole God thing. I was saying that creation has three components. Mass, Energy and Consciousness. While mass and energy are interchangeable and are pent up in this universe, life + consciousness (my definition of it) is derived from elsewhere. At the moment we don’t know from where. Life- consciousness makes a lateral entry. By energy I mean all the non mass elements in the Universe…for the lack of a better all encompassing word. X rays to dark matter etc Aachi: 2 mins Sorry, had patients. This discussion has happened many times with me in other forums SR comes only by Grace There is no effort, there is Grace only. Sampath: Ok. How do we know it chose you? Now that you are chosen, can you invoke Mary? You know you are chosen. How do WE know you are chosen? Aachi: Mary can be invoked if Mary choses to be invoked. Not by our effort. I am not saying that I am chosen or not. I am just stating my experience. Sampath: But no one else here has had this experience. So you ARE the chosen. Why be modest about it? Aachi: Because the Atman is Self Willed.

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Sampath: And you said that to get the experience one has to be Chosen. And you say you never tried to be Chosen. Aachi: It can give SR to anyone It pleases. Never meditated etc. Aachi: There is no yardstick. I will tell you something more incredible. My Guru asked ‘What sadhana do you follow?’ I said I have cast my burden on You. I don’t do any sadhana at all Sri Nannagaru said ‘that is the correct attitude. I will do the sadhana for you. I will see that you attain the Deathless State in this life itself. You take care of your patients leave your spiritual well-being to Me. God has given you intelligence and a good heart. Use that to alleviate people’s sufferings. A time will come when you will vehemently deny attaining SR but God will force it on you because you depend on Him Alone. This is your DESTINY Ah! How many experiences I have had! I cannot create their depth! I only understood one thing. Grace Grace Grace. Surrender your confusions and doubts to the Universal Spirit. He will sustain you and fill you with Peace. Have faith and Surrender And Patience. Sampath: We are discussing you. You are precious to us. At least to me. We need to know more from you. How many experiences have you had? What happens during the experiences? Is it in the presence of your Guru? Aachi: No its always when I least expect. And always there is a loss to identify with body as me Sampath: For example? And how many times? Have u had such an experience? What happens? Aachi: Innumerable! There is a subtle loss of thought You just ARE Sampath: I mean you lose your body and thought. Aachi: YOU LOSE THE THOUGHT THAT YOU ARE A BODY.

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Sampath: And what do you experience at that point? Aachi: Indescribable Pulsating Peace. Sampath: Yes I get that. Then how is that related to God? Aachi: There is no God in that state. Sampath: When there is nothing to think of there ought to be peace. Aachi: In fact He is a hindrance to it!!! Sampath: Then what is it? That state? Aachi: One morning I was having this experience of Thoughtless Awareness and was filled with Infinite Peace. Sampath: You felt peace. How else did it transform you. Is there a pattern? Has there been an evolution in your experience? Aachi: Then suddenly I thought of Lord Venkateshwara U won’t believe how sad I became thinking why Him??? When there is so much Peace. It immediately broke my experience God is just a thought. In that state you are free from thoughts. That state in permanence is Moksha It always is there. Our ego and desires cover it. Loss of Desire leads to the perception of our Reality. Sampath: Aachi…have you experienced anything ELSE except complete loss of sensation of body and mind? And thereby peace? O is that the summary Aachi: When u experience that state the world of name and form loses its hold on you, desire ends. Sampath: Yes when there are no thoughts everything ends. No desire. Nothing. Aachi: By nothing it doesn’t mean u see a Void. Sampath: You experience nothing. You see nothing. Aachi: By “nothing” it means that forms fail to generate an impression in you. You see them for as they are.

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Sampath: With your eyes open or closed? Aachi: Like you don’t see the elephant in a wax model but you realize the wax. There is no body Consciousness to comment about eyes in that state. Sampath: But do you begin with your eyes open or closed? It’s difficult to explain Both perhaps. But it doesn’t register. For the experience overlaps sensory perception Sampath: Ok. Does this happen when you are at work? Aachi: It happens anywhere! Sampath: When you are focused on other things? Aachi: Yes. It suddenly comes Sampath: Aachi…How is this condition related to God. If I were to experience this, how does it take me to God? So experiencing God is to get into a thoughtless state? That’s it? Aachi: Well I can tell this a billion times but unless you experience that you will not know how this is related to God Sampath: Is this the answer the world has been seeking? I need you to bring in relevance. Do you mean that state of peace is what is the end point of this journey? Aachi: There is no journey. There is only Peace Sampath: I mean our entire journey here to know God. Aachi: In that state you realise NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. Ajata Vada of Gaudapada There is no one who is bound no one seeking freedom. Sampath: That’s a profound statement. Nothing ever happened. How do you know that? All that happened was a thoughtless state with peace. Aachi, I bunked my Italian classes. It’s been close to 1.5 hrs. I’m sitting in bench in a park. It’s 0 degrees and in a couple of minutes I’ll be hypothermic!!! That’s how much I’m interested in your story. Seriously. Aaeeyna: Get some wine sampath. Sampath: Bingo! But SERIOUSLY, I left my purse in my OT dress in my room!!!

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Aaeeyna: Then entice a beau.beautiful Italian girl and get wine. Sampath: No beau will be out here in this chilling temperature. Looks like I’ll die alone. Aaeeyna: Go home sampath. Aachi probably got a knee transplant patient. Sampath: No I can’t. I have to go back to the hospital. But if I go now, I will not be free. I’ll kill him if he does a knee replacement now. Aayeena: If he doesn’t do then how will his next Audi come? Sampath: He doesn’t need an Audi. He’s self realized! Aayeena: All boys need cars. Like all girls need clothes. That’s self realisation. Sampath: Aaeeyna…I’m actually laughing. Aayeena: Good, At least your cyanosis will decrease. Sampath: I’m leaving. I can’t even hold the phone. All due to Aachi! Aachi: Sorry, I had patients. Sampath: Good…now see my pictures and take pity on me and ask God to let me in too! Aachi: I am sorry I pointed out. Aayeena: Sampath, you are god’s favorite child Aachi: Perhaps I need to evolve still. I still see imperfection. All paths are True. Sampath: Me? Aaeeyna is poking fun at me when I’m so miserable! Aayeena: I’m serious. Ur a blend between mania and genius. Sampath: Then you are seriously making fun of me! Aayeena: It’s a complement. U don’t understand me. Sampath: U mean Manic Depressive Psychosis?? Aayeena: No I mean genius bordering on mania. Aachi: Even if so. It’s not you. Aayeena: All great people are made so. Aachi: You are not the BM(body mind) complex You are what is beyond.

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So is Aaeeyna. Aayeena: And u just don’t have to tilt over. Aachi: Neha, Vishu, Ramki Etc…We think we are bodies and minds. Aayeena: Keep your balance. Aachi: We are none of that. We just ARE! Aayeena: Aachi…Wait!!! Aaeeyna just got me into a SR state. Aachi: Even if you lose balance. It’s not you…It’s your mind………And you are not the Mind! Aaeeyna can do that………Give SR GLIMPSE By her simplicity. Aayeena: Aachi mithin; go home and sampath; go to your hospital before your fingers go numb. Sampath: I will try to, Aaeeyna. But my wife calls me only Manic! Really. She calls me obsessive! But honestly I had OCDs (obsessive compulsive disorders) in the past. That’s why Aachi’s story is important to me. Aachi: Surrender to His Will “Let Thy Will be done”…………This is the Supreme Path. Sampath: Ok Aachi. I ask you again. How is this state of yours relevant to God? What earth shattering change happened? What changed? Is this what millions of people meditate to achieve? Either you are wrong in your interpretations of your experience or the end result is extremely disappointing? What changed? Sampath: How did the experience change you? What did you realize? Aachi: I realize that everything is God’s will. When my mom left I saw His Will. When my practice floundered I saw His Will. When I achieved anything I saw His Will.

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Sampath: What is God’s will here? That he gave you this experience of thoughtlessness? Aachi: Everything! Gods Will Is Everything! By His Will Alone everything and anything is possible. Sampath: In a broad sense we all know this fact even without the experience. That it is all his will. Aachi: By this mode of thought…You lose doership. This is Sri Krishna’s / Vyasa’s teaching in the Gita. U know it… But do you feel it? I feel it every second! Sampath: Aachi…will you give me the permission to question you all the way? Aachi: Every Millisecond………No problem. For by Gods Will you are questioning. Sampath: You realized that everything is a play of God. Anything else? Yes. I agree. It’s God’s will that everything is happening. Aachi: It’s a subtle realization, yes. Sampath: He made it. So he should know… What do u mean by realization? Aachi: The subtle feeling in me every millisecond. Sampath: How do you propose to put your experience into good use? Aachi: I don’t! It’s His Will which will…As He Wills so shall it be Things happen as they happen — not because I make them happen, but it is because I am that they happen. In reality nothing ever happens. Nisargadatta Sampath: Ok. So u don’t know what you will do from here? Aachi: Obviously…The Universe shall Will it as it should be Sampath: I made my way back 2 work. Great hearing your experience Aachi. Stay blessed!

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Aachi: We all are. The state we call realization is simply being oneself, not knowing anything or becoming anything. If one has realized, he is that which alone is, and which alone has always been. He cannot describe that state. He can only beThat. Of course we loosely talk of self-realization for want of a better term. Ramki: Great Mithin. Renowned scientist Lincoln Barrett quotes, “Man itself is a great mystery for he not knows in entirety the material world into which he has been cast into. He has forgotten the most distinguished ability that resides in him,–’the ability to transcend himself and witness himself in the act of perception’. That’s what we all have to try, to transcend ourselves and witness our act of perception i.e discriminate the SELF FROM THE NON-SELF, coz then you will become your true BEING. “Aham brahmasmi”-” I am one with the UNIVERSE.” Ramki: We need to come at least slightly out of ignorance to realize that we are in ignorance. When people are a little drunk, they can understand that they are intoxicated and need to be careful – they shouldn’t drive, lest they meet with an accident.But if they are very drunk, then that very drunkenness gives them an illusion of being in control – they insist, “I am fine,” though they can’t control their slurring even while speaking those few words. Aachi: I salute Sri Nannagaru Who is verily Sri Ramachandra in my life. As an ant is incapable of Love for Rama so too my heart has no Devotion for Sri Nannagaru. But out of pure Compassion which is His ornament His Love fills every millisecond of my life. If this is not Grace of the Divine then what is? What IS? Aachi: May a billion sorrows be mine…but let not the Name of Rama leave my lips… Sampath: My journey on the quest of God and my tryst with Spirituality. Bhakthi (Childhood till about 16 years) Krishna devotee by birth and Shiva devotee by choice.

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Materialism (16 -18 yrs) A normal guy exploring the world and breaking out of parents shadows. Introduction to Spirituality (17 yrs) Read “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramahamsa Yogananda. Intrigued, but not influenced Influenced by spirituality (18th year) Re-read Autobiography of a Yogi. Tremendous influence. Started meditation. Affected by spirituality (19th year) Re-read the book again. Worked on it like a text book. Continued meditation through the year. Went into strange frames of mind while meditating for hours. Difficult to describe. Many events like Gods and the Yogi himself speaking to me happened. One prominent feature was Vairaagya. Nothing materialistic appealed to me. Described this to my close friends. On the other side was another world called KMC(kasturba medical college)!!! Was completely confused. Decided to stop meditation completely because I knew I had to choose: To take the plunge or not. Most important physical effect was a tremendous improvement in my concentration. I could command concentration at will. Benefitted me during during exams as I used to study very little till the last minute. Side Effect of Spirituality (20–22 years) Tried to analyze why I was concentrating more with meditation techniques. My mind started tracking my own mind. Developed complete OCD(obsessive compulsive disorder). I had every symptom of the neurosis that was described in text books. Suffered heavily for 2 years. It affected me throughout the day. Exams were a torture as I could concentrate and could not at the same time as I was tracking my concentration that used to eventually split my mind! Thankfully studying came to an end and this break helped me recover. Recovered partially. Even today I’m not 100% ok. But mostly it’s thankfully over. Study of Religion / History / Science of everything (22 to 32 years) The obsession with God continued. Decided that if I were to plunge into it again I had to make sure it was not some kind of madness, some

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kind of self believing. Was in a mad quest to NEUTRALLY & RATIONALLY analyze what everything was regarding God including spirituality. Read many many books, saw many many videos. Each time analyzed it both ways: believing and neutral. Not skeptically but neutrally. Met many ‘learned’ people. Learnt many many truths about the fallacies of religion and how easy it was to be influenced by it. Most importantly read the Bible and the Koran. Was a serious eye opener. Debated religion with many Muslims and Christians. Shook me up completely as I realized how many things were false and misleading people in all religions. Introduction to Science: (32 to 35th year) This was a natural progression of one were to look at everything rationally. Awestruck by Einstein and Bohr. Applied science to Spirituality. Game changer for me. Re-induction to Spirituality (35th year) Introduced to Sadhguru. Impressed with his logic and because he never put himself between his followers and God. Another round of obsession with Spirituality. Lasted one month where I meditated alone in my hospital. I was alone during the winter holidays in Italy. This time I went to the very end. This time it was a cake walk. It was easier to get into ‘spiritual’ frames of mind quickly. Slipping into thoughtless state of peace was possible at will. I cried all alone, experienced great peace. Cried upon seeing flowers, as I was walking. Did not talk to my family for days despite being on a holiday. Wanted to just get up and get lost. Concentration was burning like the bright Sun. Could switch into an elevated state within minutes of silencing the mind. On one day, I could voluntarily shut my senses (hearing and vision)…complete silence…and bring them back to life, being fully aware of myself. In other words, a sleep like state being awake. Scientifically analyzed my behaviour. Decided that I maybe getting influenced by what I was ‘supposed’ to be or achieve. Tried many experiments with my own mind. Did not want to progress beyond as I thought I will continue only if I was convinced that I was not getting into another mental problem (hallucinations). Stopped meditating. Not yet convinced. The last part of this journey also coincided with the zenith of my professional career.

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It’s been 1 year since I meditated. Nothing to report. Zero!! I try not to think of God (as an entity). Because if I do I can’t help plunging into depths of obsession for Him. Let’s see who blinks first. Me or Him. Vishu: Amazing journey, Sampath. Thanks for sharing. Vishu: Sampath, looks like you have tried the meditative path but not taken the help of any guru. Why not try a structured method, for eg- sadhguru’s path? There are around 5 courses which he designed starting from basic to advanced level. you can complete them in a year or two. Then Atleast you can say for sure, that you have given it a fair go, before giving up that path. Also it should be very easy for you as you seem to be able to attain meditative levels easily. Sampath: The fundamental difference between our experiences are as follows Aachi. (If I am to believe that I have some glimpses of SR(self realization) which I DON’T BELIEVE AS OF NOW) You believe one can be destined to be self realized by the laws of Karma even if the Seeker does not put in an effort to discipline the mind. In other words, Bhakthi. I believe that the Seeker has to initiate always. It comes at the end of a desperate journey. A really desperate journey. A really really long, lonely and desperate journey. Another important aspect is complete surrender to the cause like your life depended on it. You believe a Guru is important. If my experiences are any closer to SR(self realization), I never had a Guru. You completely surrender with love and compassion to your Guru and to the Gods, like Ramki does. I do not surrender to any Guru or God but to the Universal Spirit. Maybe an Islamic influence…to pray to someone out there. But that doesn’t mean I discard the Hindu Gods. Coming from a traditional Brahmin family,I grew up loving them and so that can never go. But I didn’t want to make the mistake of loving an already loved entity. The slate has to be clean. Logical, not delusional. When I am in the state of desperation to seek God I try not to think of Krishna or Ganesha. Because I have experienced that the moment I give it a face, the emotions explode like a dam that burst. I start crying like a baby that’s found its mom after losing her. But I don’t want to delude

• 159 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution myself into loving something that is familiar, that has a form. It’s like, if I think of my parents, love overflows. But that’s because I love them already (Maybe here is where religion comes in.we will discuss later). But I don’t want to make the mistake of seeking loved figures. I want to seek God. The difference is subtle but I hope you get it. I do not believe in any God or Guru who says…‘Trust Me…I shall deliver you’. If the word ‘Me’ comes in the discourse of a preaching more than a few times, that Guru or God is not true. I VERY strongly believe in this. If there is a Guru or God who asks or even ALLOWS for a moment his followers to worship him and not the Universal Spirit, then that entity (person or God) should be avoided. That is why I never followed some Gurus. As far as Gods are concerned, they self eliminate because of the fact that we pray to them. So for me Krishna is either synonymous with the Universal Spirit, or he was an Enlightened Soul of the highest order than can be physically manifest on earth by the rules of Spirituality (which I can explain in detail later) who did not ask anyone to pray to Him. There is something lost in translation in the BG (which was written by someone mortal in His name). If both the above are not the case and Krishna asked people to pray to Him instead of the Universal Spirit then I deny that Krishna was Enlightened. We can debate this in length. I do not believe in miracles. Mary never appears. If there is a miracle, there is a myth. Everything HAS TO BE compatible with science. Everything has to be scientifically explained and HAS to abide by the laws of science, nature and spirituality (which in turn are perfectly compatible). I can explain this in great detail. It is not that there is no capacity for the miracle to happen. Miracle is a small thing for God to do but it never happens. Rules are rules. I agree with Einstein that God does not play dices. Not even with Himself. Finally if one is touched by spiritual realization, that will help you discover facets of you that was not previously visible to you. Your capacities multiply. This is an evident by product of SR(self realization). This is also scientific. And when your capacities multiply so much that you can indeed perform a miracle, you become God like, which doesn’t allow a miracle. I can explain this too. The best example for this is when I meditate the first thing that happens is that I soak in more information. Begins with light. Everything appears brighter. How do I explain? It

• 160 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra is what I have experienced. It is not a hallucination. So I went into science to know what happens when we see. Light is emitted when a photon comes out of an atomic particle. (Yesterday I began explaining something about 3 parts to creation. Mass, Energy and Consciousness. Of them, Consciousness is the only thing in the Universe that we know exists but it cannot be measured. A heightened consciousness exists, say in a state of intense awareness or concentration. Now we know that for light to be seen, the ‘emitted’ photon must reach the eye. But in reality the photon is not ‘emitted’. It is created and reaches our eyes at the same time, according to science (sounds unbelievable but trust me. Light is the only constant in this universe. We calculate every movement using this constant. So light cannot move!). So using the double slit experiment that proves categorically that photons are ‘probability’ waves MANIFESTED by sheer observation, then considering consciousness (awareness) is a form of observation, more consciousness = observation must materialise more photons and hence the increased brightness!!!! Sounds crazy but if someone disproves scientifically, this I am willing to offer myself as a slave for the rest of my life in return. Moral of the story: everything is programmed to the very last detail. In other words this creation is perfect. Faultless. Completely scientific. (BTW this could also be the first ever way to measure Consciousness, by gauging how much difference there is in brightness…Maybe by testing the electrical strength in the retina during meditation with eyes open of course!) Maybe that is also the reason why brightness is attributed to Gods, Gurus and ‘miracles’. Finally I give you the Ultimate solution. Everything has mass, energy and Consciousness in varying amounts. For eg: A stone has 100% mass, some energy in the form of bonds and 0% consciousness. Photon has 100% energy, miniscule mass and 0% Consciousness. An amoeba has 1%consciousness and small mass and energy. Dog has 40%, chimpanzees have 60% consciousness. Humans have 80% consciousness with some percentages of mass and energy. Some higher forms may have more consciousness. I believe that the Ultimate God is 100% Consciousness with Zero percent mass and Zero percent energy. Which means he is in a state of awareness without mass or energy. Which means, he is an alive’ nothing’. If he even has 0.001% mass or energy then he is something…Maybe a photon. When God decides to acquire little mass or energy he is bound to the laws

• 161 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution of nature and has to abide by it. This is nothing but Karma. Now apply this idea to the whole of Spirituality…anything.…you will see the compatibility of science with Spiritual science. The creation comes out of him by his will but he still has no control of it. So we see chaos around us. Imperfection. I can explain more. We leave it for later. Why he does this? As Nasadiya Sukta says, GOK! God only knows or maybe He does not! Sampath: Vishu……I will. I will meet Sadhguru. High on agenda. And if given an opportunity I’ll grill him. I haven’t abandoned the path,Vishu. Because the next time could be the last time. I’ll have to prepare for it. I’m not prepared in many fronts. I need many years. So there’s no point in starting now. I keep discussing with Pallavi who says I must keep at it. But I keep telling her that I’m scared of the consequences. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it’s perfectly compatible with normal life. Here’s one point where I could need a Guru’s advice. And I’m prepared to accept that I could be wrong in anything I say or do as far as this subject is concerned. That’s why I listened to Aachi with utmost interest even though I was freezing. I’m not happy with an experience. I need to know what the truth is. Why it is so? I need all the answers. It is an obsession. And Vishu…we need to meet up soon. Vishu: God as 100% consciousness, 0% mass, 0% energy is a wonderful way of looking. Never heard of this but makes sense. Sadhguru is coming to Singapore in April. I am trying to attend the event. I have gone over my findings over and over again and they have stood the test of my judgment. I feel that there is no magic in creation. One day an asteroid will hit the earth and no God can save us. Similarly the chaos around us. Why sickness, disease? There has to be a SCIENTIFIC explanation as to why there is an imperfection. Not philosophical… like Karma etc. Coz when science says matter and energy are interchangeable,spiritual gurus are quick to claim ‘I told you so’. But they do not seem to care for science otherwise, trying to entice the follower with magic. Sampath: The missing link was established when a scientific article that establishes that from nothing came everything. That was the moment

• 162 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra of Epiphany for me. It struck me like a lightning. Such a crucial article. I posted it on FB and put a part of my theory there. It explains everything scientifically. God = science. Except the question, Why? http: //www.express.co.uk/news/science/612340/Origin-of-the-universe- riddle-solved-by-Canadian-physicists-and-er-it-wasn-t-God If you read the article it says the virtual particles just happen to appear from nothing, nowhere. They just pop out. But the scientist says NOTHING DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE LAWS OF PHYSICS DO NOT EXIST. Now this is strange! For a physicist who knows nothing about consciousness the state of nothing cannot be explained. But for someone well versed with the funda of Consciousness, drawing a conclusion was but certain. Sampath: This is the problem in today’s world. The people well versed with religion, spirituality and science do not sit together. If the best brains in all the 3 subjects sit together God will be solved in minutes. And that perhaps may be the answer to the million dollar question. Why all this? Just to realise the whole saga. That from nothing came everything and when realized turns to nothing. But NOTHING WITH A 100% CONSCIOUSNESS!!! I love this! This statement, I am certain, can fit ANY scientific, religious and spiritual concept ever told. Moksha is getting to 100% C with 0% M and 0% E. If you meditate you increase awareness. C levels increases. Target for SR(self realization) is 100% C. What about our existing M & E? This cannot be eliminated. (Or even created. Hence man can never ever create life). We have no control over the body. We cannot get rid of it. Hence we find out quite disappointingly that no spiritual person has ever disappeared (Forget extreme stories). Ramana, the greatest of them all, in fact died with a cancer. But in death is a valuable chance! There is a point at the twilight of death that C leaves our M and E. If the C levels are high at that time, there is the possibility to willfully stay in 100% C (0 M&E) state through death and more importantly after it. I mean think of it as you are aware of your death and aware of where you are after death but you do not have a form (mass or energy). Sounds like we just defined a ‘soul’.

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And that is also (by our new definition) also God. Hence realized souls might use this to probably reach 100% C levels without any M and E. That is what they mean by souls merging with the Ultimate. Sampath: That is perhaps why in religion they say if you die with the Lord’s name on your lips you reach heaven. It’s a figurative way of saying the above. If the C levels are not 100%, say 90%), your saadhna was not perfect, perhaps you acquire some fleeting physical presence like a wee bit of energy. Remember heat is 0%C and 100%E and 0%M. But imagine the possibility of 90%C with 10%E and 0%M…Achieved by your awareness status (C levels) at death. These are what are called spirits. Even the name sounds logical. Imagine you die a wretched death, say you are sad, worried, drugged due to a disease, C levels are less than normal (say normal is 80% of God levels and you have 50% because you are sedated by drugs in an Icu). Then you are lost in the transit during death. You get into forms with lower C levels…animals (40%), trees (10%) or even 0% C levels like that of a stone. Then reincarnation. Because you lose the capacity to improve your C levels. I rest my case. Good night Pallavi. Thanks for being with me all through. One last point b4 I forget. Jeeva Samadhi. This is proof of how saints control C levels when they exit. They exit with high C levels. The good news is that C levels are completely within our control and can be improved with practice. Vishu: Let’s start working on our C levels. Sampath: Ps- Bhakthi Yoga (deep devotion), Gyana Yoga (obsession with deep science) and Karma Yoga (obsession with work) all are high C levels states. But towards the end they have to be course corrected to the Ultimate. Kriya (meditation) is the only path where C levels are pumped up WITH A SINGULAR AIM TO ACHIEVE MOKSHA. There is no other motive. So Kriya is the highest path. Aachi: There are two ways. Either diligently determine the nature of the ‘I’ and merge in its source or recognize one’s inability and cast the burden on the Lord of the Universe.

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One is Self Enquiry and the other is Surrender - Ramana maharishi. Aachi: Sampy you have understood me wrong… No amount of Karma…good ones that is.leads to Moksha. Good Karma leads to Good results…but not Moksha. Because ‘doership’ still exists. Renunciation of fruits of Action PURIFIES the Mind. Pure Mind divested of limiting adjuncts is God. Aachi: Guru Requirement is individual soul maturity oriented. There are some who are spiritual giants without any Guru. In a NUTSHELL. ‘Unless the Atman which you seek through saadhana allows you, you cannot Know It. SR(self realization) comes with Grace and not with the Choices of bhakthi, kriya, jnana saadhna. The Atman is SelfWilled.…It fulfills when It pleases. Thus one should rely on It unconditionally. This is the Final Path. Aachi: I might have Glimpses…but for final SR(self realization) I might have to wait for billions of Years. I can’t do anything about it. I await It’s Will and Grace. This is SHARANAGATHI Aachi: Karthavyam Daiva Maanhikam. One’s Supreme Duty is to seek God Aachi: Do Aliens exist? If they don’t it’s an awful waste of space. We are an insignificant species in a negligible Planet in a below average solar system of a moderate Galaxy with 400 billion suns amongst trillions of galaxies of the OBSERVABLE COSMOS.The Universe is teeming with life… every nook and corner…we only haven’t discovered for the DISTANCES are HUGE. If the age of the Universe is condensed to one year… Then Jan 1st it was born…then Dinosaurs came on Dec 25.

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Buddha was born at Dec 31st 11.59 PM 56 second, Christ at 11.59 PM 57 second We are now in the 59 th second. Entire mankind is just 7 seconds of Universal TIME. ‘Nimmitra Matram Bhava Savyasachin- You are but for a moment O Arjuna!’ -Sri Krishna in BG. Pallavi: Maunam for 14 days. Pallavi: THE AWAITED TIME. So sweet is your fragrance That i forgot my own… I tread the path that leads to thee. Stumbling steps wade their way Sometimes in ecstacy, others with disappointment how will I be at this awaited confront? What will I say to thou? This preparation has been a lengthy one And lonely are its roads. I travel on, one day at a time Wondered at which corner u appear Until then…I sing your hymns And smile in a silenced state. My journey might be a step away Or maybe miles to go before i sleep… Distance and time are mere illusions When you beckon with loving charm… In love…eternally. @p.k. Ramki: See let’ s not obectify the supreme. I know Sampath, the frustration is because our limited senses fail to reveal the ABSOLUTE. Trying the jnana marga is too difficult, at least for most of us simply

• 166 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra because of the capricious nature of our minds.(BG “Kleso adhikaras tesam, avyatkta asaktha tejasam) the path of knowledge is simply too difficult unless you are a mendicant. For householders like us, the best is Bhakti yoga which is the path recommended in this KALI YUGA. Syam: Agree with Ramki and Neha. For the masses, bhakti marg is probably the best. At least the first stepping stone… Rajayoga or Kriya yoga are certainly shortcuts. But may be not for masses… From my experience… One always lead to the other… From bhakti to Rajayoga… From Rajayoga to bhakti… Very smoothly. Very effortlessly without the saadhak even being aware. Was busy the last few days. Spent half an hour to go through the last 2 days conversations… Amazing discussions… Sampath, you have put so much effort in decoding God… Superb effort… I disagree on a few points. Will have to spend atleast half an hour more go through the remaining posts that happened. Too good to be missed posts by Sampath, aachi and ramki. Sampath: Aachi…I’ll tell you my take on losing the ‘I’ phenomenon. The moment we are born we take on identities with the help of our consciousness (C= life plus intelligence). The power of senses is a double edged sword. We see hear, smell, taste, touch, and with our intelligence give them all, and in the process ourselves an identity. I EAT good food. Here the emphasis is on EATING good food but it is also on I. I eat, hear… the senses give us a worldly identity. Similarly we believe in complex concepts in the information provided by the senses. We believe that there is God, SR…Krishna…though we have zero proof. Bhakthi is belief. Now let’s look at an amoeba. It’s a form of ‘l’ which has none of the identity and belief. But the problem is it’s level of consciousness. It has life but practically zero intelligence to comprehend the system of the creation. Man on the other hand has a high basic C and is perhaps the only living creature that can will fully enhance C. But what do we do with enhanced C? If we use it to take in more sensual input, (stronger identities) we become a powerful demon (Ravana). If we use high C levels to lose identities then we are in the path of nirvana. How do we do this? When we are born we have almost 0 identity but good C because senses start firing. As an embryo the identity is even less. Base levels is C is complete at adulthood. But by then we are imprinted

• 167 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution with an identity. That I am Sam, son of such and such parents, with a particular caste, that I am an Indian, that I am a doctor. Many many more…like I’m good in this and that. I’m intelligent etc. ALL of it is untrue. Every one bit of it. I am not born as Sam. Someone gave me the name. I’m the son of this creation. I am made of stars from galaxies that lived millions of years back. My parents too. Suddenly in the large scheme of things my parents don’t become as significant (personal) as before. I am definitely not an Indian. India is a boundary drawn by man. It never existed. I may be a doctor but I am none of the important or noble man that the society makes me to be. I am not intelligent. My boss is more intelligent than me, many of my colleagues are, Einstein is, Krishna is. Depends on whom I want to compare yourself with.every attribute of me is Untrue and Relative. Two very important words that we must understand to lose identity. Sampath: Relativity is another golden word… up for discussion. Neha: Sampath… Absolutely Untrue and relative! Aachi: Yes. Losing the ‘I’ is asking a person to kill himself…is it possible? The Mind will manufacture multiple jigsaw theories to appease the Ego. Hence if one is interested in this path it is suggested that one finds out if there really is an ‘I’ This is Vichara. If not; one can admit his incapability and Surrender to Reality to show the Truth These are broadly the 2 paths. Sampath: But why is losing identity important. Because with identity there are many 2 aspects. One is the attachment (positive or negative) to the thing or person…like you like or hate coffee. AND SECONDLY it also gives you an identity. ‘I’ like the coffee. All these are accumulations of beliefs. The coffee is liked by you but not by every human. It is relative. Expand this. Is coffee liked by a dog? No. Analyze everything like this and you realize that the whole world is

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SO fluid. Everything is relative. When we understand this relatively (also scientifically proved by Einstein) we lose our ‘EGO’… which is a mixture of ‘I’ and what I believe is true. Sampath: The only constant is light. But we need to discuss this in detail later Sampath: So I was constructing my reasoning to come to the same point Aachi…How does one lose the identity? Kill himself? Aachi: To be frank I don’t know. If I lost it, I would know. Neha: Good question. Sampath: The final destination, remember is 100% C with 0% M and E. So…I’ll tell you… Let’s start our journey there by taking one step at a time I’ll tell you… Aachi: My life is at His humor. Neha: Long time back I had written something around this… Breaking free. Would share those feelings with you all sometime Sampath: There is nothing intriguing about it. Nothing miraculous. Nothing delusional. Everything step from here on is logical, scientific and completely understandable. But I have to go…got a call! Neha: http: //vaporizingthoughts.blogspot.in/2011/06/break-free.html? m=1#comment-form this is how I felt a few years back. Syam: Nice piece Neha: Thanks Syam Vishu: Nice one Neha.

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Ramki: Guys I have a point here. As the Upanishads say “Aapo va idam sarvam vishwa bhutani aapah”(Taittritya upanishad).the RISHIS say that the entire manifested creation is in a fluidic state as confirmed by the quantum pool of Einstein wherein he says only the FIELD is existing and matter are points in the field where the vibration is very intense though temporary. Now coming to the identity crisis, YOU ARE NOT LOSING YOUR IDENTITY,That is where advaita and the state of nirvana creates a confusion of losing your so called “I.” When you follow the path of devotion you not only know your present identity but also the eternal identity “anyatha rupena hitva swarupena vyavasthithih “- YOU HAVE A SPIRITUAL FORM which is ETERNAL, deathless, unborn, beyond the constraints of space time. SANKARA says” Mano nasyathi yoginanah”- “destroy the mind, actually he meant destroying the materialistic mind hankering after the temporary luxuries and developing the eternal element in the mind to attain the absolute where you become an associate of the ABSOLUTE (KRISHNA) in quality. there is no doubt about this. you as an individual are going to remain. Ramki: All the so called C’s and D’s and other paraphernalia are only the gateways to your eternal FORM.As the BG(15.1) says this material world is an inverted BANYAN TREE, perversely reflecting the spiritual world.(“urdawam mulam atha syakham, ashvatham Prahur avavyayam, chandamsi yasta parnani, yes tam Veda sa Veda vith”- A soul who knows this principle of the inverted banyan tree actually knows the entire VEDAS. So the spiritual world will have everything the Dr. Pallavi Kwatra material works has to offer and much MORE (beyond Birth and death) but you need to SURRENDER TO THE LORD.ARROGANCE WILL NOT GET YOU ANYWHERE. Neha: “This material world is an inverted Banyan tree.” Liked this concept Ramaki ! In fact this is the first thing from your lectures which my head could assimilate. And yes… It’s so true… Arrogance will not get us anywhere. Ramki: Concept by lord Krishna, neha. I am just a messenger.the inverted banyan tree with roots upward and branches downwards. the root is the abode of Lord brahma, the first created being and the various branches are the living entities. The leaves are the Vedic hymns.the twigs are the sense organs and the fruits are the sense objects. the living entities keep jumping from one branch to the another (changing bodies) experiencing the fruits of pleasure / pain. the CRUX is to identify yourself in this inverted reflected tree and realize you have to get to the root i.e the abode of brahma and then CUT this tree of material existence with the sword of detachment and enter the real banyan tree of the spiritual world where you have your TRUE SPIRITUAL FORM and yes ;you are eternally going to associate with the creator (KRISHNA). This concept is found in no other literature believe me and this intellectual perception cannot even be conceived even by the so called “scholars” of today. As I said the LORD need not prove anything to us since he is ATMARAMA (self satisfied in all respects), it is we who have to do the homework and get back to GODHEAD before this mortal frame of ours disintegrates. Sampath: Staying on my course, how to reach God state… 100% C with 0% M and E. We have to go step by step. Reaching God is the Ultimate conceivable thing. Jackpot. It is not going to be easy ONLY because it IS SIMPLY the easiest thing to do. First step is to reach 100% C. What happens when you have to read 10 chapters b4 an exam? You immerse yourself into your books. What exactly happens here? You focus so much on your book that you forget many things around you.

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You concentrate hard on ONE thing. When you do so; you start losing thoughts and identities, one by one. You forget about your worries, for instance, you forget all the other things that were important to you just a while back. When you are very focused.you do not register even if someone enters your room. This process is a fundamental step in losing identities. When your brain neurons are not randomly firing (to think of your partner, about Modi, about your stock market) all the neurons are available to fire on what you want. And these neurons are alive and have C by themselves. They fire in tune and enhance the effect of your overall C (not just electrical neuronal impulses). We all have done it many times. It’s natural and known to us. We can reach various amounts of concentration depending on how much we like what we are doing. That’s why we in fact have the maximum concentration NOT when we read books but when we see MOVIES. Because movies captivate us, we like them and focus on them when we see them. We see a movie once and remember the scenes forever! Through the 3 hours we do not for most time remember what else happens in the hall. Switching off the lights of the theatre helps focus better. But the crucial point here is not concentration but Consciousness. We also have more consciousness WHICH WE USE TO ENJOY THE MOVIE. Similarly when you read your subject book for instance or when you see a boring movie, your focus, concentration, involvement is less than when it is reading your subject or when you are watching a thrilling movie. There are a lot of corollary explanations here but we keep it for later. Coming back to God, the primal reason why we cannot reach him is that frankly we care a damn about him. We talk about him as nauseum but honestly HE is not the objective of our lives. We have all kinds of exams in life to make us study desperately, to focus. But do we have an exam for God? We have movies that keep us glued in concentration. But what about God? We are never DESPERATE about Him. There are people who love Him in a religious way but few are obsessed about him as if or life depended on it…like an exam. We are desperate about getting rich, living our lives but God is everyone’s last priority. THIS IS BECAUSE GOD IS A CHOICE. NOT A COMPULSION. You must genuinely WANT to know God, meet Him, know Him and His attributes. This is of PARAMOUNT importance. No amount of discussion here will make you focus on God

• 172 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra like your life depended on it. It is a calling. Until that happens you can do anything BUT what is written from here on. Don’t even think of doing anything else. Sit back and read books on God and related stuff (religion) till you get motivated enough to reach this point. Just as you need to motivate yourself to hit the gym, before you start enjoying the adrenaline you need to motivate yourself to GENUINELY want to relate to Him before He overwhelms you. You know you can’t cheat! Also remember that He is happy to allow you to exist by the rules of nature that He set for you and everything else. He doesn’t need to oblige or indulge you. The requirement is entirely YOURS. If you want to escape the meteor hitting the earth or escape from this system all together you need to motivate yourself and find your ‘gym’ to start exercising. So the first step is bringing your focus to liking God and related things. But if you want to get TO Him you need to do more than like Him. You need to be desperate about Him. That desperation alone can fire the extreme amounts of concentration to reach 100% C. You see how concentration is directly proportional to C. And C=Awareness. Remember the double slit experiment. You create the effect around you when you are the observer. The wave or mass nature of an electron is determined by your awareness. Your C. Your ability to concentrate or focus on your objective. Now that you have the rules set you must now play the game. Scientifically! Logically! Fully aware of what you are doing and how you are progressing. No magic. No Gods. Just a step by step exercise. But I remind you again before you try anything from here. BE 100% MOTIVATED. NO ONE BUT YOU CAN HELP YOU FROM HERE. BE HERE ONLY BY YOUR OWN VOLITION. YOUR OWN DESPERATION. Nothing less than desperation will work from here on. As if you were giving an exam on God tomorrow. This is important for the next steps. Sampath: Once you are motivated enough that it troubles you no end that you do not know God, kind of like an obsessive love for a girl/guy that you cannot get, and the thought remains in the back of your mind frequently, you are ready. The next step is to prepare yourself to simply focus. But focus on what? NOTHING. Just empty your identities, Your thoughts, Your actions. So you have to

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1. Do nothing 2. Think nothing 3. Feel nothing 4. Be nothing The first one is easy. Just sit in the most comfortable position and stay still. Don’t be rigid. Just relax but be alert. The second is to think nothing. This is not so easy because when you have a mind you will think consciously or subconsciously. But try keeping your mind calm and empty for a few minutes in the beginning. Then lengthen the period. This is where religion, beliefs, society culture everything dissolves. Think of nothing. But there’s a crucial point here. You must not believe too. If you believe Krishna will appear before you; you are entertaining belief. That is a distraction. It is like you were engrossed in a book and someone disturbs you by calling out your name. Remember that our objective is not simple. We are trying to hit jackpot. We are to get to God Himself. It can’t be so easy. We are trying for the best focus, concentration, consciousness possible. 100%. For this we need all our neurons to be FREE AND FIRING IN ONE DIRECTION. Any neuron believing that Krishna will appear is that one neuron less. We want full throttle 100%. Not 99%. When you are still physically, all your motor neurons in the brain are free for use. When you keep your mind still without thought, more neurons that work consciously and subconsciously are free for use. I can explain the neurophysiology in detail later in different phases of Yoga. How one loses neurons dealing with behavior, creativity, proprioception etc. The third step is to use the neurons in the sensory areas. The 5 senses are the secret of creation. These are the reason for our identity. One thing that Sadhguru said makes sense to me. He pointed that we have all our senses directed for external input but not one for an internal input. I mean the senses are directed outwards and not inwards. I extend the scope of this fact of Sadhguru by stating that the 5 senses pick up information about everything around us BUT for our Consciousness, our life, our emotions, memory, our intelligence, our creativity. For instance why do we not have a sense to sense how much life is left in us?

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Let’s come back to our path. This is a difficult stage but if you pass the first few stages you will be surprisingly rewarded by an automatic phenomenon, maybe a reward from God Himself, maybe the first sign that you are in the right track. Something changes in you. The senses do shut down. More neuronal areas are liberated. I fail to explain how because sensory input is continuous. How do we stop it voluntarily? I have no answer here. But it happens. But there must be a scientific explanation that I do not know. But then this whole process is also about discovering strengths we did not possess; isn’t it? The final and the most difficult stage is to BE NOTHING. To let go of the ‘I’ in you. Because even when you are in a state where the everything including the senses are shut off, you still are aware of your existence of your body. You know you ARE the body. As Aachi asked, how do you get rid of it without killing oneself? There is an answer. Surprisingly, this state has happened to you before. You HAVE been in this state before for a very long time earlier in your life. As an embryo, as a fetus. That was when you had an identity without the bodily identity. You had a body but without the bodily identity. I mean, a fetus knows it exists but it does not know of it’s body. It was not taught in school about the human body. So it doesn’t know about its body. BUT YOU KNOW every detail of your body because you have learnt about it and you feel it every moment. See how information, the 5 senses and belief is an impediment! !!! So you have to unlearn at every step. So what an embryo or fetus feels is what is the last step. IT SIMPLY FEELS LIFE! DESPITE…OR INSPITE OF… THE BODY. Remember that you are now also reducing yourself from 100% awareness of your materialistic world and bodily identity to just 100% LIFE. BUT THE MOST EXHILARATING OBSERVATION IS THAT YOU ARE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YOUR LIFE DOING IT WITH 100% Consciousness. All your neurons are firing to experience what? Just 2 things. 1. LIFE 2. NOTHING. In other words NOTHING BUT LIFE…WITH ALL THE CONCENTRATION that is humanely possible.

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What this state will make you understand is that your being is separate from this body. BUT beware even at the last step if YOU EXPECT THIS STATE to happen to you, you will get into mental problems like I did. Coz you have 100% concentrations. You don’t want to use it to ‘THINK’ that you achieved SR(self realization). So it’s ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL that at each step and especially at the last one to NOT BELIEVE IN ANY SINGLE THIS. Not even what I told you. Even what I tell you here is your belief of me. BE OBSESSED, TRUST IN YOURSELF, IT IS YOUR OWN JOURNEY, BELIEVE NOTHING. Just keep your pot empty and wait. Something will fill up. Next step we discuss tomorrow. Sampath: And Neha…to answer your question, this is the EASIEST and the most DIFFICULT thing to do. Easy because you DID nothing. Easy because you did it as a fetus, easy because you did not even have to spend a rupee, buy a book, visit a Guru. Nothing. You invested nothing. What about effort? Zero effort. You did not exercise. You just sat still. You did not have to learn YOGA. You just unlearnt. You do not need to possess anything. Like supernatural powers. You simply let go. An auto rickshaw driver and you and me are all equally capable of doing it. It is the most natural thing to do. If you get into the water you will know how easy and natural you could learn swimming. Yet it is the MOST DIFFICULT thing to do. Because it involves TAMING YOUR MIND. And the mind is not used to being told what to do. The mind is not used to being empty. God is SIMPLY COMPLICATED! Aachi: I think your path is Perfect, Sampy It follows the “Aham Brahmasmi” path It is a very high path. Only request is to look kindly at the struggles and paths of others. Neha: Sampath. Trying to understand your point of view Ramki: Sampath…Getting into AIIMS, IIT’s and IIM’s is tough, cracking CIVIL SERVICES is really tough, scoring 99 in USMLE AGAIN is not easy, so forth with all the competitive exams. This is the path of JNANA. but you take Bhakthi path then GOD himself helps you crack the biggest exam i.e

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GOD itself. So the choice is yours.some people always want it the hard way because as swami vivekananda says;” unless you have HIS help there is very little hope of getting out of this material entanglement.” Ramki: Be as what you are. Don’t dissect yourself into C’s and D’s and complicate things,otherwise GOD wouldn’t have given you this form including the Mind intelligence and false ego and the ten senses. “Work your way through life righteously,THINK OF ME without speculation and I WILL HELP YOU ATTAIN ME.” Neha: I am getting lost In this spiritually scientific jargon. Aachi: Occam’s razor Keep it simple Follow your heart path Syam: Terrific discussions guys… LOVING THEM What a group !!. As Adi Sankara is believed to have said “Satsangatve Nissangatvam,Nissangatve Nirmohatvam,Nirmohatve Nischalatattvam, Nischalatattve Jeevanmukthihi” Which means…if you are in satsang(right group of people) there is nissangatvam (detachment from wrong) which then leads to lesser desires and Nischalatattva (calmness) and Jeevanamukthi (liberation). I think this group is serving at least that purpose ;-). as being the first step. On Sampath’s argument on why Bhakti when there is Kriya? Why worship when one meditate ? Bhakti to absolute is YES but not to GODS according to Sampath. Let’s take the example of two other religions which are based exactly on these principles. Bhakti to Ultimate or absolute only – ISLAM; Allah the formless absolute is the only one who is to be worshipped. We all know how many of its followers are close to the absolute or living by the right rules. Only few handful who had followed the right sufi orders are believed to have reached the highest levels. And Sufis…they sing.they dance.they sing the glories of God…another form of bhakti. and the sect is believed to have highest number of realized ones (at least in the past) among muslims. Take another example – Buddhism. ssstrongly advocates meditation… How many regular Buddhists(who do not live in monasteries) have been practicing meditation ??

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Syam: Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan aate nahi? Bhakta Meera ke jaise bulate nahi. Syam: There are people who have realized by worshipping the same GODS Eg., Ramakrishna paramahansa (Kali), Bhakta Ramdas (Rama), Mata amritanandamayi (Durga and Krishna) to name a few… I think the differentiating factor is GRACE. Grace of GOD or a GURU.… that differentiates… the successful ones from the non successful. Ramakrishna paramahamsa said. “If your desire for God is as much as you desire to get the life back of your dead child or loved ones. he will appear for sure”… like in the bhajan Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan aate nahi? tum Meera ke jaise bulaate nahi. Syam: Sampath also argues that a GURU is unnecessary… Yes may be for those who have reached certain levels in spirituality from their past karmas…they probably need no effort,no guru… Ramana maharshi who realized GOD without a guru himself said… I realized without a Guru.but I recommend realization with Guru’s help. If people have gone to certain stages without any known Guru (or Gods). it is just that you or me at this stage do not have the faculties to know which guru or angel is helping them attain these stages from the other unseen side. there are several books that vouch for that. most people have guardian angels.we just don’t know.with our faculties… please read books such as Road to Shirdi (Author: Kaushalya Kuwadekar) or Laws of the spirit world (Author: Khurshed Bhavnagari) or Brian Weiss’ authored books. all of them had given practical real life examples of the same… Syam: The whole path becomes much easier with a good trikala gyani’s GURU’s GRACE. Unfortunately, there are very few who exist today… Atleast I do not know of such great ones… The ones that I know are only evolved to a level but not to the level equivalent to the Previous centuries ones… Syam: Sampath also argues that a GURU is unnecessary… Yes may be for those who have reached certain levels in spirituality from their past karmas…they probably need no effort, no guru… Sufi orders of Persia, which later came to India had realized ones. and had strong Guru sishya lineage… realization was always attributed to

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Guru’s grace…which was called TASAWWUF in sufi…BARQA also a term used for grace in islam… Again. the point is…… Yes it is possible without a Guru. Yes Rajayoga is better than Bhakti yoga…but depends on what stage of spiritual evolutionary stage each person /atma is… we accumulate spiritual wealth over many lives. so no one knows what stage each one is… other than a trikala gyani guru.Who can see through and tell you. Proving everything with Science. Science we know today is incorrect tomorrow… Physicists thought they decoded atom century ago when they discovered proton, electron and nucleus… now they discovered there are more in an atom. Next century would discover something more than what we may know by the end of our lives… and debunk the current theories. NEHA… I loved your questions about “can a riksha puller be happy with all the jyana yoga”… U nailed it… it is only for few who are ready and evolved enough for it… Your blog was spot on… on why it is important to get rid of all the conditioning… our values, our baggage due to education, career, social status etc. If we can reach that unconditioned state.life will be very simple and straight Aachi: Someone asked me this today morning. I really admire the ease with which you traverse between the spiritual world and the real world so seamlessly. The two seem one and the same for you. Is this true? For me these seem like two different worlds. That I can only inhabit. one exclusive to the other. My answer was: I do what makes me happy without hurting others or becoming a nuisance Such happiness is my forte. Happiness which doesn’t hurt and cause nuisance is my forte and secret It helps my spiritual thirst and material pursuits. Neha: Aachi… Even I admire that quality of yours Syam, thanks for the kind words. And I loved what u said about practice of meditation in buddhism and bowing before Absolute in Islam.

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And yes, I too feel that if you desire to see God like you crave for breath when there is no air, that’s when u might see (rather feel) God. But I still maintain that that might be a figment of your imagination… Now this is something no one can document. It is only and only for you to feel. There is nothing to prove in it too. Also, if it’s ok with you all, I would like to document all these conversations in my notes. And if and ever I plan to publish these anywhere, I will take your permission. Hope that’s ok. Syam: Sampath and Ramki. should write a book each… Amazing knowledge and research you both have. I will be the first person to order your books. Aayeena: All vela…Koi kaam kar lo! Ramki: Great syam, aachi, neha and Sampath.i think this forum has flavours for all kinds of minds. As syam very rightly mentioned, Neha: Tell me something… You all keep on talking about guru…I cannot follow one person as guru… I benefit from this group, so each one of you plays the role of guru for me. Similarly I learn from books and lectures (especially those of Vivekananda), so that’s guru for me. Aachi: Neha, we are all blind.Don’t depend on us for emancipation. Neha: Guru means guidance… That can be in any form. Isn’t it? Aachi: Self Realised Guru is required in accordance to destiny. No; We have not reached the goal, How can we guide???? Neha: Then HOW do u know that the other person whom u call guru has reached that goal? How can u rely on him/her? Aachi: The Supreme Being Alone guides.You must have Faith. Neha: Faith in what Aachi? Aachi: It cannot be attained with Reason In the person/philosophy etc. If you are sincere, Then the Supreme Being fulfills through that channel.

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Neha: That’s what I am asking… I don’t have faith in any person (as in guru)… But I search and sometimes get my answers either by reading Vivekananda or by contemplating. Aachi: OK,that very act of yours will fructify one day to Guru meeting if it is destined. It’s simple he / she is your Guru with whom you experience Peace. -Ramana https: //youtu.be/haHvmxSPMno Aachi: Clarity by Sadhguru. Sampath: From here on, the next steps are logical but I have no experience to vouch for it. Nevertheless we will try to stay in the same line. Simple, scientific, no frills attached. So if the brain is completely empty and in focus on nothing, what can happen? By the natural property of the mind it has to latch on something. But you do not let it latch onto anything material including your body. It moves on to STRUGGLE TO LATCH ONTO SOMETHING. The only thing left to latch on for it is to EXPERIENCE LIFE IN ITS PUREST FORM. Because Life is the only other existing thing in that state of yoga. Is this scientific? It has been proven many times when Yogis meditate their brain activity is low or nil. It was the case also with Sadhguru. So what are all the neurons doing? They are overpowered by the power of focus, concentration. A typical example is what I told earlier. We all have been in situations where we are focused on a book and sometimes we don’t hear someone walking towards us and when that person touches us, we are startled. When we were concentrating on the book it does not mean that our hearing senses were not working. With our power of concentration we momentarily overpowered it. With increased focus or concentration on any activity one can achieve greater Consciousness (awareness, an overall increase in all mental prowess…memory, intelligence, creativity). When this focus is on God, then we are talking about THE ‘C’! Concentration also holds the key for overall personality development. We will talk about it later. However personality development is an imperative byproduct of spiritual development. We are moving towards becoming perfect human beings. Towards tuning our strengths to the maximum. The engine (our system) is working at optimum levels. If one

• 181 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution continues in the right spiritual path one graduates from perfect human being to being the perfect being, God. These are visible and logical developments of being in the TRUE spiritual path. Becoming a good person is a given, being loved by everyone is a given, becoming compassionate to everything around you is a given (one will not hesitate for a moment to give up meat), being wise is a given, being productive is a given, being successful is a given. The next step. By practising Yoga or saadhana or simply hitting the spiritual gym several times, one can get to 100% C levels and at will. Once this is achieved one must move to the next level. Remember that our capacities are limited. We will be deluding ourselves if we believe that we have all the capacities to reach a God state (100% C, 0% M and E). Moksha. Because I personally believe that there are other beings with higher C (angels, Gods) with varying amounts of M and E. These were once upon a time normal people like us. We must get there next and over many births to reach Moksha. But this is purely my assumption. Even in the higher forms one must not lose focus and one must still be on the path. Otherwise one risks becoming a fallen angel and has to start all over again. This makes you realize how precious it is to be here in this forum discussing this. Step back and congratulate yourself that you are one of the very few in this world who have ‘arrived’. That must give you the hope to undertake this journey. The journey begins by knowing that you have to embark on this journey. For eg. If you did not know that Switzerland was a beautiful place to go you would never go there. Now you know. Next is to be naturally obsessed with this idea. You have all the tools (mind and your body). You just have to set the ship to sail in the sea. If you are not naturally obsessed, wait till you get there. Choose Bhakti. Choose Karma. Choose jyana. Work according to your capacities. Use the scriptures, religion, philosophy to work your obsession up to the levels needed to take Kriya. I did too. But whatever you do,you must get to Kriya eventually. And when you do, you must unlearn ensuring and lose all identities. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Some other points. I mentioned Sadhguru a couple of times. But not because I consider him Guru or anything. Guru as a teacher, yes. In a worshipful and

• 182 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra dependent way, No. I give him the respect that I give my Boss who is my Guru. But I do not seek miracles from him. Because if I do I am adding a belief (which is a distracting thought during yoga) and an identity that I am a disciple of a famous Guru (which I have to lose during meditation). See how easy it is to add beliefs and identities. Likewise Krishna to Shankara to Madhva and to all of you are my Gurus. Above all the world is your Guru. Look at every experience spiritually and you learn so much about God just by running through your life armed with the Absolute Truth. For example, I meet many beautiful girls here. Sparks fly off. A non seeker will either get into a relationship with the girl… or will not. And he will give some perfect justification for either of his acts. That is philosophy. His philosophy. That is a Relative philosophy. A Seeker in this situation will immediately analyze this in the context of the Absolute Truth. His justification is knowledge, not philosophy. And absolute. But for a seeker to be knowledgeable in his decisions he must follow a God philosophy that is rational. NOT BASED ON BELIEF. If your God philosophy is unquestionably based on what Krishna or Shankara said there is the risk of your knowledge being someone else’s mere philosophy. If Krishna and Shankara were indeed masters, you are lucky. Otherwise you are sent hurtling in a wrong path. Of Beliefs and Identities. A path of relative philosophy instead of Absolute Truth. Absolute Truth must be SIMPLE. Even a layman must be able to follow it. Then of course it must be ABSOLUTE. It must be forever, must not change with time and situations or ‘Yugas’, it must be compatible with science, life, religion, spirituality everything. It is a theory of everything. If your theory cannot answer even a SINGLE question, then it is not the Absolute Truth. If you raise this fact and then look at all the scriptures minus the belief, neutrally, scientifically and maybe sometimes even skeptically, you will clearly see what is written between the lines. The points which are the Absolute Truth stand out so clearly from the contaminations. Every scripture, every religion has the Absolute Truth. But almost all of them are corrupted by man’s ego. You can see how people and societies used scriptures for reasons other than seeking God. Remember Sanskrit is not very old. It was born just a couple of thousand years back. We know that

• 183 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution in the scripts found in the Harappan finds (c. 3000 BC) have a script that is yet to be deciphered. Proto Indo European and Pali are languages older than Sanskrit. Remember also that there was a mammoth ideological and political battle between an established Jainism + Buddhism that used Pali and an emerging Hinduism that used Sanskrit. Also a battle between Vedic (Hindu) Brahmins and the Buddhists who were not atheist. Hinduism won the battle. There is a big mystery waiting to be solved about this question: if Buddha was an avatar of Vishnu, why does Buddha not mention Vishnu but Vishnu mentions Buddha? Aachi: Sampy I lost you after u said u keep meeting beautiful girls. I agree to your ideology ; For its personal experience based Sampath: @Syam. You are right. Bhakti is important. But it is only a broth. It just gets you to a stage of desperation. But from there I STRONGLY believe that there is no God becoming pratyaksha and interfering with the creation. When Meera calls…she goes to God. What we usually refer to as God according to me are higher spiritual forms (than humans) with higher capacities. They were like you and me a few births back. But to pray to them as the Ultimate God is unnecessary. Higher forms can be reached to and they can help us as friends. But if a form says I AM the Ultimate and pray to me, then either he is really the Ultimate or he is a fake. He can’t be a higher form who claims to be the Ultimate. For higher forms do not lie! So if there is a manifestation then you have sought the help of a higher form. That form may still say go and do your Kriya! Because the body and mind need to be ready to get into God C. In any case these issues are irrelevant. Why pray to higher forms when the Ultimate is so easy to get? All u have to do is sit still…in mind and body. Sampath: @Syam.You are right that Hindus have more saints and realized people. Half of that is because we have a culture of believing that people can be saints. The other half is because we have the path clearly laid in front of us in the Indian religions which produces true saints. Ramki: Even the demigods who have not attained the ABOLUTE have to come down to this material world” BG; 9.21- ksina punya Martya lokam visanti”

• 184 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Sampath, I suggest you read the 9 th chapter of the GITA thoroughly but with a surrendered mind. All doubts will vanish. Sampath: @Syam…how does one know whether Kali exists or is a figment of someone’s imagination? If Kali is a figment of imagination and one meditated on her, what would happen? Apply my theory except that it in the end of that process…where the brain is ready to accept life… it takes in Kali Consciousness. The person is almost self realized but in a belief. Not with life which is supposed to be the case. In any case, such high levels of concentration makes the person special,nevertheless. Sampath: They will have to make a small course correction later on. Aachi: But Sampy how do u know you exist? Sampath: Wait Aachi…and Ramki…I will finish with Syam first. One last point with him. Ramki: Guys instead of wasting time trying to figure out who is KALI and all the intellectual jugglery delineating the mind intelligence complex from the SOUL proper, use whatever resources you have for devotion, which enlightens you about everything including Jnana, kriya, asthanga yoga and what not… No point arguing and counter arguing about HIM, try to seek HIS MERCY INSTEAD. Sampath: Syam…you mentioned Raja Yoga is better than Bhakti but one has to be ready by being free from Karma. Now this is precisely what religion does. It induces you to believe that if you cannot do Kriya or Raja that is because you have tons of Karma (which may or may not be philosophically true). Now instead of telling you how to overcome your deficiency.…which is to motivate yourself, to get desperately motivated…like you wish to get sick packs but hate to exercise till one day you are really motivated to the extent that you hit the gym…the scriptures give you a sense of hopelessness. It’s not the fault of the scriptures themselves. Because they were not written to make a Kriya/Raja Yogi out of you. YOU believed it and worse still you believed it SELECTIVELY. Read another book and another chapter and it will tell you what you could do. Also remember that all these are told in a different language (Sanskrit) and each word in Sanskrit has many meanings.

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Sampath: So you have to keep reading and reading and reading and talking to people till you get the WHOLE BIG PICTURE. Sampath: Syam…Science does not do a U turn on FACTS. The UK turns ate on theories. Science never did a US turn about the fact that earth is round back to earth being flat. But it did a U turn on Newton’s THEORY. Not exactly a U turn, but a detour. Also scientific facts (like the existence of an atom) are a series of repetitive, proven, visible, and hence believable set of experiments done over generations by a series of scientists. They are the purest form of knowledge. They have to be incorporated into spirituality to bust some myths doing the rounds. Spirituality is less magic and more science. Trust me. Our spiritual gurus explained them in a way they could. It is upto us to understand that they were scientific too in a different language. That’s what I’m trying to prove. We are at a very interesting point in creation where science is actually supportive of Spirituality,Indian Spirituality. Not Ying and yang types. This will be a very long discussion in itself. Aachi: It is never so confusing actually, Confusion comes only when u compare. Sampath: Aachi…I know I exist because my concentration is focused not on my heart beat or my hunger or my proprioceptive sensations of folded legs but only on life. It’s strange. Even if you do not believe my second part of my statement, you have to believe in the first. Watch a movie now and you will know. After the movie is over you will realize that you did not hear your heart beat, nor did you realize that you were probably hungry or that your limbs existed for most of those 3 hours. Just increase the dose of that very concentration and change the theme from the movie to life. Aachi: So u are aware of your existence at all times? Sampath: Oh yes…now I get your question. Yes yes yes…it was an exciting moment to realize that I could reverse this. Which means I was not sleeping. I was switched on and working!! I am aware of just being. Aachi: At all times of the day?

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Sampath: But if I thought of Krishna at that moment I would just break down. Sampath: Aachi, in that state the mind is dying for input. If you give it something it is overwhelmed. Like a starved beggar getting a loaf of bread Aachi: Are u aware of being Sampath at all times? Sampath: No…not of being Sampath…never…that has dissolved long back. But just as life…actually as nothing. Aachi: Always?24 hrs? Sampath: In the beginning it takes months. But when you are doing this routinely, it takes minutes to get there. How long you stay there is your choice. But time just flies. You think it was minutes but when you come back you realize it’s been one hour. Because you are loving it. Aachi: So what is that which comes between what comes and goes? Why does it come and go? Anything which comes has to go and is not Truth. Sampath: No the state is entered and exited at will. What comes and goes is material awareness, your worldly identity. What you were in is the awareness of still and constant life form. Aachi: As Ur awareness is not constant at all times in all phases your perception of ‘material life’ is just a figment of imagination. Hence it is false. U urself being False cannot accuse Kali to be a figment of imagination. For in Truth,there is no other to accuse. Hope this helps you to understand the simple fallacy of your path which glorifies itself at the cost of other paths Sampath: There is a wrong assumption here. Awareness is constant. Only the subject of awareness changes. In reality, normally you are life focusing on everything else but life. In yoga, you focus on this which is what you have ignored till now. Material life is not a figment of imagination. It does exist. We know what lies outwards but it is up to us to see what lies inwards. Kali is an input from the external world. The internal world has no inputs

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It has no scriptures to show you, no stories to tell, no idols. It is pure and trustworthy. It is yours. Aachi: Let the internal world accuse Kali…it doesn’t matter for the Internal World is Truth As you are false there is no scope to say another as false. If in Truth then there is No Other to accuse about. Aachi: And in Awareness there is no subject changing. Awareness is constant. If it changes it’s not a subject but intellect And Intellect is not Truth…For it changes Truth is CONSTANT It does not see Another. So it can’t accuse. If there is comparison then whatever fleeting moment of nothingness you are experiencing can only be explained as a mind holiday. Experience or even GLIMPSE of TRUTH makes one Catholic Calm and abstains from pointing or comparison Sampath: I’m not accusing Kali of anything. I’m just saying that Kali is not important. You are. Your life is. If you can’t do what I suggest then you are free to take Kali’s help. If she can you must. But only if she does exist and she is not the figment of someone else’s imagination. What if she is not real? What happens then? Who will help you spiritually? I am just not attached to the concept called Kali. I don’t pray to Her. But I don’t deny her existence either. I do not know. But I know that there is life inside me and feeling that brings in many positive changes in me. That’s an undeniable truth. That can be experimented upon. That is real. But only for me. I cannot convince you. You must get there yourself. Aachi: ‘I do not know’ Best words u said in a long time: Self Reliance is good. But be empathetic about others. I am already convinced da.

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If someone comes and says preparing dosas for Truth Realization is a way…I will be convinced if I detect sincerity. U know the story of the realized sage who was a butcher from our ancient texts. What I am saying is: NEVER MIND THE MIND Sampath: Aachi. lets put it like this. you live 2 worlds. If you learn something in the internal world then that doesn’t mean that you cannot apply it to the outside world. So if I don’t need Kali for the inside world then I can say that being in the outside world. Sampath: So I’m not false, either outside our inside. Aachi: There is no difference from what I experienced What is inside is outside. Kali as Truth Is inside and as the world outside Adi Sankara’s Masterpiece The World is Unreal. God Alone is Real.The world as God is Real Aachi: This is my final experience. Sampath: So explain what you felt. What exactly did you feel? What is inside is outside. Explain this………Describe the state please. Aachi: There is no inside nor outside.The limiting adjuncts of experience are ego driven.True experience is All Expansive Consciousness which includes everything and all as One. Returning to illusion after that GLIMPSE one loses the ability to find fault or point out But soon ego steps in and one loses oneself to regular life Aachi: See I am accusing you of not being Catholic in your approach. That shows that whatever I learnt from experiencing that state has been covered by my Ego. And I AM FINDING FAULT with you.I am in the wrong state of mind. Hence Truth is SILENCE. Sampath: You are brief in your description. The rest that you said is your belief as is mentioned in many books. Most of what you say is what you believe from your sources.

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You experienced what you believed. And maybe I experienced what I believed. Honestly this is what I fear most about spirituality. That we believe in our own hallucinations. That this discussion will end in this. Aachi: Nothing good comes out of discussions. They are at the most ‘ego holidays’. Aachi: The only way to converse is Silence. In Silence all doubts are resolved and one goes forth in Peace But our BMI complexes don’t let us do that. I didn’t experience what I believed because I started believing AFTER I experienced. Sampath: Aachi I know 2 people, one among them a Saudi muslim who had an out of the body experience. His religion does not support it. He is confused and is looking for answers. He’s a normal guy, smokes and drinks despite being a muslim. There are many people like you, Aachi. Some have other kinds of experiences. There’s one from India I know who just goes into trances. I am yet to know the answers to all of this. It can be related to God or not. I don’t know. The funny thing is I was like you and Ramki. Trusting and believing. I moved to a more logical path much much later. So that I can’t be at least blamed for believing a fantasy. But strangely the logical path is not too far away from the fanatical path. In many ways everthing fits in. Aachi: Once a Muslim came to Ramana Sampath: Conversations do help. But not too much of it. Just enough to know what’s happening outside your world. Otherwise I agree that inner silence is the sweetest thing. Aachi: He said; All Idolatry is false. Ramana said: If u loose your hand is that equivalent if losing yourself The Muslim said “no” Ramana said,’ So what are you? When you die your body is left on the floor. The body is there but you are not isn’t it? You are something beyond the body which u don’t know and perhaps Formless’

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The Muslim nodded. Ramana said ‘So even though you are Formless you go all your life thinking of yourself as a body, a form. What’s wrong if Hindus think of God as a form in Idol then? Sampath: So 2 wrongs make a right? Aachi: You have to answer that for yourself Sampath: @ramki…I believe in Bhakti, Ramki. I’m desparately seeking God. I have surrendered to the cause. If this is not Bhakti what is? However, if you tell me to believe in Krishna and another says Kali another, another says Jesus, another says Allah… then who do I eventually believe? However I do agree that the overwhelming message in all the above is twofold: Bhakthi and Kriya. I do both in the name of the cause of God. Trust me if Bhakthi makes you read BG, it makes me stop talking to my 3 yr old baby and my wife (of course) for weeks. I will read Chapter 9 as you suggested. It’s been more than a year in this group but I put up all my experiences only now solely with the purpose of confronting you guys. I want to debate this healthily with substantial opponents. Now we also have Syam, Neha and Vishu joining us. More, the merrier. We must debate point by point. Issue by issue. Like the way we did just now…the inside out debate with Aachi. Neha: Amazing discussions. Sampath: Aachi…the concept of your awareness is the same as you and everything around you is what I’ve read many times before. I have not experienced it. I have written only that I have experienced and I am completely willing to accept that I could have experienced something wrong. Pallavi is proof to this fact. I have always been suspecting everything that I have experienced. But through my journey there have been several several instances where I experienced what I WANTED to experience. Only this one that I described here stood out as an experience that strengthened me. Why it did, I have described in detail. The rest just faded off without an iota of positivity. It was just another fad that the mind created. I never quote scriptures or people who I have followed because I believe that it only serves in promoting culthood. That does not mean

• 191 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution that I discard them. I love all of them. But they are not the Ultimate. They themselves say so. So the best thing is to stick to the message than to the God. I told Pallavi months back this,” Do not believe in everything but discard nothing.” So everyone draws their own conclusions. Sampath: There are people who cry or become ecstatic with joy in gatherings. This is a fad too. This is working up a belief. A typical example of one experiencing what one believes. I have tested this upon myself many times. And every single time unfailingly they work. And that leaves me mighty amused. But sadly that is not the truth. The truth is when you cry out of pure emotion that comes after a sustained effort. The joy of getting to that point. Conquering the summit. As opposed to crying because one sees another crying and then deludes oneself into thinking that one is so happy that one actually cry. Sampath: @neha…trust yourself more than you trust a Guru. God is a very simple and elementary concept. The problem and the solution is inside us. Your Karmic load that is supposed to hinder your meeting your Guru can be offloaded by simply deciding to take the plunge. If you are not in pain to know why the universe was created and in turn why you are here.…and you believe an immediate past point of reference that says ‘because my parents wanted a baby’…then you are not interested in God. If you decide to pray to Krishna in a desire to attain moksha, you have not arrived there yet. Because you do it for Moksha. A selfish motive. Not for God. Who doesn’t want Moksha? If you want to read about God, learn about him out if your own will (like you enjoy your novels) and eventually love him and then furthermore desperately try to find him… without motive…pure bhakthi, surrender… you will find him. …just like you will solve a crossword if you work hard enough!!! Elementary! Ramki: Great words aachi and Sampath. The Vedic saying goes” Ekam sat vipra bahudam vadanti”-”that which is ONE the sages call IT by various names. I was in your state maybe a few years back when I was totally into ADI SANKARA’S ADVAITHA which says “Brahmo

• 192 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra satyam jagat Mithya jivo- brahmaiva na aparah”- which means only BRAHMAN(GOD/Universal intelligence/ pure awareness/creativity) is real but the manifested world is false. Here comes the difficulty, the manifested world is so convincingly real for our material mind and senses that it is so difficult to unplug yourself from it. Now first place yourself where you(we)are? We are not practicing (at least at the present moment) celibacy, renunciation of all the material luxuries including a good job, nice three figure salary, a reasonably good house, a good car to say the least along with our family with a good bank balance. Now as far as ADVAITHA is concerned you are INELIGIBLE to follow that path if you have the above mentioned interests. so let’s come to the fact, we are basically householders who want to enjoy whatever bits and pieces this material world has to offer with our intellectual expertise to meet our demands. In other words we are not MENDICANTS. So that automatically puts you away from the JNANA YOGA. that path (impersonal path) is not going to help us to a great extent for us householders. so we want to do our job well I.e occupation, maintain family, maintain a good car, chat in other groups with our other friends and be jovial and so on…, and the path where we can carry our both material needs and spiritual needs is the path of BHAKTHI, no doubts coz if you take the devotee list from time immemorial (ie if you believe in the scriptures which I believe very strongly) personalities like the pandavas, akrura, Prahlada, parikshit, DHRUVA, and of late poonthanam, Bhatadiri melpathur(400 yrs back) were all like us, householders with extreme Bhakti and all of them attained liberation. all of them knew the entire VEDAS and all the different yogas but they specifically mention Bhakti as the best means of attaining the supreme (If you read narayaneeyam of MELPATHUR BHATADIRI (1560 AD) you will realise that Bhatadiri (the personality who has literally SEEN THE LORD)was not only a great scholar in Sanskrit and the various yogas but he specifically says in the NARAYANEEYAM that of all the paths the path of devotion is the best of all., So the final verdict is path of JNANA where you keep on meditating and contemplating (which is very difficult with our current vocation and responsibilities) is very cumbersome and the liberation you get is SAYUJYA MUKHTI Merging into the lord’s radiance, formless aspect of liberation) whereas through Bhakti, you attain SARUPYA MUKHTI (liberation

• 193 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution with a spiritual form)and to be an associate of the SUPREME(KRISHNA) eternally. Sampath: Great one, Ramki. And a point I always wanted to discuss with someone with an in depth knowledge of scriptures. Ramki…i realized this right in the very beginning of my meditations. I have always been an All or None guy. I do something perfectly because I am motivated strongly or don’t do it at all. I am either motivated or not motivated at all. All or none. There are things I can master in very little time and others that I just cannot! My Boss offered me a job and he thought I could learn Italian in weeks but it’s been a year and I’m still blabbering like a baby. My boss is astonished that I find it so difficult to learn the language. The reason is I cannot motivate myself to learn it. The same with meditation. It’s a passion. I love it. But I soon realized that I would be gone if I continued. So now I have stopped meditating completely. But the force is such that it keeps coming back into my life. I was happy with my materialistic life untill Pallavi made this group. Even here at most times I kept away. Now it’s all coming back. This week has been completely stimulating. 2 days back I bunked my Italian lessons. Today I bunked my work to be here. I have a strong urge now. But my problem always had been my fear to go ahead in the path of Kriya. I KNOW FOR SURE THAT THERE’S SOMETHING OUT THERE. The next time I meditate I won’t be able to control the madness. With each patch of meditation the experience is more forceful and easier. Bhakthi does not appeal to me. But when I meditate it’s pure Bhakthi for all things spiritual, religious and scientific. I just love everything, everyone as my own family. Every path merges. It’s intense and scary. There are times I stopped just because I was scared. My heart was racing when I stopped. You are right Ramki. Bhakthi is the best for all of us. Maybe a Guru is good too for some counseling on these issues But the Kriya path itself is very simple. God is so tantalisingly close. Nishant: Hey guys……pitching in after a long time.…just as I don’t worship with a reward in mind, why should I meditate with SR(self realization) in mind! I think and yes I have found it to be true that to enjoy the meditation/path we take is much more important than where

• 194 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra it gets us. I failed in a lot of exams as I tried to study for knowledge rather than numbers/result. But to tell u the truth…I enjoyed it thoroughly! I have been trying to live my life with the same attitude! Good luck to u all for achieving what u want! Nishant: If we don’t enjoy our lives then we are just waiting for the result.…death! What good will come of that!? Sampath: You should not at all meditate with SR(self realization) in mind. Only when the concept of God troubles you, and you start looking around for solutions, you come across meditation as one of the paths that you could choose. SR is the goal that is supposed to be at the end of that path. You were right in learning for knowledge and not for exams. That should also be the motive here. You should be here only to know God. No…to simply know Why you are here. Simply know Why All This! It may not at all sound important to you right now because you are blessed with God’s best gifts. But when things go wrong you either seek God to protect you or to just understand why you were wronged. For many that is the starting point. For others it’s just love/curiosity/passion/obsession to know Why All This! Even when you meditate if your head is filled with the goal that you will find SR it will not happen. Because you are expecting SR not the Ultimate Truth or God. But this is high end logic. It’s strange that we take God for granted. It should be the first lesson taught in schools not ABCD. What would happen if not for him? Would we exist if not for him. He is the true parent of all of us. But we love our human parents more than Him who created all of us…all of everything. You breathe His air, you drink his water, you wear your Gucci jacket made from the skin of the animal He created. You ride a bicycle which is made from the iron that He created. You married the girl that He made for you. You have such beautiful children from the reproductive system that he created for you… the mountains…the butterflies… How thankful you must be! Tons and tons of it. Yet you are only greatly thankful that you don’t have night shifts this weekend!!!! How grateful must you be but you are only grateful to your boss for the salary he gives you. How much you must love Him. But you love your family more than Him.

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Sampath: I also agree with you Nishanth that the path of meditation is thoroughly enjoyable. It brings distinct advantage and joy. So be in it. Do it to improve your concentration for instance. If you keep your mind blank for 15 minutes in the morning the effect of increased overall performance will last a few hours. Enjoy the path till you get your clue to run further down the lane. Syam: Superb guy. Neha, hope you are saving/ compiling Ramki’s and Sampath’s posts. Would love to read them all again… If compiled… Never enjoyed any discussion/ arguments more than whats happening on this group. Would like to present my view points on 1. Gods (what if they are pieces of our imagination like Sampath suspects) 2. Bhakti 3. Guru 4. Yoga 5. Science GODS Sampath raised a very valid question - What if Kali is just a piece of fiction that Ramakrishna Paramhansa and other bhaktas imagined in their minds. Let me ask you a question. What if your 2 year old child Likes Batman character so much that she wants to see batman on her birthday… You love your child so much that you will dress yourself as batman and appear to her on her birthday… She will never be as happy if you appear in say Spiderman dress. If she likes Superman too much, you dress up like a superman and appear on her birthday. Dont you think God(or Absolute) can appease his staunch devotees in the form they would love to see him. Sampath, you also mentioned that Gods may be superior saints but not the ultimate… Awesome…There were a few saints of the highest order who said the same thing. But they also said you have to use them (Gurus /Gods) to reach a certain level…Until you reach a certain level it is better

• 196 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra to use them… Just like you need to use your University professors until you reach a point where you can study/understand/ experiment on your own… Why should we worship them when we can worship the ultimate? A simple answer is because worshiping the ultimate is not so easy… The fucking universe is so perfectly programmed as you mentioned in one of your earlier posts… Try to bring parental love without having a child. It’s so difficult… It so easy to bring this parental love only when you have a child. Once you experience this parental love once, you can replicate it when you have another child or see someone else’s child. Similarly, it is much easier to bring out/develop spiritual energies when you have a Guru or a God on your side.you can easily replicate them for the absolute Again many of these routes to be taken are either destined or influenced by past karmas or practices from earlier lives BHAKTI I think there was already enough discussion on which path is superior. Bhakti or Rajayog or jyanyog. Most of us including me posted that may be Rajyog is a superior path compared to bhakti. Let me tell you, bhakti is not easy. I could not get any feelings of bhakti in me until I practised Rajyog for a couple of years. Vishu tells me the same thing. He doesn’t have any feelings of bhakti.but feels comfortable with kriya yog. Ramakrishna paramahamsa used to go into samadhi state by mere mention of maa. By the first line of a bhajan sung… Such was his state in bhakti. As I mentioned earlier, I know many people in Rajayog who started with bhakti and vice versa. Both are hand in glove.I think after a certain stage, bhakti can take you to medtiative states and vice versa. Point here is, bhakti is not inferior, lucky if you can move from one to other easily and effortlessly…it is more enjoyable. Like how you cannot create a feeling of love or hatred with all your mental efforts, so you cannot create a feeling of bhakti. You should be lucky to have intense bhakti grown in you.it is an enjoyable state.

• 197 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Syam: Obey the Scriptures until you are strong enough to do without them. - Swami Vivekanand Syam: Itching to write something on Gurus/ meditation and Science. but got to go now. Sampath: I have experimented with myself. Abused myself all my life. I don’t take an unscientific answer. I try to find out what is the scientific explanation to the spiritual experience. And vice versa. Is the proposed spiritual experience scientific? I go this way at each step. Why do you think I lament that I live a life of contradictions? Sometimes I wish I had never been in this path. That’s why when I don’t meditate I prefer to go rebound. Enjoy coffee and sex trying not to feel distant about it. That’s a difficult task. Because you do everything in life impersonally. Like there’s a gap between you and the fellow in you. A small separation between the C and M+E in you. When you are in the pursuit of God nothing is more exciting. Ramki: Great syam, Sampath, neha, I am really seeing the answers coming out. Now I will tell you with what I have known about the great path of Bhakti. Bhakti means realizing that you are the eternal spirit soul within this body mind complex.this spirit is with a spiritual form, not formless as in NIRVANA or NIRVIKALPA SAMADHI. devotion also means that you are dependant on everything with The Lord.BG 7.8- “rasoham apsu kaunteya, prabhasmi sasi suryayoh, pranava sarva vedesu, sabdhah ke paurusham narasu” The Lord says” I am taste in the water you drink, I am the brilliance of the sun and the moon, I am the primeval sound of creation, I am the power of speech in man.” So basically HE is everything in us and we just have to redirect our mind-intelligence complex to HIM and experience HIM. that is Bhakti. when you know you are one with him in QUALITY NOT QUANTITY,that is devotion. As Sampath said all that we experience, the materialistic things are because of HIS CREATION. Now the greatest achievement with Bhakti,

• 198 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

(BG: 14.26: “mam ca yo ayahhicharena, Bhakti yogena sevata, sa gunan samaatityaitan brahma bhuyaya kalpathe” The Lord says,” one who has extreme devotion to ME at once transcends the Modes of nature (the hardest thing for all of us where your KALI comes into play) and attain the stage of BRAHMAN in this existence itself.” BHATADIRI of “Narayaneeyam “fame said and I am now reiterating: BHAKTHI IS GREATER THAN MUKHTI. Om namo Narayana. Sampath: As I told you earlier, a single word had innumerable meanings. Bhakthi for me is desperation. Desperation to know the Ultimate Truth. Before we go further we need to know what is this that we are discussing? What are we after? The creation is a phenomenon. Not an entity. The phenomenon is such that it has Religion, Philosophy, Science, worm holes, dark matter… everything. All sciences, and non sciences everything out here is perfectly calculated. Just trust me when I say that there is a THEORY OF EVERYTHING. In this theory everything merges. Not magically but scientifically. Just think of how to assimilate what I have been trying to work on all these years. Please don’t dismiss it. The journey of realization of the Ultimate Truth is so thrilling. If you can’t bring yourself to Kriya +Jnana+Bhakthi which will give you the Ultimate Truth, the Theory of Everything, try it in parts. Try Bhakthi, the ‘love for God’ aspect. Try religion. Here it is advisable to love the Universal God. But no harm in loving Avatars. You can choose anything even a speck of dust because even there you are focusing on a part of the creation. Chose your coffee! Doesn’t matter. Bhakti will grow so big on you that it will take you to Kriya. Lastly Jnana will descend too. If you do not have an affinity for Gods and you are a science freak, try science. Go after it. Find out what is big bang and what is quantum. Find out why and who created this. So Einstein too was a seeker. If you are the ‘meditation for peace and calmness’ kind of guy, go for it. Try calming your mind and see the effects. You can use tools inside the system. And whatever you try is from inside the system. You are using a piece of God at every step. Your eyes

• 199 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution reading this, your intelligence comprehending it is inside the system. You get what you ask. God is always kind. Be grateful to him. Please be grateful to him. You cannot be nothing cannot be but for Him or It. Because It is a phenomenon not just an entity called He. Aachi was right about Kali. She exists too. In our thoughts. And the thoughts are a part of the system. To understand all this you must first be Grateful for this beauty of a creation. Think of how great an idea where everything is so complicatedly simple. Try it with the following. Kriya requires reigning in the mind. Bhakthi requires devotion, desperation. Jnana requires effort. All the years that have gone into science. But we are fortunate to be where we are today. Today we can scientifically prove Spirituality. With Kriya+Bhakthi+Jnana you get the Ultimate Truth. Actually over a period of time everything merges. And when everything actually merges, you go down merging with all of it too. Like sugar dissolving in water. You become a part of it. Part of Consciousness (achieved by Kriya), part of Desperate Love (achieved by Bhakthi) and part of physical Creation (knowledge of M and E achieved by science). And when that happens, you reach the state that Aachi described. That merging into one. I haven’t experienced it. But I know I am very close. But I have held myself back only because I am into Jnana too, apart from Kriya and Bhakthi. I need to know the Ultimate Truth. The ‘Complete ‘Ultimate Truth. The (Complete) Theory of Everything. But Jnana is a bitch. She will not let me believe so easily. But I know my fruit will be higher up in the tree. I know my Theory is correct. I am sure. So the final question. Is God Consciousness (100% with 0%M and 0% E)? or the extreme devotion of Meera, Shabari, Aachi, Syam and Ramki? Or what Einstein explains in it’s theory of relativity or Bohr says in his quantum theory? It is all of this. And because we are a part of This. It is us too. Undeniably so. But there is still the eternal question? We know how but then, we don’t know WHY all this? I believe that that is highest point. As Nasadiya Sukta says, may be IT does not know too!!!!! There’s not a single text that I have read that says something about this satisfactorily.

• 200 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Scientifically. That’s why I’m so fascinated with this ONE SINGLE SUKTA. It struck me like a stinging ice cold water on my face. We may know the Ultimate Truth but we will never know the COMPLETE ULTIMATE TRUTH. Why?? Why?? Why?? I’m trying not to break down as I type this

• 201 • C h a p t e r 7 JULY

Sampath: Remember another thing. Don’t trust a word I say. It is a belief for you. Bad for you. Try it yourself: love, calculate and experience. Only then it is knowledge. The truth. At every step separate belief from Truth. If you want the Theory of Everything. I myself don’t believe everything I say all the time. But it’s been stirring in me for a long while. I’m glad I poured out. Sampath: I forgot Karma Yoga. Do everything to the best of your abilities. Keep working. Very often people say one life is not enough for all this. Not true. There’s enough time. For you. Not the ant or the dog. Don’t waste a moment. If you can’t do anything of the above. Just follow Karma Yoga. Work like a maniac. Neha: I guess, karma yoga for me. By the way, your posts remind me of some scientist…wasn’t he on the brink of discovering a common elementary unit that could be called common to living and non-living both… He was working upon this theory when he died. Let me google it… I don’t remember exactly who was it. Sampath: You are here means you are in. Now you will not be left unaffected. You cannot hear about a dinosaur and not think of it with awe for the rest of your life. That’s why masters made religion. Make beautiful Gods, told magnificent stories…a bait. But don’t think the bait itself is the Absolute Truth. Don’t stop at Bhakthi. Move to other aspects. And move fast. There’s enough time but not enough to waste. Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

You will reflect and move into your own path. I told someone long back. Every single path is different. Every journey is a unique story. I’m sure you will have a very interesting story to tell us some day. Sampath: The problem is Religious heads, Spiritual gurus and scientists do not sit together. The moment we do, it’s check mate. Sata Yuga. By The Way Ramki, I wanted to discuss this with you. We are not in Kali Yuga. We are moving up. Out of it. The worst is behind us. And the Yugas are not in the multiples of 432000. I would remove 2 zeros. And then we surely are not moving to a spiritual nadir. We have just left behind that point. We are moving up. Sampath: @Syam… Bhakthi is completely fine. But either get into it 100% or if you cannot, then stay where you are with Bhakthi and try Kriya. The problem with our spiritual progress. When I say our, I mean we Hindus…have compartmentalised our concepts so much that each one has a strong identity. How do you know that if a temple had a meditation hall alongside, more people would be in not the halls than breaking coconuts to the idol next door. An ideal God place must have an environment must put everything on table. Kriya, Bhakthi, Jnana…and Karma. A place of God (not God worship) where in one hall there is the Deity with a priest to explain the scriptures, in another hall there is a Guru teaching meditation, in another hall someone who explains how the scientific formulary leads to and is completely compatible with Spiritual sciences. Today, in mainstream religion, we have an overdose of Bhakthi (with corruptions), an underrepresented Kriya and a non represention of the Scientific temper in spirituality. In a democratic set up, it is upto the people to choose what they want. The disservice we are doing with Bhakthi focus is that we are ASSUMING that everyone is incapable of the other paths. And Bhakthi is for Kali Yuga. For an ignorant population that needs an idol or a God for a face. An intelligent population will be able to comprehend a faceless form.

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We are clearly out of Kali Yuga. We can comprehend much more than Krishna and Kali. Sampath: I completely agree that in higher states, close to 100%, the Kriya, Bhakti and Jnana states are completely interchangeable. Ramki: Sampath. That state is indescribable says the BRIHADARANYAKA UPANISHAD- “THE MIND AND SPEECH RECOIL UNABLE TO COMPREHEND THE REALITY.”in other words, NO WORDS can express it. It’s like the trying to see the AIR- that’s impossible but you know it’s there. It’s like trying you see your SA NODE, impossible but you know it’s generating the cardiac impulse, it’s like trying to see your cardiorespiratory Center in the medulla, impossible but you know it’s there, it’s like suspecting whether you existed as a child of 1–3yrs (simply because you don’t remember what you did that time, doesn’t mean that you didn’t exist as child), so there are many things which are there which you can only FEEL it is there. That’s the crux. As you said a mixture of all the paths is very good, at least that’s what I am working on and so do all of us,working in Jnana with the vedic texts and mediation, doing the required KARMA yogas, doing ashtanga yoga, raja yoga and so forth but by main focus is on BHAKTHI. Because if you need HIS grace to TASTE the water you drink, to digest your food, HIS energy in the form of sunlight(as whatever we can perceive in this world is nothing but the condensation of solar radiation), HIS energy to breathe and procreate then there is no doubting that you need HIS grace to liberate yourself from this material entanglement and attain your spiritual nature. As per the scriptures we ARE in the Kali Yuga (duration 432000 yes out which 5000 completed)and This KALI has entered our minds.As the noted psychoanalyst Carl Jung says that; our minds are accompanied by what is known as the SHADOW(of ? Evil) which takes over at certain times and makes us do things which we might not have done otherwise. SO getting hold of the SHADOW of your mind and overcoming it makes things clear. having said that again describing THAT PURE EXISTENCE is simply indescribable as it can only be EXPERIENCED as a state of ONENESS with the entire cosmos where you see only the power of the spirit working through ALL the beings without distinction of caste, creed, religion, sect, race, breed, where this PLAY OF THE OPPOSITES (DUALITY)do not entice you any more where you consciousness expands

• 204 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra like the ENTIRE OUTER space encompassing everything, where the mask of material world shreds away giving you the BLISS of the infinite. it’ s like seeing through the eyes and mind of the magician in a magic show. Now we are a silent spectator of this magic show of the material world and getting bewildered every line and then and our aim is it get into the mind of the SUPREME MAGICIAN and know the secret of the entire existence. As EINSTEIN said,” I want to study the MIND OF GOD.” Sampath: Take a bow Ramki! Hats off!! Ramki. We must debate Kali Yuga in detail. I have to go now. Nishant: I think Neha was talking about J C Bose! Neha: Yes Nishant…That was J C Bose indeed! Sampath: 6th-century Ramayana found in Kolkata, stuns scholars http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/6th-century- Ramayana-found-in-Kolkata-stuns-scholars/articleshow/50227724.cms via @timesofindia Vishu: Amazing discussion guys. Sampath, Ramki, Mithin and Syam, you guys are unreal. Learning so much from you. Syam: Ramki… great post on seeing the underlying thread, God/Sun’s energy in everything… You are as much into Jyana as Bhakti Awesome post Sampath. Your idea of temples with a meditation hall, hall with people to explain scriptures. Totally agree with you that today’s religion has become too ritualistic for the majority. Sincere and fortunate are a few who grow out of it. But many remain in it.As long as they at least live by the right rules, they will be guided in this or the next births. Syam: Ramki’s post that says THE MIND AND SPEECH RECOIL UNABLE TO COMPREHEND THE REALITY…strikes the right chord…… We are making efforts to understand God/Spirituality with our limited faculties…and LOGIC… After a lot of thinking and experience for a few years, I have come to a similar conclusion… Our logical mind is not good enough to understand the algorithm that is running the universe… Syam: Many rishis/ realized ones/ saints told the same thing that there is much more intelligence beyond thought. We are trying to decode God with our thoughts, logic. The only tools we have as of now. but there

• 205 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution comes a point when the energy takes over. When I say energy, it is prana (not the energy what we know or read of)… Then we understand that our logic is of no use. Best is to SURRENDER. as our logical mind is very limited in its capabilities… These are the same words that we heard and read from the realized ones. SURRENDER, GRACE, PRANA, HIS WILL, LOSING the “I..” etc., which do not mean much until we go to a point and experience at least in small doses. only then they fall into place.only then we can connect with the great scriptures.only then we can understand what they said in true sense… Until then we have no choice but to be skeptical, until then we have no choice but to keep debating.until then we have no choice but to keep applying our best of stupid Logical minds to decode… Syam: Let us take an example again… A Very bad one though ; try to explain. Imagine a few of us adults explaining sexual energy to 6year old child…You use all the jargon like “HIGH,” “EXHAUST,” “Controllable,” “uncontrollable” etc.,. The child if he wants to understand sexual energy that age, no matter how much of his logical mind he applies will never get your point to the true sense… until he grows to that age and experiences himself, only then he can understand what you really meant by “HIGH,” Control, etc.,.until then all he can do is just trying to imagine with his logical mind what these states can be and debate with his age group peers who are equally stupid in understanding what you adults really wanted to say… Syam: Similar is the condition of many. who try to imagine and put a logical sense to these words SURRENDER, LOSING,I ness, GRACE…what the great saints said or the scriptures said. Pallavi: Congratulations…sampath. You have arrived! Syam: Like how from my previous example, it is difficult to make understand a 7yr old what sexual energies are it is just as difficult to understand the scriptures and spiritual energies until you experience them… Once you experience them. though how Achi experienced in a certain dose at least once. I fortunately did in probably much much much smaller dose once…You know that what the great people said… is true. it’s energy that cannot be described with logic/ mental/ speech capablities… and

• 206 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra that all we can do is just Surrender… and many things are destined.and many things lead to the same. Wanted to write this following example 2days ago when there was this debate on proving whether Kali/XYZ gods were real or not…and whether we are wasting our time running after the wrong Gods… Let me again take a very bad example… Imagine I wanted to invoke sexual energies in Sampath… And i show him a semi naked morphed picture of Katrina kaif. Body of katrina and face of some morphed female. Despite this non existing person’s image I have shown to Sampath, I will be successful in invoking the sexual energies in Sampath.… As long as the non existing person’s image is serving the purpose of my goal of invoking certain energies in Sampath… It is doing its job perfectly. Why bother… ? Same with the images of Gods… As long as they able to invoke spiritual energies (of course one should be able to distinguish this energy from others)… In a person or masses, they are doing their job… Why bother if they really exist or not. Though personally I believe many of these are different forms of energy in nature.which can be invoked, I will detail on this later. Neha: Hats off to all of you. Each one of you is simply amazing… I am learning so much from you all.For once, I can imagine how it might have felt to study among great minds in Takshashila. Ramki: Great syam, Mithin, Sampath. Happy at least neha is assimilating all the spirituality here. Going to the forest of the BRIHADARANYAKA Upanishad, the great sage yajnyavalkya says, “VIJANATARAM ARRE KENA VIJNANIYAT”??? “HOW CAN THE KNOWER(the one who knows every thing, the SUPREME BRAHMAN,) be known”…????? Will Tell you what the great sage yagnyavalkya said later on… Vishu: Takshashila is a very apt name for this place Neha. Sampath: @Syam. Great logic. It is impossible to explain to a child who has not experienced what sexual energy is. But if you do it,it is nothing but a belief for the child. When the child gets up and experiences it,it is the truth. Knowledge… Not belief.

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Invoking Katrina will bring in a sexual drive. I agree it’s similar to Invoking Gods for Invoking Spiritual energy (needs more elaboration here). But the ONLY problem here is that YOU are Him. See…the only door open to you in this journey is YOU. The key to the door is your attributes. When you realise the creation you ARE (a part) if the creation and you merge with it. Staying with the same analogy, if Katrina was used to invoke sexual energies, here the next step is to become one with Katrina. That is where identity becomes a problem. Now if you have to merge with the TRUE IDENTITY (ATTRIBUTE) OF GOD, not a God who gets angry and curses somebody or like an Indra who cheated to sleep with Ahalya. Gods give you the identity of a person with 4 limbs, trunks, dark skin…these are attributes of their avatar and their role in this material world. But a yogi seeks the Ultimate God. I always maintained that religion is a bait. Once you have consumed the bait you need to move on. Do a small course correction from Krishna identity to Life identity (that is the TRUE Self Identity) and then furthermore, the last step… till YOU become ALL LIFE AND NON LIFE IDENTITY. The state that Aachi described. It’s simply logical. Secondly as I told you the Ultimate God is not an entity but a phenomenon. It is the Ultimate Truth. It includes the planets, the black holes…all things living and non living. So what is It/He/She? See how I’m struggling to give It/He an identity? Because the phenomenon is ALL of these. All of everything. See how irrelevant a God (as we know now) identity becomes here. It in fact becomes an impediment to understanding the Grand scheme of things. When in Bhakti to a particular God takes you to desparation levels there are the following things that can happen. If the God is truly an avatar, a higher spiritual form, then he will manifest to help you. But he Has to ask you to do Kriya, the course correction, to enable Your body to take God Consciousness. The second is that you manifest your belief. The third is you realise the Grand scheme of things and you do a course correction yourself. You prepare to shed all identities, seek and finally assume God identity.

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There’s another thing. If your body and mind is not prepared to understand God you can have all the Bhakthi but you will never get to SR(self realization). Remember SR is being God through your own portal. Turning yourself inside out. By the last stage you will be God like, a saint, a superior human being filmed with strength, compassion and knowledge of the Universal Truth. My sincere advice is that one gauges the progress in all spheres. If SR is being God, how Godly are you? R u calm, r u sincere, r u compassionate, r u modest and not driven by ego, r u strong, do u have the will power to single mindedly focus on your objective, r u capable of super human efforts? If you say Yes to all this, you have reached a good stage. But it is not enough. Now you are very close. But not there yet. Because the last stage is to lose this distinction between you and Him. YOU THEN BECOME HIM. Sampath: When I said earlier that one has to apply the principles of Universal Truth to every aspect of Life everyday, you realize how much muck we are covered in. You realize the contradictions. This is what I meant by a sad life that I am living. The journey is very long. The jouney is simply in the mind. Yet how difficult it is! I may be an ant taking a 1000 km journey. But I am a bloody determined ant. Ramki: Sampath, the thing about ourselves becoming HIM needs as little more excavation. the main point here is coming to the soul proper. The common misconception is identifying yourself only with your soul and not identifying the SUPERSOUL.Yes, this might sound ridiculous but all the material bodies we see are inhabited by the our SOUL proper and the SUPERSOUL; yes Two in one. Sorry, none of the technological advancements of today or tommorrow is going to get this information for you other than the scriptures. The MANDUKYA Upanishad specifically given the analogy of two birds sitting in the same tree (SOUL and the SUPERSOUL) one bird sitting atop (SUPERSOUL)silent, calm, self- contained without any DESIRES, without any sense of EGOISM and then the other (Individual soul) sitting in the SAME TREE(material body) hoping around here and there always restless, eating the sweet fruits at

• 209 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution times and getting happy and at other times eating sour fruits and getting unhappy,in other words our present world of duality. sometimes the lower bird looks up and sees this upper bird who is calm, quiet, serene self contained(when you get those Spiritual awakenings which some of us experience -a transcendental state of enormous BLISS) yet most of the time the lower bird is engrossed in this world of duality and enjoying and suffering the dualities of this existence. The main point here is to redirect the lower bird (our individual soul) to the upper bird (SUPERSOUL) sitting in THIS SAME BODY and be one with the upper bird in QUALITY NOT QUANTITY. the best means of achieving this is by surrendering to the upper bird (GOD-intelligence, awareness, KRISHNA) and attain this task easily by means of BHAKTHI, not that the others paths are not enlightening but THIS IS THE BEST PATH. As LORD KRISHNA SAYS, BG: 7.14- “this divine MAYA WHICH I HAVE CREATED, where all the living entities are bound by the three modes of nature is extremely difficult to cross, but one who takes to my devotion, I WILL HELP him in crossing this MAYA and attain ME.” Again attaining ME does not mean becoming one with him, it means becoming his eternal associate in quality, NOT QUANTITY. Syam: Sampath. your theory of God is superb… it only shows. your determination and sincerity in your search of the highest levels……… Ramki’s mastery of upanishads is extraordinary. only upanishads seem to have answers of this level. Syam: One of the parables what Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said is similar to Ramki’s 2 birds story from MANDUKYA Upanishad. RK Paramahamsa says. Mother when busy with her work, gives the child toys to play with. child keeps playing with the toys and immerses itself in playing with the toys for a very long time and forgets the mother… until it gets bored with the toys and suddenly remembers its mother. then when the child starts crying for its mother’s love again, mother then comes back to cuddle the child… RK paramahmsa says: Similar to the characters in this parable, man (like the child in the story) is busy playing with all the toys-maya (family,

• 210 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra wealth, career) etc., he has to divert his attention from the toys and cry for mother (the ultimate)… Sampath: https: //youtu.be/0ZqEo3hdP_U Sampath: What Ram did is yoga. What people did around him is religion. Ram was wise, focused and strong willed and powerful. God like. Yogic. People around him were ignorant, aimless and powerless mortals. Religious. Aachi: But Sampy, did Ram mind that? When He didn’t mind then who r we? Sampath: It doesn’t matter what Ram wants. Because Ram wants nothing. Our reaction to Ram must be that of knowledge and not of ignorance. Ram must be an inspiration for what? To be like Him. To do what he did. Not to worship him. Aachi: Perhaps our worship is our way to say to Him that we want to be like Him Sampath: Not enough. Nothing without effort. Total dedication and surrender to KNOW Him/It. Not just worship. Worship is a part of the overall obsession. Aachi: Let Him decide na…… what is enough or not Isn’t that Surrender and true dedication? Sampath: He cannot decide because there is no HE. You are discovering yourself. Aachi: There is He. There is no You. As long as you point something out He never reveals as only ‘You’ is given fodder more and more Stop pointing faults of any of others. Remain As You Are in the path that attracts you. Then You will dissolve and He will remain. Aachi: You may get certain siddhis in the process of sadhana (spiritual practices). You may experience some peace when the mind gets subsided. Though you may achieve them, until and unless you don’t get

• 211 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution the awareness and experience pertaining to the Supreme Self (that which you are), traverse inwards without any interruption presuming I am not this, I am not this. While travelling to Madras, you will come across several stations in between. You will reach the Madras station only when you don’t get down at any of those stations. Similarly in the process of sadhana, you may attain several siddhis, get elated or become sorrowful. All these are disorders. It is only when you transcend them and become steadfast that you will be bestowed with Self Realization. Sampath: U said let Him decide. That’s why I said, for you there is no HE (at the moment u have no idea what is out there). For you there is YOU. So begin with what you have. If not, you will forever be waiting for Him to make you realize yourself. Meditation is far from a Siddhi acquiring process. Done properly, it is perhaps the only way to exit at will, Aachi. Only with this process you have complete control over the phenomenon of God Consciousness and more importantly the role of your body in the process. And the best part is that everybody can do it. I’m not against Bhakthi. That’s a part of the process of meditation. Sampath: In any case we will all know when we reach there ourselves. If I believe in your theory, without experiencing it, it will only remain a belief. Similarly for you, my theory is a belief unless you experience it. Hopefully we are both correct. Sampath: https: //youtu.be/KakgRVu7dYo This set of twelve stothras was composed by Acharya Madhva on the occasion of the installation of the Krishna Idol in Udupi as he was carrying the idol back from the sea in a burst of transcendence. Vishu: Sampath,? Peer pressure. Getting pulled into bhakhi path! Just joking. I know you were never against bhakti,instead your form of bhakti is different. Sampath: When you can’t beat your opponent, join them! I took up mediation after a long time. Thanks to all of you and especially to Pallavi. I’m picking on every possible inspiration to get the engine going full steam as soon as possible.

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This is my all time favourite. Grew up listening to it. Shoots up Bhakthi intensity which I will shift eventually to convert into inward focused intensity. Aayeena: My naani is an Arya samaji…she gave me a small prayer book with om bhajan…its really strong…very positive…formless…egoless… one in all and all in one… Ramki: Bhakti without boundaries. The confusion is about whether, not only HE or you are existing. You are NOT becoming HIM in quantity only in quantity. The final verdict is as follows: that is HE and YOU are eternally separate entities, like I said merging into HIM(SAYUJA MUKHTI) is very much inferior. You want to be with HIM in your original separate form in the spiritual world (SARUPYA MUKHTI) which is much superior then merging in his radiance. Advaitha helps till the stage of merging in HIS EFFULGENCE or in the ocean of existence where you lose your individuality, negating all your physical and material characteristics using the aphorism “Neti Neti” (not this not this). After all this effort, merging into HIS RADIANCE is not enough for a Bhakhta. The Bhakhta wants to transcend advaitha and be with HIM in his spiritual form like a Prahlada or an uddhava and enjoy unlimited BLISS. Himanshu: My journey is endless and I am just loving……TO BE!! And I need all these in book format… for my little grey cells and limited intelligence to slowly assimilate and absorb… Ramki: BHAKTHI is pure, untainted, transcendental (much superior to ADVAITHIC STATE), all encompassing, pristine, unconditional, unswerving,LOVE FOR ALL and the greatest love for the CREATOR. Neha I will tell you (BG; 15.7 “Mamaivamso jiva loke, jiva Bhuta sanatanah, manah sastaani indriyani prakriti sthani karshathi” LORD KRISHNA says -” the living entities are my PART AND PARCEL EMANATIONS (yes separate expansions) ETERNALLY (which means HE IS IN YOU ONLY IN QUANLITY NOT QUANTITY) you are separate and struggling in the material world with the mind and five senses carrying out their respective endeavours” This is the catch. IF YOU ARE HE IN QUANTITY you would not waste time here suffering the miseries of birth, death, old age and disease.

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Identify that you are a part of him and develop devotion, seek his MERCY and attain liberation from conditionality. Neha: So even in Advaita philosophy, things are not so simple Ramki. Ramki: Advaitha, raja yoga, kriya yoga, ashtanga yoga, Hatha yoga, siddha yoga, karma yoga are all good till you know your real spiritual Nature and then take off with BHAKTHI and stating your true form separate from him and lovingly live your life eternally with him. MERGING IN HIM IS NOT ENOUGH FOR A BHAKTHA LIKE ME. Neha: I guess I need to read more… Getting hungry for more such philosophy. But then the more I contemplate, the more and certain it feels that this all life is an illusion…and then that ever disturbing questions creep in again- WHY are we here? What’s the purpose of such an existence that is not even real! And Ramki, how do you propose one can know one’s real spiritual nature? Himanshu: Good question…Neha.Any test to check one’s spiritual quotient? Neha: Hello Himanshu…I have always been troubled by such questions… And like a coward I blocked that side of me and focussed on the material things only… Now this group is like making my spiritual itch grow… I am getting troubled again!! Why do I want any answers? Why can’t things be simple? Why can’t I accept that sometimes there ARE no answers? Started reading Vivekananda lectures again… It gives me peace and that restlessness, both at the same time! I wonder if that is even possible! Prerna: There is no philosophy neha, just experiences, its just that if u have a quest in ur heart, u will be subjected to situations where u will have enriching and awakening experiences. What is understood from them is SR(self realization) and what causes it is Grace Neha: Prerna, I have those enriching and insightful experiences… It’s that time I focus on my writings. But that’s not enough for me…I want, rather need answers.

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Prerna: Just increase your hunger sweetie, u will be fed!! Ramki: Advaitha is knowing yourself as the eternal spirit soul separate from your material body, and BHAKTHI is going ONE STEP ABOVE and being a true associate of KRISHNA. Why you are here ?? Good question. The thing is that after creating a living entity the living entity needs training as we need traning at medical colleges to become doctors, this material world is the UNIVERSITY to train yourself and realize your true infinite associate nature of the LORD. but people are stuck at various levels in this university, some with only karma, some jnana, some ashtanga, some with MD/PHD/BTECH/MBA/IAS) and other activities(like terrorism,and other tamasic activities) and then they have to come again to this world and start over again. so the present state is for our purification or rather qualify ourselves to enter into the spiritual world. and the best way is to develop BHAKTHI or love for the LORD. Neha: But Ramki, total Bhakti can be developed only when u stop reason… Isn’t it. But then as Vivekananda said- “Our knowledge is within the network of Maya and beyond that is freedom.” Ramki: As swami Vivekananda said” the human mind is limited by what is known as the circle of reason, but the entire beauty of creation lies beyond this circle of reason.” so the concept of the self and the super self is beyond the mediocre minds and reason. You can transcend maaya. As lord Krishna says, “this divine maaya of MINE is difficult to cross, but one who takes to MY DEVOTION, I will help him cross this maaya OF MINE. Ramki: Lord Krishna says I might give the living entities anything he or she desires according to his her past karma but I bestow BHAKTHI to the really great living entities who have surpassed all the materialistic desires and DESIRE ONLY ME IN TOTALITY. Aachi: True Neha: Listening to all of you, I feel I have a lot to travel. Tell something Aachi and Ramki, are you free from Maya? Are you detached?

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Aachi: Aachi can never be free of Maya. He is in Maya and a part of It. He is a byproduct of false perception. Aachi ends then God remains. As long as there is even an iota of Aachi there will be desire and illusion. The subsidence of the individual” I” is the goal. What is realization? The disappearance of the one who seemingly seeks realization is realization. Neha: ok. Aachi: This is Saarangathi! The Supreme Path of Surrender Not me, but Thou Alone You have to lose your INDEEVEEDUALEEETTYYY!!!!!!!!!!!! Not a trace of Neha left Aachi: That is the goal.I will ask you simple question Neha. Neha: And that is the scariest part Aachi. Please ask. Aachi: There is a major part of the day where there is no Neha. When is That? Ramki: BHAKTHA’s are already liberated “brahma bhuyaya Kalpate”ie the bhakhta’s have already attained BRAHMAN, and the purpose of the bhakhta is to enculcate others with knowledge and devotion. Personally I see ONENESS everywhere. I treat some of my patients free of cost, including surgeries(ENT), I try to help everybody irrespective of caste, creed, religion, conduct free spiritual lectures for the communities that ask me, give a lot of charity, never give any unnecessary medications, investigations or any other trouble. Give them the most affordable and quality ENT care. Like I said I SEE GOD IN THE TEMPLE OF EVERY LIVING ENTITY.I even communicate with the birds and the trees and the Sun. Aachi: And it is not SCARY. Neha: When I am sleeping, I guess.

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Aachi: Yes, Deep Sleep. Ramki: NO,,LOSING INDIVIDUALITY AACHI Aachi: You are not scared of losing your individuality. Ramki: You and HE are separate. Aachi: Do u remember what happened when u were in deep sleep? Ramki: Losing individuality is merging in HIS RADIANCE WHICH IS NOT ENOUGH FOR A BHAKTHA. Aachi: Yes, a jnani wants to enjoy God That is a higher state. I know. Neha, answer me Aachi: Yes, Aachi. Aachi: Do u remember what happened when u were in deep sleep? Neha: I dream a lot… I guess that’s in deep sleep. Aachi: In deep dreamless sleep? Neha: No Aachi: There are 3 states of consciousness in man. Waking, Dreaming and Deep sleep: But when u wake up after a bout of dreamless sleep you say I slept happily. Neha: Yeah. Aachi: But there was no Neha in dreamless sleep. but still the knowledge of happiness is carried into waking state. Who is the One Who was happy? Neha: I can understand what u r trying to say. Aachi: Our Scriptures define Liberation as nothing but Awareness of the Peace of Deep Sleep in Waking state and dream state. It is called Waking Sleep Neha: That is something that requires practice Aachi: Maybe or maybe not. Neha: Or tuning yourself such

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Aachi: Depends. The Mind is a bundle of thoughts The thoughts are transcended in Sleep. To replicate that state during the hours of waking filling Oneself with Peace is Moksha Neha: This is easier to comprehend. Aachi: One who has tasted this state at the time of Death realizes that the world is nothing but a bundle of desires and doesn’t feel attracted to it. That one is hence not reborn due to loss of desire and he/she remains in that Deathless State beyond birth and death Ramki: SEEING GOD IN THE TEMPLE OF THE BODY OF EVERY LIVING ENTITY AT ALL STATES WHICH IS WHAT I AM EXPERIENCING. Aachi: See the same God in the temple of Your body, Ramki Then you will truly see Him EVERYWHERE For the Universe is Your Body. Prerna: I don’t think u should be separated from anything. We are tuned to be a part of everything, enjoy everything every moment realising that the Truth is within u. Ramki: Well said aachi. But then I am like Arjuna, I want to see the two handed, blue Hued KRISHNA and serve HIM eternally. We Are all condensation of the cosmic radiation 5 billion years ago when the sun came into existence prerna. St john’ gospel;” Ye children of light.” I WANT TO TRANSCEND THIS DUALITY AND SEE THE CREATOR LIKE ARJUNA OR AN UDDHAVA AND EXPERIECE THE ULTIMATE BLISS OF HIS eternal association and see this play of opposites also. Prerna: Exactly ramki, that’s what even Krishna’s life inspires us… Do we have the courage to live like him… He flirted with girls, he stole things from people’s houses, he had a steamy affair with a married woman…he totally transcended society’s rules and yet we worship him… its only because… His life is a message…that u needn’t be separated to be in spirituality…u have to be able to be 100% involved with life.to feel the Truth

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Aachi: Living Faith in the existence of God subsides the Mind effortlessly. Ramki: Prerna, please never compare yourself with LORD KRISHNA. The state of the gopis of vrindavana is of CONJUGAL LOVE(madhurya rasa in VEDAS) and for your information all the inhabitants of VRAJA BHUMI and mathura were eternally liberated souls who wanted to enjoy the madhurya rasa with lord Krishna.the GOPIS ARE EMBODIED UPANISHADS. never ever use the word ‘flirt’ which is for conditional souls like us. mother yesoda had vatsalya rasa. The others whose butter and curds lord KRISNA apparently stole (HE DOESNT need anything from us, we steal our energies from him and enjoy here) had sakhya rasa. never ever deride KRSNA because that itself is a sin.try to develop the madhurya rasa in you like the GOPIS which is what I am doing and enjoy transcendental bliss. Jai Sri Krishna Aachi: India is safe in your hands, Ramki. Ramki: Thanks, Mithin Neha: Ramki, please continue quoting the Gita shlokas as u do… That’s quite helpful. Vishu: True. Yes Ramki, please continue quoting the slokas from Gita and the explanation. Prerna: Sorry if I hurt you in any possible ways, it’s my interpretation of the whole thing, Krishna for me is definitely the epitome of love. Ramki: It’s ok prerna. one of my favourite slokas from the BG 18.65: “man mana bhavo, mad Bhakto mad tyaji mam namaskurum, mam evaisyasi satyam te, prati jane Priyo asi me” The Lord says, “always think of ME, be my devotee, offer your sacrifices to ME, give your obeisances to ME, then you (us we conditional souls) will DEFINITELY COME TO ME (the ABSOLUTE - out of this unstable quantum pool) Because this is the BEST PART…you will love it……… Getting close……………and closer………………Tantalisingly close…… Because you (we conditional souls) are MY DEAR FRIEND NO Better assurance for any one of us from any other literature in the world. only from LORD KRISHNA.

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Syam: Sharing my opinion on the questions raised by Neha today. Please read as just opinions. How to measure ones spiritual quotient? Possibly very difficult. Only Gurus of highest order who can look through a person’s present and past births can gauge the level. However, if you are repeatedly disturbed by the questions related to Gods and absolute, may be if it is an indication that through past karmas from previous births, you are at a good spiritual level. Remember all are spiritual beings doing our time as human beings. How can one know one’s spiritual nature ? If the question is whether your spiritual nature is Bhakti? Jyana or Kriya. I feel it is always better to try atleast 2–3. All paths are very complimentary. Jyana with Bhakti/ or Jyana with Kriya or all 3. As you progress, you will know what you are more comfortable. In certain cases, person switches to and fro after certain periods of time. Ultimately you will get what you are destined. Sometimes I wonder why should I not just live the life as it is ?. And not bother about spirituality? Some great philosopher once said “No body dies a virgin. Life fucks everybody.” Though the going is good now, almost all of us would face hurdles/ problems/ sorrow/despair at some point or the other. It only helps if you get some basic understanding of how karma and destiny works as it helps a great deal in such low times and help you sail through. This understanding will also keep a check on our egos when times are good. Neha: Syam,wonderful. Ramki: The nuclear scientist Erwin Schrodinger,” consciousness is a singularity of which the plurality is unknown.” The plurality of the visible world ultimately caused by our awareness interacting with the quantum soup, sort of hides the pristine nature of our awareness. The goal of all spiritual traditions is to unfold the pure awareness in US, separate from the quantum pool. Sampath: Sorry for stepping into your ‘Bhakti’ territory Ramki…but now u are stepping into my territory. Schrodinger is my territory. Keep off.

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@Syam…you would have been a self realized soul if not for the fact that you talk too much about Katrina, sexual energy and……… Aachi…I have too many spiritual hurdles. I need to borrow your Guru for a few days. For the rest…I’m amazed how you bear us all. Vishu: Syam, you are bringing lot of sexual energy to the group. May be your path is the tantric path. I watched an amazing program on DMT (psychedelic drug made from Ayahuasca, from Amazon forest). The participants share their experiences. It sounds very similar to samadhi state as described by paramahamsa yogananda in his book, autobiography of a yogi. We have been discussing bhakhi path, jnana path, porn etc, so I thought why not throw ‘drugs’ into this mixture? Sampath: @Vishu……Looks like the shortest and easiest path to nirvana. Vishu: Yeah Neha: Does this group ever sleep!! Vishu: Different time zones Neha. Neha: Yeah Vishu…but I was just trying to make it sound more spiritual. By the way, I was reading those lectures (Advaitha philosophy) of Vivekananda… It’s simply superb. And reading all your words here, I realize that I am not the Bhakti sorts… I don’t have that kind of Bhakti in me… And it is something like love… Either u have it or not… One cannot force a feeling like that. Bhakti can come when you let go of reason… And I am still not ready to let go of reason. I still need to explore I like what you write Ramki. and especially when you quote BG… I can understand (I guess) and even in awe of your Bhakti but I don’t think I am ready to have that kind of faith. This group has once again brought up my restlessness that had become dormant. And damn you and bless you all for that!

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I need to travel my own path. Aachi: Satsang externally happens with holy company. But satsang internally is with the Heart Centre. The latter is difficult for beginners and only refined souls can commune like that. Till then external satsang with holy souls is good - Sri Nannagaru Syam: @ Sampath, @ Vishu,…I am sure you guys are happy that I have brought out X energy Vishu: Yes. Aachi: Energy is energy. Men only give it names. Syam: To Seek ? Or to Surrender ? There was this beautiful small debate between Sampath and Aachi yesterday. Dumping my dumb opinion here. I am big fan & practitioner of Rajyoga myself. Sampath nicely said “the only tool you have to achieve on the path is you.” So you have to make effort to grow on the path. The only paths one has to make more effort are Jnana and kriya(Raj) yoga… Rajyoga is believed to erase certain karmas and clean a person’s aura to achieve higher on the path… If one is fortunate to have found a Guru of high order whom he can just surrender to (or) if one has been receiving the right energies in meditation to which he can just surrender to… (or) one like Ramki who has immense bhakti and Jnana to which he just surrenders……It can be the result of their efforts, intense seeking in previous lives… So, I believe what Sampath said is right. We must make an effort through Jnana and Rajyog first… SEEK UNTIL YOU COME TO A STAGE WHERE YOU CAN JUST SURRENDER Good words Neha “Bhakti comes when you let go your reason… “ Takes a lot of time/ reading/ contemplation and REASONING to let go of reasoning. Only when one is convinced that spirituality is beyond logic, only when one is convinced that we are just puppets playing our parts and the doer is someone else, only when one is convinced that the ups and lows are part of the play and that we must be nonchalant. Only then can our reasoning mind surrender… That too to an extent only. Complete surrender can probably happen only at an advanced stage.

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Neha: Absolutely Syam… Seek and seek until you come to a stage of Surrender. Aachi: Seek even now. But renounce the idea that it is you who are seeking. “God is making me do this to know about Him” This is a better path. Then you will be free from developing EGO OF SADHANA e.g I have chanted His Name a billion times but still I don’t realize Him…this is the Ego speaking “Thank you God for making me chant your Name a billion times”… this is Saaranagathi’ If you practice japa tapa for a billion lives ‘thinking’ you are doing it… God Realization is far away But if you chant His Name for even 1 second knowing that it is only He Who is making you do this…then next instant God realization is yours Even ONE SECOND OF PURE FREEDOM FROM DOERSHIP Grants you the rare state No one can question effort. It is only to be questioned if one feels one IS doing that effort. Such effort will only take you on an EGO VACATION You can only dissolve You cannot demand… Ramki: Hi guys. Coming back to the highest path of SR: Lord Krishna (BG: “2.52: “Yada te Moha kalilam, Buddhir vyathi tarisyathi, tada gantasi nirvedam, srotavyasya srutyasya ca” “when the mind has crossed the ocean of delusion, the you will start feeling indifferent to all that you are hearing and that you have heard.” So start training your mind to achieve the highest existence which is within you. To end all the limitations of the mortal in you. As The Lord says be equi poised when somebody praises you or downsizes you because they are being done in the realm of the opposites which is time bound and you want uncondiionality, the glorious existence of the spirit soul and then devote yourself to the supreme spirit soul.

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Ramki: By the way Sampath, schrodinger was a vedantist, an ardent fan of the revered Upanishad although he was a nuclear scientist. So schrodinger is very much everyone’s (thinking minds) property. Aayeena: In simple words when we stop using smileys we are self realised????? Sampath: Aaeeyna…no one can stop me from hugging u when we meet next!!!! U r funny!!! Aachi: Haha! obviously Neha: What a group, my God! Sampath: All of you are such darlings. You gave me something very very special. Forever indebted!!!! Aachi: If you can smile or cry without deriving pleasure or feeling sad you will be. Neha: That’s being stoic… Reminds me of Brutus Ramki: Although a great follower of the BHAKTHI tradition, these words from the ANTARYAMI BRAHMA of the BRIHADARANYAKA Upanishad dealing with advaitha enthralls me a lot, read, contemplate and enjoy these sacred verses from the BRIHADARANYAKA Upanishad; “yah prithivyam tisthan prithivya antarah, yam prithivi na Veda, yasya prithivi sariram,yah prithivimantaro yamatati, Esa ta atma antaryamyaamrtah”- “HE who inhabits the earth but is within it, whom the earth does not know, whose body is the earth and who controls the earth from within, is the internal ruler, your own immortal self.” And the controller is none other than lord Narayan. Neha: Time travel… Just imagine if that was possible…what kind of psychological impact will that have? Is our brain evolved or ready enough for this time travel (both in past and future) How our memory cells will get affected by these kinds of journeys? Is that what parallel universes are all about? I want to meet the people who wrote Upanishads and Vedas… They were so evolved… Want to see the world as it must have been and then travel back to this time!

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Syam: Crazy question. crazy idea. Neha: I want to transcend the limitations of my brain and experience all this May be Syam… Syam: if the question is whether we can go back in time and see our previous lives and future lives. then may be YES. there are people who are experts in past life regressions. there is one popular guy in Hyderabad. I have read books of life regression. American author, Brian Weiss. Awesome stuff Neha: No, I am not talking about past life regression. I am talking about complete civilizations!! Going back a hundred or thousand years… Starting the journey again. I really wonder if anyone of you feels this kind of crazy desperation! Syam: I - never so far. Aayena: I also am interested neha…In time travel. Ramki: Neha, actually all the while we are caught up in this four dimensional space time continuum. The multidimensional superstring theory states about 26 other possible dimensions surrounding us and if we can sort off sneak through any of these dimensions, then you are in for the taking. in any case you would have to travel at the speed of light which will (If you could?????) increase your material body mass so massively that it will eventually expand and disintegrate. So with this material body it’s probably a no-no. But if you follow the upanishadic dictum of realising your true SELF(“aupanishadam PURUSHAM “) then you become the back ground material (UNLIMITED AWARENESS) for the entire creation by which you will be BECOME beyond space time and causality and you will become the SELF OF THE GREAT RISHIS themselves.It’ s a matter of disengaging your conditiioned (apparently) awareness from this quantum pool and enjoying the UNTAINTED AWARENESS. Aachi: Neha, u seriously need to read my forthcoming book!! Aayeena: Back journey. Aachi: it will be called……… The WOMB OF BRAHMA Neha will release cover.

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Aachi: Sri Nisargadatta was by the bedside of Maurice Frydman as Maurice was dying. A friend asked “Swami where is Maurice going? What is happening to him?” Sri Nisargadatta replied “Nothing is happening. No one is dying, for no one was born.” Neha: Absolutely Ramki! Someday may be…It’s all about mind travel!! Aachi: Is this anything different from mind travel? You thinking you are in a city called Noida Neha: No Aachi… My mind takes me to places and experiences I can only dream of. Why don’t u write a screenplay also for your book? Aachi: It’s in my scheme of things. Neha: Ramki, tell me… Do u have all the answers to your questions? Or you don’t have any questions now? Or have you accepted that some questions are best left unanswered? Aachi: Ramkiiiiii… We r waiting… Syam: Ramki. You are surprisingly us every day with your high levels of vedic knowledge Aachi: Give up everything to Him, resign yourself to Him and there will be no trouble for you. Then you will come to know that everything is done by His will. - Sri Ramakrishna Ramki: NEHA,…AACHI,…SYAM…One of the slokas from one of my favorite Upanishads, the Taittriya upanishad, as I said, read contemplate and enjoy the intellect of the glorious RISHIS of the Upanishads, “YATO VA IMANI BHUTANI JAYANTE, YENA JATANI JEEVANTI, YAT PRAYANTHI ABHISHAMVISANTI THI, TAT VIJANASATVA, TAT BRAHMETI” “Meditate on that non dual reality (BRAHMAN/ABSOLUTE/ AWARENESS)through which all the beings come into existence, remain

• 226 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra and grow in their existence and ultimately merge, know that you are that GREAT reality as the eternal witness, the eternal subject, that is the HIGHEST REVELATION(beyond birth, death,space time).” As Robert browning says,” a man’s grasp should be beyond his reach otherwise what’s heaven for???.” Neha,as to whether all my questions have been answered, Well !! I know why I am here and what is my destiny, worked and working real hard as to decipher the information in the scriptures especially the Upanishads and having found my real ancestor the great JAMADAGNI(one of the sapta rishis of the Upanishads) through the lineage of ADI SANKARA, a mendicant’s life is what I should have followed, but as a householder I have to continue with the present state of affairs but I am sure of my BEING,being an associate of the ABSOLUTE BRAHMAN after my earthly sojourn here. love, compassion, oneness in vision with the entire creation, worshipping everywhere the ABSOLUTE IN EVERYTHING, the glorious nondual reality in the realm of the opposites,.some of the things we should all develop and realize… the UNLIMITED AWARENESS attained by the RISHIS OF THE UPANISHADS. Then surrender to the most favorite form (Spiritual, beyond space time and causality)of the ABSOLUTE AWARENESS(LORD KRISHNA). Neha: Omg(oh my god)! Aachi!!Ramki, give me a few minutes to understand what you have written. My brain takes time to assimilate your words. Aayeena: Ramki, when did you get the time to read all this? Aachi: With one of my patients after she underwent successful bilateral knee replacement under me. ‘I thought you will not come on Christmas’ she said ‘I see Jesus in you. I need not go to the church. I see Him in my patients’ I said proudly as I decided to upload my spiritual status on FB(facebook) She raised her eyebrows and said ‘Is it? Where is Jesus truly?’ ‘In the Heart’ I replied puffing up more at my knowledge. She smiled ‘Do you realize that?’ I opened my mouth but no word suddenly could come out of my lips.

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She smiled and said ‘Is spirituality something to be exhibited? To be posted on FB and liked? Or commented? If you truly see Jesus in your Heart will you ever want to leave His Feet and come and enjoy this world? Why does your mind revel in the enjoyments of the world if it has found the True Goal of Life? Isn’t all this the play of the 5 senses? How trifle is worldly pleasure compared to the Peace near His Feet? A man who has found the Diamond will not revel in glass beads. Will not shout in FB. But will remain Silent.’ I looked at her stunned. She smiled and said ‘Jesus never left you. Do not leave Him.’ Awesome Christmas to all of you. Ramki: Advanced merry Christmas to all my dear friends.as the great Sufi mystic Jallaludin Rumi said,” inside every human being there is a Christ hidden, to be helped or hindered, to be loved and to be hurt, if you remove the veil from every human soul, you will find there a Christ hidden there without fail.” Read the holy bible guys and reach out for the luminary of the NAZARENE. Aayeena: Good reading today…am happy Neha: What r u reading Aaeeyna? Aayeena:” Eat pray and love”…started long back…got stuck In a ashram in India…found it heavy…today breezed through it. After the discussions here it was cakewalk. Pallavi: Namo ramana… Ramana jayanti today! Aayeena: Where and how did u celebrate it, Pallavi? Aachi: Ramana Kendram, Delhi. Bhagawan Sri Ramana Maharshi birthday celebrations Pallavi: Thanx aachi.u saved me the words Ramki: “For a parallel to the lesson of atomic theory, we must turn to those kinds of epistemological problems with which thinkers like the BUDDHA and Lao Tzu have been confronted, when trying to harmonize our position as spectators and actors in the great drama of existence.”- NEIL’s BOHR.

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Unlock your hidden potential to decipher the universal field of unlimited possibilities–Ramki. Pallavi: What is the best source for reading vivekchudamani? Ramki: VIVEKACHUDAMANI, one of the greatest treatises from the master himself SRI ADI SANKARA, a great literature that will take you off to a great level, my favorite verse is when the master describes(actually beyond all descriptions) the state of the realized being (state of “satori” in ZEN BUDDHISM, again a unique blend of Hinduism, Taoism and Confucianism), Where the master says, “kva gatam, kena va nitam, kutra linamitam jagat, adhunaiva maya drishtam, nasti Kim mahaadbutam”- The realized soul says,” where is this universe(material), where did it disappear, I just saw (with my material eyes a few moments) but it has dissolved in ME (attained the state of samadhi/ satori) and what a big wonder !!!.” Read VIVEKACHUDAMANI by swami ranganathananda. a great one… Syam: Now that Ramki summarized vivekchudamani for you, you don’t have to read it. Pallavi: thanx. Pallavi: The truth catches up with me, I am not enough never have been never will be. what relief to admit this finite container can never contain infinity what joy to find infinity needs no container… Nirmala.(Advaitha teacher) Pallavi: Every taste every sensation

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every possible pleasure is already present in the timeless awareness that is beating my heart what use in chasing dreams that have already come true ? Nirmala Ramki: Good ones, Pallavi, Lord Krishna in the BG(10.38) -” among all the secrets, I am the golden silence.” Aayeena: What time is it in Bali? Are you back? Neha: Nope Aaeeyna… On the way back. Ramki: The HOLY QURAN: (3.185) “the life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception.” Concept of maya, unstable events in the quantum field being reiterated. Aayeena: After listening reading and going through all the messages, somehow I have started believing that what sampath is saying is true… there is a scientific basis for everything……the books were written and speak the truth but we still haven’t understood fully…and if god exists. Why hasn’t he done any amendments to the original scriptures…i don’t like to post my thoughts here…u all are well read and see into meditation and I’m not and not sure if I ever will take this path. Aachi: Sampy has potential in him to start a new creed of followers and a semi religion. Maybe it is his destiny. Aayeena: All of you actually. Aachi: My destiny is to dissolve… All traces of this BMI (Body Mass Index) called Mithin is to be removed or lost. Then like the Sun freed from the cloud (Mithin) will shine as always. Aachi: We assume we are true…real beings… Hence our confusions because they are confounded by the basic surmise of untruth that we are true.

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God Alone is True. Ramki: God need not prove anything to us. aayeena. As LAO TZU says,” one who knows (TAO) does not speak, and the one who speaks does not know.” You have to think and develop the mindset yourself.scientific speculation will go on for ages or eons without reaching anywhere because the ABSOLUTE is just beyond sensory confirmation. You are free to choose whatever path you mind feels comfortable but I feel knowledge and devotion is the key. just plain knowledge in the opinion of Sampath is just not enough. even NEILS Bohr talked about the non local association in particle physics as to that there is NO SUCH THING as a fundamental particle, at the nuclear level all are just events in space time, that’s also what the Buddhist scholar ashvagosha said that the entire cosmos is in a state of flux and all the things we perceive are mental concoctions without any actual fundamental existence. its also called the Bootstrap Hadron theory in particle physics. So such being the case unless you are a LAO TZU OR AN ASHVAGOSHA OR AN ADI SANKARA, just knowledge or scientific basis is not going to get you to the realm of the ABSOLUTE. So the most practical way for us HOUSEHOLDERS will be a combination of BHAKTHI and JNANA,If you really want to experience the INFINITE, more predominance being given to BHAKTHI. Pallavi: Aayeena… love is the journey and destination both…so while u travel deeper…the myth of arriving is shattered… Be love! Ramki: Any devotion means a sort of submission which most of our inflated EGOS Don’t want to accept. why should I pray??why should I submit??.these kind of thoughts will not get anyone anywhere.at the time when a person in his/her death bed,he or she believe me even an atheist is going to cry Loudly. O LORD please save me, please help me,forgive me for my sins,even though my mind was not willing to submit at your lotus feet during my boisterous youth hood,I still “thought “about YOU at times so please forgive me and take me with YOU…and so forth…what I am saying is if you need GOD’s help to breathe, HIS SUNLIGHT, HIS POWER to digest the food and to procreate then you definitely need HIS help to attain HIM.

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Pallavi: Ramki…Lao tzu’s…Tao te ching is a marvellous collection of appearing paradoxes and yet they r depictions of the truth in a mindful way… Devotion is a sure way… The closer one is to the truth…the speech slurs coz one understands the futility of this over emphasized tool… and that silence is the sanctum sartorum of the beloved god where we find him and ourselves in a wordless communion…the intimacy of devotion is one like no other… none of our other relationships can match this. Ramki: Pallavi, you said it. Well said!!!! I love the teachings of the TAO. everything is an emanation from the TAO.the TZU says the the opposites (which we see in this world) are complementary.a great statement,actually the TAO is the eastern philosophy that has influenced many of the particle physicists. it’ s just meditation and raising your consciousness above the mind sensory perception with utmost devotion to the TAO and finally unite with the TAO. in this context the TZU says you need to have an intuitive, serene, philosophical thinking (the YIN) (vis a vis devotion) and also the the rational,scientific thinking (the YANG), the YIN - YANG CONCEPT of TAI CHI TI. Pallavi: Faith is an oasis in the heart which will never be reached with the caravan of thinking…Kahlil Gibran Neha: “As u travel deeper…the myth of arriving is shattered.” I like your words Pallavi. Pallavi: Guru kripa! Neha: Just explored a bit of Hinduism practiced in Bali… It’s so similar and yet so different from ours Pallavi: Tell us more neha… Neha: Balinese Hinduism is stuck amidst rituals… And most of the rituals are to be done by women. Traditional Balinese woman spends almost 75% of her time in rituals They have a very ritualistic “offering” system like we have “Prasadaam.” Even a cigarette goes into the offering basket! Every Balinese house is supposed to have one temple inside the house, one temple outside the house, one family temple in the complex they stay

• 232 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra and one community temple in the society they stay in! They have a very strong joint family system. So basically lots of temples and lots of rituals and a very strong tendency to preserve their Hinduism. Every Balinese Hindu is proud of being a HinduThe shopkeepers even reduced the price (too much of bargaining) on accord of we being Hindus!! They used to be very happy when they came to know that we too are Hindus… Somehow the boundary of our nationalities got blurred. Their reaction was like - you too a Hindu! Great! We worship the same gods! Aachi: Glad to know about their culture. Pallavi: Super 2016. AUM. Prerna: Happy new year guys Pallavi: The transparent reception… I have been gross a little too long, My density, the biggest obstacle. This time and present day Is the perfect ambience To process the thinning and let the grossness fade. The paraphernalia of meditation Offer me an avenue to dissolve And transmutate into nothingness. I must take up this sacredness And plant it in the gardens of surrender Until the gross has subtled Into more transparent reception. @p.k Pallavi: Q: what is renunciation? Ramana: giving up the ego.

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Q: is it not giving up the possessions? Ramana: the posessor too. Pallavi: Q- is meditation analytical or synthetical? Ramana- analysis and synthesis are in the region of the intellect. The self transcends the intellect. Pallavi: Being love. The legacy of pain A rightful heirship of love. The heart must break a million times Until it has creaked open a pin hole. Through this miniature orifice, The scented breeze of love enters Ventilating the ancient dark corners Until one has stopped begging for love Or even giving it away. The heart remains only a restful seat Where love is the art of “being it.” @p.k Ramki: Great words from all. Had been to UBUD two years back. Only hindu island in Indonesia.anyway speaking quatumically ALL are the manifestations of one independent reality. Prerna: Wishing u a very happy birthday Sampath!! God bless!! Neha: Sampath, stay spiritual, stay scientific, be happy and keep inspiring others as you always do. Hope you have an enlightening 2016. Once again, enjoy your birthday. Sampath: Thanks everyone for your overwhelming love. You guys put me back on the spiritual path for which I can’t thank you enough. After the intense discussions a few weeks back i was inspired to get back on a long neglected path. As Neha wished, I want this year to be the stepping stone for Enlightenment. Everything else seems secondary. Special thanks to Aachi, Ramki and the person who created this group, Pallavi.

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Pallavi: Satsangatve nir sangatvam, nir sangatve nir mohtavam, Nirmohatve nischaltatvam, nischaltatve jeevan muktih… Bhaj govindam, bhaj govindam, Govindam bhaj moodh ma the… Pallavi: Be love…sampath! Sampath: Listening to those words from Adi are like going through a ice water bath! Ramki: Happy birthday Sampath. Pallavi: These words r the foundation stone of this group… Sampath: Thanks Ramki. My Guru. Syam: Happy birthday Sampath. Sampath: Thanks Syam. Wish you a Bhakthi filled New Year! Neha: “Train yourself to let go off everything you fear to lose.” loved those words. I hope I can implement them in life. Aachi: U only loose what you cling to. Nishant: Happy birthday Sampath! Let’s hope the new year brings us closer to achieving our aspirations! Sampath: Thanks Nishant. Yes, we have started the journey together. We must reach together too. Himanshu: Happy birthday dear friend, Sampath.… I seem to have rediscovered you in a different Avatar after MBBS… GOD BLESS YOU! Sampath: Thanks Himanshu. We all have many avatars hidden inside us. The game of life is to discover our hidden but inherent inner strengths and donning the hat that suits us most. Ramki: Great Egyptian legend…Pallavi, find the joy within yourself and spread it to around all of us. The Mahanarayana Upanishad says, “ANTAR BAHISCHA TAT SARVAM VYAPYA NARAYANA STHITHAH”- “the cosmic energy (LORD NARAYANA- both quantum and the beyond-quantum states)is spread within the entire spiritual and material worlds both within and throughout.”

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Aachi: If you can feel It, see It, hear It, sense It…It is not Brahman. It is your mind playing tricks Ramki: As mentioned earlier, “one who knows does not speak,and the one who speaks does not know”… …the reality is beyond any intellectual exercise. Pallavi: Then what about love…is it a truth or a myth? Aachi: U already know the answer… Pallavi: This answer brought me the greatest vairaagya… Its so palpable…I can all most taste it. Aachi: Actually we are all wasting precious time. Even though intellectually we understand, our attachments and desires prevent us. Aachi: As Sri Ramakrishna says… NONE OF US TRULY BELIEVES IN GOD. Aachi: If a thief knows that behind a door is a gold treasure he will be restless to break the door and get it. He will not while away time in Satsangam or any such Mad Restlessness. None has it! Japa Tapa Keval Bhakthi Saadhan Vyakultha se Eeshwar Darshan (Sri Ramakrishna) We are only indulging in these activities to give fodder to our EGO. They have nothing to do with God Seeking. Pallavi: True Aachi: Sri Nannagaru calls it Kirti Kanksha (Our innate desire for appreciation and recognition) Pallavi: Yes Aachi: I love this quantum physics parallel universe mumbo jumbo It means there is a Universe out there where Kriti Sanon is my GF. But you know the beauty? No matter which Universe Ram will always have Sita and Sita will always love Ram!

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Pallavi: If you seek God with all your heart, then you may be assured that the grace of God is also seeking you… Ramana maharishi. Pallavi: Vishu and prerna…I’m a part of the shivanga saadhna by sadhguru. Prerna: Wow Pallavi, how z it going? Pallavi: Shivanga means…limb of shiva.…initially it was a 42 day programme for men…it is now open for women…21 day vratam… we have to eat twice a day and worship linga bhairavi…the divine feminine form created by sadhguru Aayeena: Suicide is it correct…??? according to your spiritual… Aachi: Yes suicide is permissible if the soul has realized its essence. If one knows that he\she isn’t body then it hardly matters if the body remains or falls. Aachi: Sri Ramakrishna says that the impression is required as long as the Idol is not cast. After the Idol is cast the impression can remain or be discarded Aachi: Wow, Pallavi Pallavi: From last night till today afternoon…I have been watching my hunger, Surviving on 5 odd pair of clothes, And bathing twice…Getting up early to do the kriyas and the prayers Aachi: OMG(oh my god)! Pallavi: Abstinence is a phenomenon that deepens humility…for sure Last night had a dissolving experience…with open eyes…I knew myself as absent from my regular identifications of myself… Prerna: U r right there. Vishu: Amazing Pallavi. Well done. Pallavi: Guru kripa. Pallavi:” No Intensity, No Transformation!” –Sadhguru Aachi: Thou Alone is That which exists.

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Pallavi: I’m celibate till 24 th Jan. Aayeena: Jaan…kyun…kaunsa bhagwaan celibate hai……pardon my saying so but all your nothingness dissolving experiences are very similar to an orgasm……so god, guru Gita have already shown the way……i haven’t read the Vedas but what I remember from school is that celibacy and sanyaas after 75………but if its fasting before feasting please go ahead… Pallavi: Fasting before feasting and transcending after feasting. Ya. nothingness is even more orgasmic than bodily orgasm. Desire ought be celebrated and then dropped. Not shunned… However…practicing abstinence loosens the control of desire on our minds…it is a reminder of our empowerment to transcend them… Aachi: Sri Ramakrishna said that difference between orgasm and spiritual ecstasy is that each pore in the human body acts as a spiritual ‘love part’ with which the devotee communes with the Divine Pallavi: Wow. An orgasm is a tiny peep into going beyond the physical dimension of our existence… it’s a reminder of our vastness and helps to break the myth that we are contained in a body…it’s like an inspiration to nirvana where the experience is more in continuum…and established… However the participant is who needs to be watched…not the act… Pallavi: In the physical realm…an orgasm is the closest one can get to feeling expansive… In the spiritual zones…these are amplified and attuned as devotional communion…where dissolving in the divine is the merger that the soul is most hungry for… Once having tasted that… every other experience loses its charm… Pallavi: Basically…the soul aches for a dissolving…a sweet surrender where every identity is dissolved and one is freed from the obligations of doing…being in the sahej, spontaneous and innocence of one’s being… accepted and loved unconditionally…in the material realm…a lover is the perfect fit for this scenario…but soon one realizes that it is not perennial and unconditional…and thus the quest continues on until the divine replaces the beloved…

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In this partnership…the soul finds its true resting abode and can recluse in the safe zones of unconditional and perennial love… Here there is never condemnation, judgement or denial… Pallavi: https: //youtu.be/piZLdLrRw2I https: //youtu.be/FDyIeHPxdUg Pallavi: Ramana says: “The highest siddhi is realization of the Self, for once you realize the truth you cease to be drawn to the path of ignorance.” Pallavi: My mom is in icu in coma and kidney shutdown.requesting for prayers…love… Aachi: My prayers Vishu: Sorry to hear this Pallavi. My prayers for her quick recovery. Prerna: Our sincere prayers are with you.… Sampath: Sincere prayers for your mom, Pallavi. Pallavi: Thanx. Nishant: Wishing your mom a quick comeback to a healthy 2016!… Pallavi. Pallavi: Thanx. Neha: Pallavi, my prayers for you dear. Stay strong. Pallavi: Love…neha. Syam: Wishing your mom a quick recovery. Sincere prayers. Pallavi: Thanx. Aayeena: Lots of love for you Pallavi…i can see her smiling. Pallavi: Me 2 aayeena! Pallavi: The onus on us…Is only love. I value all of u a lot…and I’m grateful for your love and support. Ramki: Sincere prayers for your mom Pallavi. Pallavi: Thanks ramki. Ramki: Pallavi, please keep chanting “Triyambakam yajamahe sugandhim pushtivardhanam, urvarukamiva bandhanan mrityorrmukshiyamamarutat.” om Namah sivayah. Pallavi: Yes…the mahamritunjaya…

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It had saved my life…once upon a time… But Shiva is also for the demolishing…so that the new can ripe fresh. What’s the use of clinging to a suffering body and a non functional mind… My mom has suffered breast cancer twice; 10 surgeries; and cirrhotic liver disease past 8 years.6 months back…she developed delirium and dementia.she is on antipsycotics and bed ridden since then… now her liver is failing on her.she coped well until now but when I see her…I don’t know what to pray for her…life or death. So…I only surrender to divine will…and send her loads of love and light to illuminate her next path. Aum! I have been preparing myself well for her exit. that will be my spiritual testing. We can talk all about scriptures and goodness and modalities and much more stuff…but real life and it’s sufferings test one” s spiritual metal… It’s d most difficult thing to love your own kith and kin. coz we have karmic records with them…and so attachment… The illusion of relationships is the toughest to crack. Neha: Pallavi, it needs a very evolved and pure soul to understand all this pain and intensity of emotions you have been through. And to come out of it more evolved, healed and spiritually inspiring for others. May God be with you always. Pallavi: God always has been. With each one of us… May we see the grace. Himanshu: God bless you with courage n wisdom.…All the best. Pallavi: Ramana says: “Mukti (Liberation) is not to be gained in the future. It is there forever, here and now.” Karthik: Hi Pallavi…May God bless your mom with peace and comfort Ramki: Always prayers for your mom Pallavi. BG: 2.12: O ARJUNA there was never a time when you and I and the entire creation were non-existent. We souls are there in the past,present and the future, imperishable, this is the foremost of truths that I declare.”

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Your mother will always live in your heart and so do in all our hearts because we all are ONE(TAT TVAM ASI- Chandogya Upanishad). Even quantumically we are the ever present FIELD OF BRAHMAN, eternal, unborn and all the names and forms are just condensations in the field where the particle vibration is intense but temporary. so we are that infinite ocean of consciousness. Om tat sat. Aayeena: But we still feel sad when we lose someone…… Ramki: True but we can all share her feelings. After all as swami Vivekananda says “thoughts travel far”… Aachi: When my mom was in renal shutdown and all diabetic complications last year exactly this day, I called Sri Nannagaru Usually He tells Everything will be alright and she makes healthy recovery. But this time the Saint said frankly ‘Mithin perform your last duties for that soul’. She passed away 4 days later. He called and told me ‘Mithin your Mother is lucky. She didn’t suffer bodily infirmity for long’ Pallavi: Aayeena…all this is illusion… There is no one or nothing to ĺoose or gain. Yes ramki… we all can share…debate…and learn on this platform. Pallavi: My mom is also not in pain…she is totally peaceful. Vishu: Pallavi, the way you are dealing with your mother’s condition is inspirational. Peace and love Pallavi: Love and light…vishu. Prerna: Howz ur mom Pallavi? Pallavi: Met mom.her body is really in shambles…felt sad for a few minutes seeing this impending death like state and also the futility of this entire human body…it has inspired me to work harder with my spiritual work… Pallavi: The 3 boons of nachiketa from yama…the god of death and yama’ s final boon in which the mystery of death is decoded… Amazing katho upanishad! Pallavi: Ramana says: “The wrong knowledge of `I am the body’ is the cause of all the mischief. This wrong knowledge must go. That is

• 241 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution realization. Realization is not acquisition of anything new nor is it a new faculty. It is only removal of all camouflage.” Aachi: My post on the girl doctors saving the lives of accident victims roadside smashes past 75 lakh views on FB with BBC also covering it. Spiritually speaking God gave those girls fame because they worked without expectations. This is the teaching of Bhagavad Gita Even though I too was there in the scene I didn’t let my name come out. Aachi: Who made this possible???? God’s Will Alone. Pallavi: Aachi.this is so incredible Neha: Absolutely. Total involvement in any work you do is necessary. Also the feeling to work without expectation of results will give total work satisfaction. Pallavi: In aachi’s case…it is pure grace. Neha: I have myself felt the difference when I am totally immersed in a project without any expectations of set results. The joy of working is the fruit in itself. But I am unable to sustain this always. Thus such reminders are very important. Pallavi: Ya.that’s the value of sathsang… Pallavi: There are numerous photos of Bhagavan. Have you ever seen one with his eyes closed ? Bhagavan was pouring out his grace through his eyes. There would be any number of devotees sitting before him and each one would feel that Bhagavan was looking only at him or her. Bhagavan’s dristhi (sight) was concentrated on space only. It was turned inward and everyone felt inwardly, in their hearts, that his sight was focused on them alone. Bhagavan cares about everyone, and his look pierces through each one’s heart, dispels our darkness, gives us peace, even some liberation. As I Saw Him - by Kunju Swami. Pallavi: Guru does not bring about realization. He merely removes the obstacles to it, for the self is always realized. Talk 282.talks with ramana maharishi.

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Ramki: ADI SANKARA (VIVEKACHUDAMANI) “Buddhau guhayam sadasavilakshanam, BRAHMASTI Satyam paramat dvitiyam, tadatmano yotra vaset guhayam, tasya purnana anga guha praveshah” “Discern the blissful self in the caverns of your heart, realise the non duality of the entire creation, that Is the secret of the existence whence the freed soul (beyond the quantum field) need not enter the next womb anymore.” Pallavi: Mom has deteriorated further…her blood counts are rising and she is on support. Sampath: Wish your mom the best Pallavi. Pallavi: Ramana says: “To each person that way is the best which appears easiest or appeals most. All the ways are equally good, as they lead to the same goal, which is the merging of the ego in the Self.” Ramki: Prayers for your mom,Pallavi. actually whatever I read in this forum about self realization from great thinkers like Maharishi Ramana, and sadhguru and all other respected teachers are basically adaptations from the different verses of the SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA. the great personalities have mastered the gito Upanishad and have simplified the things and are presenting the information to us in a more comprehensible manner. that’s great,it’s all GITA,GITA.the song of the supreme. buts guys,don’t you really want to something more than just dissolving yourself in the SELF. Definitely dissolving means you are entering into a High entropy state but we generally prefer a low entropy situation in this high entropy cauldron. anyway as the saying goes “each has his or her own path.” 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Aachi: My Guru says Our God is Krishna and our Guide The Gita. Ramki: Well said Mithin. The brahma samhita says “Isvara parama krishnayah,sacchidanda vigraha, anadir adir govindayah sarva karana karanam” “the supreme absolute truth is lord Krishna,having the form of existence knowledge and bliss ABSOLUTE, beginning less, the premieval ONE GOVINDA,the CAUSE OF ALL CAUSES(the uncaused).” Take care Pallavi. Pallavi: Why should I When HE does? Aachi: U r modern Sankara………Travelling the Earth Vishu: Happy birthday Mithin. Have a great day. Aachi: Happy birthday aachi! Prerna: Wishing u a very happy birthday Aachi!! Aachi: Thank you to all my friends who have wished me and will wish me on my birthday. Love to all. As many of u know, I lost my mother 1 year back, 2 days to this day. The thought uppermost in my mind is Bhagawan’s teaching ‘The Body itself is a disease.’ It is so cumbersome to wash it dress it apply powder and take care of the body and it’s ills. I am at peace to realize that my mother need not do that anymore. Identification with body is the greatest sorrow. To realize that you are the Formless Absolute Alone is bliss. Pallavi: May ur mom know liberation. UR BIRTHDAY REALIZATION IS THE TRUTH.THE BODY TRULY IS A DISEASE. MAY U REMAIN AS THE SELF…ETERNALLY. AUM! Sampath: Happy birthday to Aachi. Syam: Happy Birthday Mithin Aachi Pallavi: I AM…

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The cloud Is now just above my head Ready to shed it’s dense load. I watch it above me And the ground beneath The wait of death hangs morbidly

And all I do is simply stare At this seemingly decisive point I must learn the final lessons Of letting go and a detached compassion I must merely revel in the sacredness of life And dutifully remind myself of the real goal. And with all that done in a subtle completion, The heart is a merry bird. That is in love with the open skies. Where there is no fear of loss, death or departure. In the womb of this pious gaiety

I AM!!

@p.k Pallavi: With peace and love in our hearts… I let you know that my mother, Mrs. adarsh kwatra has left us today to be in the divine light. AUM! Neha: Sad to hear this. My heartfelt condolences to you Pallavi. Aachi: Tc Pallavi. Syam: Sorry to hear Pallavi. Take care. Vishu: Sorry to hear Pallavi. Look after yourself. Nishant: Sure she’s in a better place now… take care Pallavi.

Aachi: रामकृ पातᴂपारबतिसपनेहुँतवमनमाहिं। सोकमोहसंदेहभ्रमममबिचारकछु नाहिं।। By the blessing of Rama, O Parvati, not even in dream can grief, infatuation, doubt or error enter your mind, so far as I can judge.

• 245 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Sampath: https: //youtu.be/HUXLqF7iL1E Aachi: “Now that you are with your mother, what’s the need of so much Japa and meditation? I,indeed, am doing everything for you. Now eat and live merrily, free from all care.” Shree Maa… Om Namo Bhagavate Ramakrishnaya!!! Aachi: A true Sadguru never craves for fame. How can one be called Sadguru if they crave for fame? Guru Dattatreya always surrounded himself with dogs and enacted as if he was drinking wine. He did thus only to avoid being approached by any unwarranted people. Everyone who wanted to become his disciple would run away on looking at His external features. Parashurama was told by his parents to accept Guru Dattatreya as his Guru. Even Parashurama would have fled on looking at Dattatreya but as he was well trained not to get deceived by the external features of Guru Dattatreya, he clinged to Guru Dattatreya and became his disciple. Pallavi: “If you want perfection in your spiritual journey you must honor your incarnation and become totally free of it” The goal is not to realize God and forget humanity, but to fully embrace both by coming to the understanding that form and formlessness are two different faces of God -(1976) Ram dass Aayeena: How are you pallavi? Pallavi: Blessed and loved… Like never before. Aachi: Seeing everything as Krishna is the highest state isn’t it ? asked a sadhu to Bhagawan. Bhagawan said ‘If Krishna is everywhere even the one who sees is Krishna. Knowing yourself as Krishna is the highest state’ Aachi: Everything is Buddha without exception. The girl I love is Buddha. The best friend is Buddha. The person I despise is Buddha. Everything is Buddha. The only thing lacking is the realisation of the same.

• 246 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Aachi: As I stood in front of Lord Venkateshwara I could feel a subtle vibration and felt His words in my heart. He said ‘I am the Supreme Being, the Darling of the Cosmos. In Me alone are all deities. I am Murugun, I am Shiva and Maha Vishnu. I am the Supreme Buddha and the Divine Goddess. I appear to You in the form of God you like. To attain Me bhakthas chant Japa Crores of times, rishis meditate in deep Himalayan caves for ages and yogis practice pranayama. I am unattainable by the most cleverest of human schemes but readily oblige those who come in Pure Love.’ Then He paused and said ‘I am Arunachala. I am Kali. Arunachala, Amman and Venkatchala are One and same.’ Aachi: ‘Whosoever hears about Me, Whosoever thinks about Me, Whosoever sees Me Attains Everything.’ said Lord Venkateshwara smiling at me. He continued ‘You need not come to Tirumala often. Seek Me in your Guru. For I am Him and He is Me. I alone am the Supreme Guru. Out of my Infinite Mercy I have come in your life as Him.’ Pallavi: Om guru! Weaves of Grace http: //isha.sadhguru.org/blog/sadhguru/spot/weaves- of-grace/ Pallavi: Ramana says: “The final obstacle in meditation is ecstasy; you feel great bliss and happiness and want to stay in that ecstasy. Do not yield to it but pass on to the next stage which is great calm. The calm is higher than ecstasy and it merges into samadhi.” Pallavi: If we have real mauna (spiritual Silence), that state in which the mind is merged into its source and has no more separate existence, then all other kinds of mauna will come of their own accord, i.e., the mauna of words, of action and of the mind or chitta (energy field of memories and latent impressions). Such mauna is not inertness but great activity. It is the most powerful speech. Quotable Quotes from ‘Day by Day with Bhagavan’ Aayeena: Why not let the illusion remain an illusion I mean…zaroorat kya hai samjhne ki

• 247 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Why cant life be like tom and jerry? Himanshu: एकबारभगवानबुद्धकोएकउपासकनेपुछा मतृ ्यएवम्मोकᴂक्यअंतरहै ?? सुंदरजबाब–––-!!! “साँसेपूरीहोजायऔरतमन्नयबᴂ ाक़ीरहे…… वहमतृ ्यहै। साँसबᴂ ाक़ीरहᴂऔरतमन्नयपᴂ ुरीहोजाय…… वहमोकहै!.” Pallavi: Aayeena.your question is similiar to the paradox of love. Coz whenever love comes on the timeline…it has a single lesson to teach and that is…” to let go”… And yet we love again and again… Aayeena: Ki bura hai?? Again and again. Pallavi: Bilkul nahi…Until the lesson is learnt… Of letting go… Pallavi: If love would not have been there…we all would be surely enlightened. Love is the biggest test of a spiritual seeker and unfortunately it’s own reward too… So it’s a hard code to crack… Love is the biggest of myths and yet for which one would stake oneself for… and which is what is its true reward… So each one needs to learn and unlearn until the lessons and the learner both have disappeared Pallavi: Cataloguing and resetting the ramana kendra library at delhi. Amazing experience. Pallavi: Neha.in case u intend reading or looking up more books on vivekananda and other masters.u can become a member. Love. Neha: Thanks Pallavi. Aachi: Your DESTINY fuels your desire and deed Neha: And vice versa too. Pallavi: Ramana says: “The Jnanis (Self -Realized Souls) do things for the sake of others with detachment, without themselves being affected by them.”

• 248 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Syam: http: //www.krishnapath.org/quantum-physics-came-from-the- vedas-schrodinger-einstein-and-tesla-were-all-vedantists/ Ramki: Nice one syam. Quantum mechanics and indian mysticism is a great treatise in itself. But there is one more science that makes my jaw gape in wonder and that”s the brain of Sir Charles Darwin. I think his theory of origin, evolution and mutation explains just about everything in the biological world. The present number of living entities, the various behavioral patterns, if you could just see what’s happening around you in the biological world, that itself is so enlightening. what I mean to say is that SCIENCE is required to learn and enjoy this world. controlling your senses which is a form of sexual repression, thereby denying the pleasures this world can offer,and devoting your life to the devotion to the supreme is simply too difficult. I mean all of us have GOD in us ie the DNA. This descendent of the ancient replicator in the primeval soup of creation is mainly concerned with just one thing: : propagation. From a flimsy little microbe to the Cambrian explosion to the Cretaceous period and the Cenozoic era with the Pleistocene and the present Holocene era we have come a Long way through aquatics, reptiles, dinosaurs, avian, primates and finally humans. we survived many catastrophes in the form of Cambrian-Paleozoic meteor Destruction, Cretaceous pg event, the last ice age (I still don’t have answers as why the supreme being creates all the destructions to sort of revive the life again from scratch)and mind you,5 billion years from now our own SUN who gives us heat and light is going to be our antithesis when it will swell up to a red giant and devour whatever remains of life on earth completely. Scriptures are good but no factual evidence as per reason. our DNA is concerned only with replication and propagation. So leading a celibate life as propounded by some mystics is like going against your DNA. I really don’t want control all my passions and lead a life against my GENES. I would rather go after science which is so revealing and blissful in every sense, and I feel this is the only life you have here, with your present combination of DNA, the cistrons, and the length of the DNA you pass on to your loved ones, obeys the genetic law of propagation. No point controlling your thoughts, action to devotion alone. Live a good life with your passions, and just be good to yourself and the rest of living beings.

• 249 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Pallavi: Aachi…with ramana’s blessings… I was able to re organise the ramana kendra library at delhi.it took a week to do and he guided at every step. Aachi: ok. Pallavi: A man asked ramana…how to root out the sex idea? Ramana replied…by rooting out the false idea of the body being the self. there is no sex in the self. Ramki: Just a question for the august group here?? What is the self made up of????–thoughts? energy? DEFINITELY NOT DNA, in which case sexual mode of replication is impossible.by the way I am still thinking are we all so condemned as to think ourselves as ignoramuses really trying to abnegate this wonderful survival machine our DNA has painstakingly evolved through billion of years of hard work and turmoil as to keep seeking an intangible something which might never be there in the taking!! Enjoy science with your mind and senses guys. Go for all the treasures this wonderful pale blue dot has to offer us and rejoice every moment instead of just contemplating on the potentially nonexistent entity which our less intelligent ancestors have purged into our cortices. Every moment here is enlightening. no need to decimate your intellect and senses to discern something which is in all probabilities never to be in the affirmation. Syam: Ramki. good points raised. sharing my 2 cents here.Would like to start with a disclaimer that this is just an opinion. and not that I follow them ;-) GET THE DNA GOING. On the need of procreation and to get the DNA going. true, if there is no procreation, maaya will come to an end. We will not get another chance to act out our karmas. maybe that is the reason, our sages talked about 4 stages 1. Brahmacharya (bachelorhood) 2.Grihastha (Householder) 3. Vanaprastha (Retire in forest with prayers) 4. Sanyasa (denounces all attachments and desires). these stages are advised to be done in sequence, that is bachelorhood followed by Grihastha followed by…This was the right way of leading life advised by the sages for all Hindus. On abnegation of

• 250 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra beautiful DNA survival machine, our forefathers have already answered that question.at what stage it must be done. DNA AND BEYOND On DNA and Charles Darwin’s continuation of DNA etc., you are right. Science only knows to that extent and is logically explainable only until DNA. Our sages also talked about Kundalini, the DNA that is not seen, DNA that can’t be measured with any machines. But DNA that is carried from one birth to the other.specific to each individual. Carried from birth to birth and not from parents to child. Ramki’s past karmas as someone born in Egypt or Jew in Middle East are still carried with this Kundalini from birth to birth. and are symbolized by intertwined snakes. Infact, cleansing yoga is believed to cleanse certain karmas that the Kundalini carries from births… LIFE WITH PASSIONS Ramki, On whether we should not live a good life with all passions, staying within the spiritual limits, may be until they no longer interest you. The great ones in the past had no desires. may be through their spiritual practices they reached those vairaagya levels. Spiritual evolvement will certainly lead to vairaagya… May be at the higher levels, people lose interest in the basic needs as well. food, sex etc., Greatest ones like Kanhangad nityananda when asked, who is a true guru, answered “One with no desires at all.” Ramana maharshi when asked why he doesn’t want his sishyas to get self realized answered “I have no mind. So I have no desires” Syam: Ramki. just curious your line “Every moment here is enlightening. no need to decimate your intellect and senses to discern something which is in all probabilities never to be in the affirmation.”… Is against what Gita says on controlling the horses called senses… how can you preach against Gita ;- Ramki: Just keeping a cynical view syam. How is it possible to abnegate your mind and senses??? And what will become of an entity which does the same!! Why are we concerned about afterlife and hellfire? Why can’t we just enjoy whatever this beautiful earth has to offer? Why were 7 million Jews sent to the concentration chamber and murdered by hitler, and why didn’t the “SELF” guide hitler to no do

• 251 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution the same?? why atom bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki?? we are just concerned about our own indoctrinated faiths without scientific justification. Just read the daily newspaper, I find so many instances where the all powerful SELF could have saved many lives, especially in chennai and Taiwan of late. after all even lord Buddha is agnostic. I have no intentions of hurting anybody but why is the supreme self not showing much concern in our day to day lives. Enough of contemplating about the self and kundalini. Let’s get to science to solve all our problems.my question is,I really love all the scriptures and the SELF concept but is it helping humanity in the global perspective. What if your brain is creating all the VOICES and hallucinations “which our ancestors perceived as divine purports, (temporal lobe epilepsy patients have all the so called audiovisual potentially divine hallucinations). Why can’t we really investigate and reason as to the factuality of our scriptures. Every scripture is loaded with violence. lord Krishna asks ARJUNA to decimate his kith and kin and so does Yahweh to Moses in the Old Testament and so did prophet Mohammed in the battle of Badr. I think there is too much violence in all the holy scriptures to have an apocryphal thinking. Vedanta guides us to destroy our mind and senses which will make us dull and decrepit. I think GOD is there in every living being as the DNA and GOD really does not create rigid difficult to follow rules. Just be happy to be with whatever you have and try to help others in wherever way you possibly can. Ramki: Again where was the ‘self’ during our partition and during the jallialwalla bagh massacre?? My heart bleeds thinking about their agony 60 years behind… Pallavi: Ramki. the words that come forth from you are contradictory to all that u have been voicing so far. the scriptures only use the mythology to deliver the final lessons and rather than worrying too much about the wars that have all ready passed on…must we not focus on our own development? That’s the best way to be of service to the world at large. I’m reading the vivekchudamani and the subtle intelligence with which each layer(the koshas) are being peeled to reveal the sanctity of the self is quite adorned with reason…it is a teaching of high quality.

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Pallavi: Compassion is good but it must be detached…only then empathy Is different from sympathy. sympathy births from the ego… and compassion has to begin with the self. Ramki: We want something that should help humanity at large, not just to a privileged few claiming to have access to SELF AND KUNDALINI Shakthi alone. Having gone through the entire Upanishads and bhagwat gita and old and New Testament including the Koran, Mormonism, domnism and the fire traditions and reading that our common fellow humans will take eons to interpret the truths in them, let’s make life a bit easier for them and us with pure science which will deprovincialise humanity and make everybody see each other without any distinctions of caste, creed, race or any sort of differentiation. Pallavi: I guess.its each one for himself. Every soul is travelling to a common destination…ultimately they are all headed to the lotus feet of the divine.according to their prarabhda… they will reach sooner or later.we can embrace others but ultimately we walk alone! Neha: Read Vivekananda’s lecture on MICROCOSM of Jan 1896. It was simply awesome the way he has explained about our birth and rebirth process and how our souls come and go in each lifetime to learn and evolve until there comes a time when the soul has completed that process of learning and it becomes one with God. It’s amazing how Vivekananda explained the process of carrying of experiences of past lives and the experiences of our ancestors in our genes… At a time when the scientists had not decoded the DNA yet. The lecture was an eye opener…it helps motivate us in moving towards the path of detachment. Pallavi: Aum. Syam: Cool… Neha can you please post the link here? Neha: Link… Let me find one Shyam. I read this from one of the books I have on the lectures of Vivekananda. http://www.vivekananda.net/BooksBySwami/JnanaYoga/12_ Microcosm.html Got it! This is a wonderful website for all the lectures of Vivekananda. http: //www.vivekananda.net/Lectures.html

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Aachi: The day when you take your first breath also decides the day when you shall take your last breath by God. He is the administrator of the Entire Cosmos. He gives according to His Will. Neha: Absolutely… Everything is pre-destined and auto programmed. Syam: Thanks for the links Neha. Just curious, why are you so confident of pre destiny. Neha: Syam, I am not confident of anything… I am sorry if I sound so. I am the most confused person u can come across… I am just seeking my answers and sometimes my questions too. The more I seek and read, it makes sense that everything must be predestined. And that’s a very disappointing fact especially to people like me who are into Karma yoga. But then there are no answers to what we seek otherwise. Vishu: Thanks for the amazing links, Neha. Syam: I was convinced on destiny after I read BV Raman (Bangalore Venkat Raman) s book on his experiences with astrology. He was foremost astrologer of 20th century I also strongly recommend the book “Many lives many masters” which gives practical real life examples of how past life karmas effect current life situations and destiny Aachi: Adi Shankara said: “You need not fear anyone on attaining Jnana (Self Knowledge). You can remain fearless. But if you have money, you have to fear everyone i.e not only the thieves but your family members also. There is such a huge difference between the nature of money and knowledge.” Ramki: I believe this forum has free thinking.”Everything is predestined “, that’s not scientific. there is something called “free will.” By the way as GOD is there in all living things let’s recapture some ethology (animal behaviour), it makes you wonder why there creation is behaving so randomly - this is the Deistic view by Voltaire. Now take the case of digger wasp. It burrows a hole in the ground and lays it’s eggs.Now the interesting part. It stings a katydid (a kind of green fly) to paralyse it but not kill it. it takes it’s paralyzed prey into the burrow it has dug and seals it and finally it’s larvae after hatching eats the prey

• 254 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

ALIVE. Sir Charles Darwin says seeing this pattern of ichemonnidae makes you wonder about the creator (why is the creator doing this?). Another example, a scientist was following the behavioral pattern of a specific lion in Africa. In 55 hours the lion mated 157 times with an intercopulation interval of 21 minutes. another example. The female praying mantis - after her inter course with her mate - BEHEADS(supposedly the female gets extra pleasure), yes !!! Destroys her mate. I can’t believe an all merciful, benevolent creator doing this to our animal friends. Is the creator enjoying this??? But you should study genetics, coz, all these behaviors have an explanation as to natural selection, evolution and adaptation. like this, I can quote many such incidents.we have evolved from animals. Most of the man slaughtering happening in Syria, Baghdad, Bethlehem and Belfast is because of the super activation of the R complexes of the brains of our species located beneath the limbic system and above the brainstem. Again an all merciful GOD is supposedly not helping our species even now at Baghdad, Kabul and Bethlehem. Get into science,realize the immortality of the gene bits working successfully across generations, yes, you have done your share by giving it your children.FREE WILL is there, science and not organized religion is the only solace unifying humanity and all earthlings. Even swami Vivekananda says “you are the creator of your own destiny.” I believe in science, enquiry, investigation and reason which is much much more enlightening and gratyfying than just catching hold to an abstraction which is really not helping our species to the global extent. The greatest scientist of the 20th century EINSTEIN says-” I don’t believe in the immortality of the soul. scientists now are conforming his gravitational waves theory through experimentation using Laser interferometer gravitational waves instrumentation. Again, no intention to hurt anyone. Just explaining the facts. Nishant: So…if there is God…it is a Cruel God! Or a God not bothered… indifferent to the pains of its creations!? Ramki: That’ s for you to find out nishant. I have my impressions on this which I want to keep it for myself. After a long and arduous journey

• 255 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution through all the scriptures and pure science, you kind of feel the heat, you know!! Nishant: Yes… I know! I was troubled by this for a long long time… I guess we all make our own justifications for the vicissitudes of life! Ramki: Keep enquiring, nishant. That’s all I can say for now!!! Aachi: Ramki, you are going against the very philosophy of the Gita that you profess. “Verily by Me have they been already slain; be thou a mere instrument, O Arjuna!”—XI.33 Nishant: What I figured out was that if the almighty is not concerned with the mundane problems of its creations…why should we be bothered with what is supposed to be right or wrong…I try and do as my heart pleases without thinking of what should be done ! At least the heart is happy! Koi to khush hai!! Ramki: I think more than religion, the practicality of today’ s world has to be taken. People are getting killed every day through violence and natural disasters. I feel so disappointed going through these information everyday through the news hour. I really want to reach out for the mothers and children of Syria and Baghdad and Beirut. If I were given divine powers the first thing I would do,would be to teach humanity that we are made of the same material (DNA) stop fighting and love each other. Prevent earthquakes and tsunamis. guide people. At least temporarily cure inoperable cancers so that the family doesn’t feel distraught, prevent pandemics like Ebola, zika and dreaded viruses. Aachi: Nishanth, there is a difference between happiness and Peace Happiness is a diad. Peace of God is beyond Diads. Aachi: Ramki, nothing wrong to help the world EVERYTHING wrong is to think that you are the one who helps. Ramki: The loss a life means a lot to the next of kin.telling them philosophy is kind of cruel, especially during the times of distress.

• 256 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Ramki: Anyway the discussion can go on. Let’s pray for all the earthlings in genral. Aachi: Sarvadharmaan parityajya maamekam sharanam vraja; Aham twaa sarvapaapebhyo mokshayishyaami maa shuchah. Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me alone; I will liberate thee from all sins; grieve not. Aachi: Our duty is to Surrender to Sri Krishna. After that let Krishna decided what is good what is bad. Why bother? It’s His Creation. Ramki: Nice sloka from the 18 the chapter. I think lord Krishna will have to descend sooner or later especially at Baghdad and Aleppo and sort our things. Let’s hope. Ramki: I just cannot ignore my brethren suffering miles away to human torture.at least I want to think for them and pray for them. We are inter connected, remember. Cannot imagine a merciful creator witnessing such heinous acts and not acting for the betterment. If not now, then when?? Man slaughter is really hideous, aachi. The children witnessing these acts are so traumatised psychologically. just imagine if we happen to be in their shoes?? Ramki: Nishant, just be happy with whatever you have and at least live the moment, because I feel that’s all you have. Do satisfy your heart. Nishant: Trying to do just that! Thanx, Ramki. Achi.…mile na phool to kaanton se dosti kar li! Isi Tarah se basar humne zindagi kar li!! Nishant: Phool aur kaantein, dono hi ek mrigtrishna hain! Couldn’t help writing this Nishant. Karthik: These conversations are a spiritual treasure! These should reach the whole world. Pallavi: Guys. this group is like a living scripture. We could do a book with these exchanges. Thanx to sampath. Neha: Why not! That’s a brilliant idea Pallavi. Pallavi: Prerna…all the best for your rendezvous with sadhguru… much love.

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Vishu: Hi Prerna. Are you going to visit Sadhguru’s ashram? Pallavi: Vishu…she must be on flight…yes…she is going for 10 days. Prerna: Hi everyone, finally on the way to the airport after much turmoil since yesterday… Was actually unsure will be able to go today or not…but yes I’m the chosen one is the feeling that is going thru me… Vishu: Congrats Prerna. Prerna: Thanx vishu. Sometimes I feel I am selfish… Leaving responsibilities and just going away for myself. Aachi: Enjoy, Prerna. The Supreme duty is to seek God Alone. Prerna: Hmmm…thanks Aachi. Pallavi: Wow prerna…this is spiritual testing… it is to be anticipated and crossed over… Even I had a runaway maid before I went to aashram. Aachi: U earn a lot for the body but true earning is earning the Grace of God. Pallavi: THE PASSING. These dark dreary clouds of despair That loom over over our quaint skies And seem to last an epoch of a time frame Are merely the illusion of separatedness Soon…when all is done and gone… We would have awakened to the truth Of being forever loved and tended to by care. In that awakened moment… The dawns will screech out at the horizon… this too shall pass…my heart.”… @P.K Aachi: I like to call Syam as the monk who travels… An enthusiastic globetrotter Syam usually sees more of the world and India in a week that I get to see in a half a decade.

• 258 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Deeply spiritual, it is very probable that you would see Syam missing over most weekends travelling the Globe in search of God in various temples. Pilgrimage centres or just nature per se. With wanderlust he has coupled his insatiable desire for the Divine which defines his life. There is no contemporary spiritual master he has not met nor a travel type he has not mastered. Whether riding through Himalayas, climbing the Swiss Alps, exploring deep jungles of India or visiting the Dalai Lama, Syam has done it all. I called him to wish him…his reply was classic… ‘Dude I am not in Hyderabad…I am travelling.’ Happy birthday Syam, the Monk who loves his feet…they take him where he wants to be!!!! Aachi: Today we celebrated Sri Ramakrishna birthday in our house. Pallavi: Aum. Ramki: “The key to a better life is enquiry, reason and evidence, in other words pure science.” Pallavi: Ramki.I differ to say that the key to a better life is only love and nothing else. Ramki: My only question? Why didn’t the creator start off with intelligence ??? It took natural selection 4 billion years to evolve intelligence?? Why so much time?? What has happened to this intelligence in the “Taliban”?? What had happened to this intelligence in hitler?? and Stalin?? mussolini??? and imperialistic zen king Hirohito??india- partition ?? Going back - massive natural disasters consistently every 200–300 million years wherein the creation was almost wiped out??? why is this intelligence creating tsunamis and earthquakes?? Why is this intelligence acting so randomly and haphazardly in the animal world?? I really am not happy with answers like “fate,” “KALI YUGA,” “karmic action,”” paying for your sins”“- kind of thing. We need answers, in other words active involvement by this “intelligence “in our day to day affairs. Everything was not existing through eternity. All the present diversity we see evolved gradually by natural selection, mutation and crossover

• 259 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution and turmoil by our ancestors who had to fight earth shattering meteor hits to barely survive into the next epoch.3 billion years ago the only living beings here were prokaryotic blue green algae. during the formation of the primitive earth even the atmosphere contained minimal oxygen levels which was replenished by the algae, (thanks to the algae complex beings like us could evolve).no point attributing things to intelligence as intelligence itself evolved barely about 200000 years or so. Anyway keep going through swamiji as even I like his complete works. but then so many questions unanswered?? Neha: Absolutely Ramki… I too am full of these questions. It’s not that I believe each and every word of Vivekananda but definitely it satiates my hunger, my thirst for answers for a while. I am still as confused as any other person. And you know, even Vivekananda has said that one has to accept eventually that there are sometimes no answers! Ramki: Neha, I had a lot of confusion but I sort of found the Answer after a huge struggle. but I just can’t put it straight shot across because that would generate a mixed reaction to the majority of the population(could be even earth shattering to a few).I guess each one has to struggle and come out otherwise it could be disastrous. It’s like the caterpillar - butterfly analogy. A caterpillar creates a cocoon and then by mutation evolves into a butterfly after breaking the cocoon. a person seeing this thought of the struggle the caterpillar has to undergo to break the cocoon and take off as a butterfly and out of empathy broke the cocoon for that caterpillar so that the caterpillar could avoid the ordeal of breaking the cocoon. But the contrary happened. It immediately died, because the struggle of the caterpillar against the cocoon (by eventually breaking it) gives it’s future wings the strength and endurance to withstand the pressures of nature. The moral of the story: Each living entity has to struggle to arrive at the truth. if offered too much help in the intervening stages, it could become counterproductive. Neha: Yes Ramki, I whole heartedly agree to this that each has to struggle on his own to find answers. No one can either explain you the answers… It’s for you to seek and get the answers… It’s a path each one has to take on our own and there is absolutely no shortcut to it. Sampath: Just go back Ramki and see what I had proposed. See if the theory answers all your questions. You will now know what I meant.

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Even Bhagavad gita is a theory proposed by somebody like you and me. Perhaps with some strong practical experiences. The Vedas are theories too. Nothing more, nothing less. There is nothing that has been written or said…this fat… that can capture the essence of God. Sampath: I had also said that we have PASSED Kali Yuga. We are moving forward into better times. Ramki: Yes Sam, the beauty of pure science had finally dawned on me. Sampath: Once matter has manifested the dice is cast. It follows the laws of science.of creation. Entropy is real. It is up to matter to organize itself. Even this is predetermined. Dis organization eventually leads to organization. The mystery of God lies before this. That is why God cannot manifest on earth. Can we experience the essence of God? Yes. By bettering ourselves. By being constantly aware. More and more aware. By doing justice to our potential which is who we are…the pinnacle of creation. The very best of God’s magic. Man. Ramki: Good one Sampath. A great statement from a great thinker: As Epicurus (great Ionian SCIENTIST of Ancient Greece) had said,” if GOD is willing to prevent evil but not able to prevent, then HE is not omnipotent. If HE is able but not willing? Then HE is malevolent. If HE is both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil ? The next is most thought provoking part - If he neither able nor willing?? then,why call him GOD??? Sampath: There is no Him. Everything is inside one big system. Once matter.…everything except Consciousness…is manifested they are perfectly computable. Perfectly logical and scientific. If Talibans kill then that has nothing to do with ‘God’. They kill because they are bound by fanaticism, religion and geopolitics. Logical and scientific. No entity will come down and solve mankind’s problems. So Jesus, Rama and Krishna were no ‘God’s who solved mankind’s problems. There were volcanoes, earthquakes and apocalyptic events during their lifetimes too.

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We are a part of the Entropic process. Constantly evolving and bettering. Everything around us does so. Even a piece of rock. Can we hasten the process of bettering ourselves. Yes. 100%. Imagine what’s the goal? To become the perfect object of creation. Least entropy. That’s where EVERYTHING IN THIS UNIVERSE IS HEADED. Knowingly or unknowingly. Even the Taliban. They are proving to the rest of the world what NOT to do. When a person dies on the road, when Nirbhaya gets raped, the rest of the world learns a lesson. To get organized better. Less Kali Yuga. Less entropy. How to reach the end point quickly…that’s another story. But it’s possible to LITERALLY beat the rest of the world in this race to the very end. Ramki: Point well taken. A better version would be our nucleotide chains. we are just “maximising entities “for our DNA’s. from the very primitive replicator copies have formed in the primeval soup of our early earth. we have come a long way splicing, replicating and crossing over from the non nuclear prokaryotes to the advanced eukaryotes of today. it’s the great replicators creating us survival machines and as you said bettering itself as every new zygote is the DNA’s way of starting anew with a fresh set of nucleotide chains with intentions of longevity, fecundity and copying fidelity- obviously for a SMARTER END PRODUCT. And science is the only way we can better ourselves with regards to experimentation, reasoning and evidence. we have evolved from animals, with mammalian cortices but with the remnant primitive brains(reptilian brains) deep inside our craniums. the present intolerant, irrational and divisive behaviors shown by some parts of our species through Taliban and other genocidal regimes just shows the super activation of their primitive reptilian brains even though they have mammalian cortices. just as you said, hold on to yourself and save your genes from their onslaught, no “supernatural being” is going to save you if you fall into such hands. Sampy, your words remind me of the great Frenchman scientist Laplace who was questioned by the then emperor NAPOLEAN as to why he (Laplace) did not include GOD on his findings, the answer to which he said,” I never thought about it, not required in my findings.” Sampath: Of all the people I know, only you (and perhaps another) are likely to succeed. You are troubled and obsessed by the idea of God and

• 262 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra more importantly you have a strong, independent and evolving opinion. Taking every idea, believing nothing but your take on it but discarding nothing too is the sign of a good scientist. Only thing left for you to be troubled enough to be seek desparately. At that stage you WILL get help from the other side. Then your journey would have really begun. Once you hit awareness, there is no going back because you cannot live life any lesser than that. Sampath: Galileo in 15th century, discovered that any object falling to earth, fall at same rate. He mentioned that a cannon ball and a feather if dropped from the same height will touch the ground at the same time. Provided there is no air resistance. He had difficulty explaining it. 4 centuries later with the current technology it has been experimentally demonstrated. It’s a visual treat to watch the video. Ramki: Sampy I still love Galileo’s words: “I do not feel obliged that the same GOD who has endowed us with senses, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.” Neha: Life here is unequal…that is a fact. Neither your science or God can explain it. No one has answers (yet) to the questions you and I have. Science and Spirituality are just forms of language to prove your points. Neha: A lion killing a beautiful deer is ok with you but a taliban killing a man is not. Why? Think about it. Does your science have answer to that? Please don’t take these points as arguments. Imagine a few people seeing a painting; each one of those will experience and express that painting in their own way. And each one of them may be right. That’s how it is with our existence, this cosmic universe, God. There is nothing to prove, but only to seek. Syam: As always… you guys have incredible questions/ theories/ arguments…Many times that my smaller intellect can’t even understand the depth and details. I am just adding fuel to the argument with these thoughts below. What if we throw into this argument a thought, in a soul’s journey, phase of each life on earth is just small part of (1/100th or less than 1/1000th). In which case, one such life lost due to Taliban or Tsunami or quakes doesn’t make much of difference in the grand scheme of things.

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Syam: If God goes on micro managing things, such as intervening in cases of Taliban or ISIS, then what is the point of free will ? Lives will be completely run as pre destined. Having said that God himself said that he will come to earth for course correction when requied. “yada yada hi dharmasya glanirbavati adatmanam srujamyaham.” Like he did at various stages with Rama, Krsna, Moses, Jesus, Prophet Mohammad and may be more… May be its high time now ;-) Syam: The best of quantum physicists and biologists could completely understand/decode probably 1/1000th of nature/ truth/ universe in their lifetimes. So can we deduce that one life time with our seriously handicapped faculties (senses and intellect) is too less to get answers to our logical questions. All of our questions are logical. Unfortunately, may be the universal laws are not according to logic/ may sound illogical to our limited intellect. Can probably make sense only. Only when we go beyond. our earthly /human intellect… Now, question is how do we go beyond this limited human intellect?? How much can we go beyond with our efforts in a lifetime. ???? how much could the best of brains go beyond.?? Bohr/ Einstein/ Schrodinger?? How much could they solve/decode in their lifetimes ? What about the spiritually evolved people compared to scientists?? Say ramana maharshi, sai baba or others who knew the past /present and future and many more secrets of the universe than the scientists? Now, given these examples, how best can we utilize the few decades we have left for us ? Analyzing what resources do we have at our disposal (including our own senses/intellect levels/ money/ equipment etc) should help us take a decision on our focus of efforts… But I believe the focus must always be to reach the truth. Ramki: Guys. I really am a bit reluctant to post this but as I am in Mumbai for a conference and going through the Hindustan times, I came across an article which is gross violation of human rights only because of the dirty “organised religion.” It’s called “infibulation,” practised in some North African countries (Sudan, Somalia, Mali.) or also known as Female genital mutilation. I came across this in an excellent critical book on the mutilatory factions

• 264 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra of some organized religious sects by a professor of Harvard university Dr.Christopher hitchens. I can’t believe its practiced here in Mumbai too. How is this organized religion creating havoc in our lives and don’t give me answers like these poor girls had some problematic “karmic action” to deny them ever the very basic of human pleasures which their and our bodies can experience. do we need such religions?? Hope the all encompassing “SELF” is not enjoying such physical tortures to small innocent girls like this… We are not just happy enough with a few “rishis” claiming their way to salvation through as Dr.hitchens puts it “these religious hypnotists wants to make you believe the impossible and do the unfeasible.”We need to help our species in general from all such religious tortures. We want a all benevolent GOD addressing all our problems and not someone punishing us severly for the trivia lest of mistakes. we are all parents. A father/mother should love all his children equally, even If our children commits mistakes we usually forgive them and give them whatever we can. We never penalize our children for the mistakes they perform. I can’t imagine GOD(Krishna/yehwah/ Allah/ BRAHMAN/ Bal/ Marduk/ Quetzalcoatl /Aztec god/Zeus/Jupiter……) turning a blind eye or a deaf ear to these atrocities. Aachi: You were blissful in deep sleep and now you are not. What anew has been added to your perception that gives you lain and makes you feel the world is bad and needs your help? It’s the ego. Find out if the ego is true. You will find Peace. Ramki: Deep sleep is not going to get you anywhere aachi. jagrat, swapna, Susupthi and Turiya. I am no longer interested in “Turiya” for myself - a another means of hypnotism and self abnegation. I want good solutions for today’s problems. I really want my mind, intelligence and ego to advance my scientific knowledge and do a sort of ethnic cleansing of these nefarious activities for the sake of humanity. Aachi: Turiya is nothing but Bliss of Deep Sleep in Jagrath, Swapna and Sushipthi. This is Jeevanmuktha.

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Ramki: This is all not proved. No point hallucinating into a hypothetical “blissful situation” disregarding the problems of humanity. our brains are really capable of creating situations where you will hear “unheard voices “and have nonexistent “visions.” I believe this Jeevan muktha thing is what Dr.hitchens calls the tautallerian thinking. you want to sort of be with the “creator” and watch humanity suffering in general being indifferent to them. I am NO tautallerian here. I want pure science to raise humanity above hypnotism and skull duggery. Aachi: Regard the problems as no issue but do not regard yourself as contributing to its betterment or worsening. Ramki: I just want a benevolent GOD (if there) to help the needy our there without any prejudice. Aayeena: Why are they needy?Maybe they didn’t have compassion at one time I believe we come to learn. Once we do learn we move to the next level. Sampath: when matter was created it just had the propensity to develop and organize. If you see every thing is in an unstable state. Everything is in a state of constant flux. You should be bothered not just of the lion that kills a deer or the Taliban that kills fellow humans but also of the millions of black holes that are constantly devouring complete stars and galaxies…which may even include civilizations like ours. There are asteroids and comets that can hit the earth any moment. So why all this disorder? Frankly in the grand scheme of things; the lion or the taliban is the most miniscule of problems. I have always wondered why God’s world is so imperfect. Being a vegetarian I was wondering why man. intelligent as he is…knowingly would put millions of animals through such inhuman torture every minute. Then I realised that God actually had no direct and active control over proceedings in His creation. Here we all are…living and non living.… by ourselves. We are like babies taking their first steps…faltering and finding our foothold. So I said that the minute a matter is materialized, it is dependently independent in a way. Dependent because it is programmed towards

• 266 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra perfection. Independent because it can choose the shortest or the longest path to this point of perfection. The lion and the Taliban are points in this process. You can’t really blame both. In the grand scheme if things, just imagine the effort it took to reach from big bang to being a lion or a taliban. In the interim, the mass of matter went through billions of years of evolution. The same group of matter went through being stars, planets, the earth, the lava of the earth, the broth of life in earth, mono cellular organism, multi cellular organisms and finally the lion, then man and finally the Taliban. The trials and tribulations of that group of matter/energy is the most fascinating journey that one can ever know.…ONLY IF ONE COULD ACTUALLY SEE IT AS A RETROSPECTIVE VIDEO! If you saw your own video, would you not be just stunned at the magic of the incredibly arduous journey of your atoms. You would not in the least worry about the small fallacies, the aberrations along the journey that lasted a billion years…if a meteor that you were a part of billions of years back went away hitting a planet and got dissipated or if in the past birth you were a lion, cannibal or a saint. How the mass and energies reached to this point of you is a miraculous journey…but an organized miracle. A programmed one. He is always overseeing it without participation. Without interference. So the bottom line is that the lion and the Taliban is a point in evolution. They are not the end. The suffering is not meant to be here as a permanent entity. We are all moving forward towards a better world. We are more organized than we were 100 years back. We have lesser wars, more education, less poverty and we are more caring than ever before in a billion years. Similarly the universe too is aligning itself. It’s trying hard. Because like us, it too strives to be in the perfect state. So all the mass need to be liberated. By first going from non living to living. Then from living to the Eternal. And that gives me hope. If this point that we have reached its just half way through or maybe a little more than that imagine the magic that lies ahead. Syam: Awesome awesome post. Syam: We don’t know how much of it is true. But this hypothesis cannot be denied either.

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Sampath: Prepare yourself for it. The next part of your journey is to be aware of the creation. To really know the world around you. To know yourself and to know the love of the creator who gave birth to every matter in your body and has been through all your joys and pains. You keep lamenting that God does not interfere. But he did. The most important point in your billion year journey is when He infused life into your lifeless mass. He did so because He did love you. He then nurtured it till you developed Consciousness (life + Awareness of life) And to think of it…after all that He did for us.…how much do we ever think of Him. We keep blaming Him for the little imperfections along the way (which exist for a reason…that’s another topic of discussion). We are so busy enjoying the pleasures of this world thinking of ourselves and our little space as the most important entity in this endless expanse. That’s where we go wrong. That’s where we are as ignorant (unaware) as the stone, the lion or the Taliban. That’s where He is disappointed. He does not want us to meander. He wants us to use the gifts to come home. Neha: Wow Sampath… This makes a lot of sense now. Himanshu: Sampy…What you write needs lots of time, energy and depth of knowledge to understand.Please organise your thoughts and write a book…It will be easier to comprehend and will be a bestseller. Sampath: Come home…TO HIM. That’s the story of the creation. Sampath: That’s why inanimate matter don’t experience pain. And forms that have just life with little awareness don’t experience pain too. Even the deer that dies does not experience as much pain as humans do. Because humans have the highest form of evolved CONSCIOUSNESS. Life plus intense Awareness of everything. Life plus emotions plus intelligence…very susceptible to pain. No pain no gain. Pain is an instrument that will take you home. Help you organize. To think. To improve. The more you evolve…the more pain there is! Ramki: Yeah sampy. Every now and there is a huge supernova exploding destroying potentially habitable worlds and again generating stellar dust for a future group of stars and planetary systems. even our Milky Way galaxy is hurdling towards the Virgo cluster at an unbelievable

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600km/s,and eventually once the expansion of the universe sort of slows down before the eventual contracture, there will be the massive galactic fireworks of galaxies smashing each other to smithereens again creating the gas for future starry and planetary productions. A cycle of creation and destruction unimaginable of that sort. so let’s enjoy pure science here with our faculties and ride along with the galactic hydrogen. let all of us search in our unique ways to reach the infuser of life. Syam: Agree with Himanshu. Sampy and Ramki should write books. Sampath: I have experienced heightened awareness states. I have been whiplashed from the world to this state several times. This state explains everything. There is indeed the Theory of Everything. If we are in one big God system then there must be a Theory of Everything that explains Sciences, Religion and Spirituality…everything in the same breath. There must be no contradictions. I have ABSOLUTELY NO CONTRADICTIONS. I have an answer to everything. Each time someone agrees with what I say, I am even more convinced of my path. Sampath: Thanks to Pallavi and you guys I have been through a spiritual storm through the last 3 months. It was when we began these discussions that my moment of truth descended. The struggle to remain in awareness continues but it’s a lot more easier and often now. Ramki: But my question again why so much of creation and destruction at an imaginable and an unimaginable level?? Is HE enjoying the fireworks??Definitely it could have been much sober.Or maybe the “infuser of life” is again hypothetical!! Because with the primitive earthly conditions,we have created “tholins,” the prerequisite recipe for future formation of replicators giving rise to primitive prokaryotes, then eukaryotes and the organizational complexity of today. Definitely the randomness of our coming into existence explains everything in the universe but not to an all perfect, intelligent grand designer. Ramki: Or may be the MAYANs in their holy book “the popul vuh” were of the opinion that the GODS create and destroy alternately on fluctuations of their mood, according to their liking and dis likings, analogous to a child getting happy and sometimes upset with his toys!!

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Or as Shakespeare says in King Lear, “Or what are we to the gods, just like playthings, as the wanton boys kill the flies, so are we to the GODS”!!!” Ramki: A stroke of lightening in the primitive earth gave rise to the replicators in the tholin soup……vis a vis…matter. Syam: Superb posts,ramki and Sampy. Sampath.loved these lines in ur second post. Aachi: my God too much depth into both of your words. Couldn’t grasp completely but awesome. Neha: So when are you both writing a book on your conversations ? Ramki: Great guys. Just Happy that you guys are enjoying. That’s what we all want. Sampath: My apologies. There is a convincing answer to everything except to the question WHY did he did all this. I guess there’ll be a day when this too will be answered. However when you see the Mona Lisa or the Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci or the David by Michelangelo do you ask them WHY they did it? Never. Because you know the answer. Because they were inspired. When you sing in your bathroom do you ask yourself WHY? No because it is a natural expression of inspiration. The same with God. He is so so inspired. The epitome of inspiration. Don’t ask Him this. You will make yourself stupid. Now coming to the point WHY such a messy creation? But seriously???? You are being very pessimistic and very cynical. Look at the positive side. There’s loads to be wondered. And I told you…No pain No gain. Once aware, pain drives everything forward. Even my child who refuses her morning breakfast. We scold her. Pain. She eats. We write exams and we fail. Pain. We then perform better next time. We lose a relationship. Pain. We learn to value relationships. Pain is a potent tool. But only for the super evolved. For those with high levels of Consciousness.

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Ramki: As to the Spanish kind coming to Mexico and destroying the Aztec civilization, in the 15 th century, pain is good but killing is not very justifiable sampy. Besides if you have a double mutation in the SCN9a gene you wouldn’t recognize pain. So pain can be bypassed in the future given targeted gamma radiation hits.I am with Einstein when he says,, “Probably the creator didn’t have any option as he had to create the universe, he had no choice!!!” But I also follow his anecdotal “A deeply religious nonbeliever “tag. How could the CREATOR not have a choice in creating still intrigues my intellect. Aachi: The answer lies in Ajatavada. “Nothing ever happened There is no Creator, nor an act of Creation, nor Creation” Sampath: Like the Portuguese inquisition in Goa. Or the British massacre of the Maoris in NEW ZEALAND, the Red Indians. Like the massacre by our very own Ashoka. But see what’s happening to Spain today. The Spanish and the Portuguese are practically defaulters. They are suffering. When a rubber band (of Karma) is stretched; there is a recoil. When I say Karma, it is not an abstract philosophical concept. It is simply Newtonian. Every action has a reaction. If you take a footstep forward there is an action and hence a reaction. There’s nothing complicated. Repeated actions form habits. Over a longer time frame repeated habits get encoded in genes. So beware of what you do! Karma is indeed a bitch! Ramki: Creationistic view and the evolutionary view is the greatest thought provoking phenomenon I have come across. again why is the creator do much bothered about our thoughts and actions?? Aachi: God is a concept of the Mind. Find out if the Mind is true then actions of God will come to light. Sampath: Killing in Spain or all the justified and unjustified killings that ever happened in the history of time…LED TO THIS MOMENT of peace, stability and security Ramki.

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Everything takes time to play itself out. Ramki: I believe in Spinoza’s god.like Einstein… Who says “GOD created all this (obviously with simultaneous destruction) but HE is aloof from our day to day affairs. He is not concerned with our momentary thoughts and actions.” Ramki: Spinoza’s god makes more sense to me. I don’t believe the creator is vigilantly following your footsteps step by step. All the emotions are explained by our primitive reptilian brains with our enlightened cortices. Sampath: Once there is peace, there is materialistic growth. People indulge in creativity and hence business proliferates. At the very end of this phase of Materialism, man will be exhausted by the futility of it all. More cars, more houses, more beauty products, more sex…He will then begin searching for MORE PERFECTION. Precisely what we are doing right now. SEEKING. Ramki: Eventually we will settle down as we will as a race see things more precisely. we will discard all that is unscientific. We will go for pure science which is evidence based, unbiased. We wouldn’t want a “Natural or supernatural being,” anybody constantly peeping into each and ours private lives. We will as a race venture beyond the solar system and the Milky Way. We might even evolve a technology to gape thorough a black hole get into the other dimensions of the cosmos.we might Create a sort of juvenile hormone that will prevent or at least slow down ageing for interstellar travels achieving cruising speeds close to the speed of light. Sampath: Spinoza, Plato, Al Farabi or anyone in the west cannot be an authority on God because they are Intellectuals who lack a personal experience. They are like us who propose concepts. Like them we too lack a personal experience. India is indeed rich in personal experience. But the people who experienced what they did lacked the scientific temper. That’s why I always maintained that we are at a very important point in the quest of God. We are now at a point of time where Science meets Religion meets spirituality. It’s an incredible moment. At least for me. Everything makes sense. Ramki: The potential is un limited. By the way develop symbiotic parasitism with our animal friends, like the “nosema “parasite creating

• 272 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra a juvenile hormone preventing ageing on a species of insects called “bolinum.” similiar analogies can be tried by us. Anyway the discussion goes on and on… The beauty of pure science. Sampath: Spot on Ramki. Science will clear the air. It will meet the Oriental wisdom. That’s why it’s called metaphysics. Very much physics! I am a lover of science and that part of spiritually that’s scientific. I discard the rest. I discarded religion long back. Most parts of it. Carl Sagan is my Hero. He’s the true representation of the amalgamation of Science with God. Ramki: You said it sampy. science is the messiah in our journey called evolution and life. A quote again by Einstein, “I do not like to believe in a personal god, I stand in awe and wonder at nature as to how much my inadequate senses can reveal it through science.” Cosmos by Sagan is a master piece. But my favorite is Richard Dawkins. Neha: Now I am wondering whether to read Vivekananda or Carl Sagan? Sampath: Einstein was close. If only he lived longer! As an icon, he could have been a catalyst to this point of fusion…had he lived up to the point where he was certain about his growing doubts / convictions. Sampath: Dawkins too is a legend! Neha…every journey is unique by itself. You will have yours. See you all at the finish line! Ciao!!! Ramki: V s Ramachandran (neuroscientist) at California is another favorite of mine. so is Hitchens of Harvard.Great guys enjoy. Adios amigos. Sampath: I heard VS Ramachandran speak. I have met him! What a mind! He spoke about phantom limbs…amazing guy!

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Ramki: Cotard’s syndrome, Charles bonnet syndrome, mirror neurons, phantom limbs, hemineglect, anosognosia…beautiful list… endless… Sampath: Syam…thanks very much. You have no idea how much your encouragement helps me in my own journey. It was your questions that clarified many things in my mind too. That’s why I love this group. These discussions keep you moored to the only point where we need to be moored…to God philosophy…Otherwise we get lost in this labyrinth called life and creation. Aachi, Neha, Aaeeyna…you guys too. Always. Sampath: Himanshu…I think discussing here in this limited group serves more purpose than writing a book. Books are no longer what they are meant to be…sources of knowledge and inspiration. In today’s world,books are a tool to enhance one’s ego. Both of the writer and the reader. No one benefits from within. It is merely a piece of decoration. The benefit is only in the material world. Ramki…I wish I had your acumen. Neha: Aise mat bolo Sampath… Books have always been my life… My life revolves around them! For me, books have always been a treasure… Just imagine I am right now talking with Vivekananda. A few months back, I fell in love with Dr. Radhakrishnan and I still am… My God, how a person can be so idealistically academic. I learnt so very much from Gandhiji. And I argued with Bertnand Russel… He was such a snob… Though an intellectual snob. I live inside books and those books live out of me. They are NOT decorations… They are in no way ego boosters. They are necessary for living and evolving. They are jewels, a treasure for crazy people like me. Himanshu: Sampy…Write it for poor “us”…your fan club with limited resources of time, understanding and knowledge. Sampath: Neha, you are one of the few who loves books for what they are! You are very old school! Like you, I’m old school too. I have a treasure of books at home. They are like my babies. Old school readers become their books. Like you, Neha, they imbibe, they live their books. They continue to live in the world of their book for a while after the last pages are read. They feel like they are the lead characters. They feel for

• 274 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra their heroes, for their love stories. They sometimes read the books just to get into the mood of the book. Just to go back in time to another world. I read a 1924 edition of Treasure Island again and again only because I wished to go into my childhood when I first read the book. Mere holding the book in my hands brings in the nostalgia. We are hopeless romantics, Neha. Last men standing. Himanshu…we have us for each other right here! Why a book? Neha: Exactly Sampath… U have summed up the feelings so well! Feeling for those characters and living in the world of that book after the last pages are also read.Simply beautiful. If all this is ‘old school’ and people like us are ‘hopeless romantics’ and ‘last men standing’… So be it. Thank you so very much for the wonderful compliments Sampath… Sampath: Take care, Neha! Sampath: More on Karma. The moment matter (mass/energy) is created it has to do something. It is thus initiated into the path of Karma. An electron HAS to do what it is supposed to do……replace the space of the proton in the nucleus. Hence it jumps from an external orbit inwards… towards the nucleus. Similarly a photon after emission moves forwards. At a macro level, look at the automaticity of an embryo. It grows according to its nature. Everything in this creation has a role to play. To move forward. Hence every bit of creation is bound to Karma. And it’s effects. The living entity comprising of intelligent colonies of matter and energy also works according to the sum of actions of its individual inanimate components. Hence the animals are ‘programmed’ to live in a certain way. But as consciousness increases in a living entity, like in a human, he or she develops the capacity to WILLFULLY determine the summated action of its constituent particles. Hence Karma acquires a whole new meaning in creatures like Humans. We are aware of the consequences of our actions and hence we can control our actions. We can now control our Karma. The Lion can’t. The Taliban can. That’s the difference. The reason why I have always maintained that God cannot be manifest on earth is simply due to the fact that God is NOT / CANNOT be bound by Karma. Once something manifests it is NO LONGER GOD, but a

• 275 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution shadow of God. It is programmed and is out of God’s bounds. It’s what is called Creation. Different from the Creator. Hence Dwaitha…scores…over…Advaitha. Point to be noted Ramki. Shankara was not perfect in his analysis. Madhwa was right. So was Mohammed. The system is within God but there is a subtle difference. The creation is indeed separate from God. In any case there is a huge confusion regarding who Shankara was and when he existed. Nevertheless he was a giant among philosophers. Sampath: The maximum you can do is control your Karma. Do good. Be good. And only as humans can it be done. That’s why and how important it is to be born a human. That’s how important YOU are. Yet you cannot escape Karma. Your physical presence will not let you escape it. You are a bundle of the Karma of your genes, your body, your mind (which in turn is a product of your surroundings, experiences and the people around you). BUT you can control your Karma to evolve towards Godliness which is 100% Consciousness, 0% Mass and Energy. Only 100% C is devoid of Karma. That’s like living without a body or mind. Perceiving everything without participating in the Creation. G-O-D. Vishu: Amazing discussion guys. Sampath and Ramki, you guys are unreal. But again we can’t expect anything less from the two of you who got direct lineage to Madhava and Sankaracharya. Vishu: Sampath, according to your theory, do we carry forward our karma after leaving the body? In other words does your theory support rebirth and development of soul until it reaches 100% Consciousness? Sampath: All the happy and excited moments in your life are little moments of heightened awareness. All the things you remember, happy and sad, are moments of heightened awareness. In these moments your focus was absolutely on one thing. Your mind forgot everything else for a moment during these moments. Your awareness is your key to success in every sphere of life. You begin by focusing on things. There are certain parameters for awareness. One is to focus. One is to love what you focus on. You cannot focus

• 276 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra yourself on something you don’t want to. Finally you must surrender. Let it happen to you. Let loose. Finally get obsessed. All this put together separates spiritual Awareness from other mental strengths. If you are listening to music…first try to focus on the music alone. Focus on every tune of it. You will enjoy the experience. Then fall in love with the music. Finally give in and BECOME the music, let it hit your bone. Stay like this for a while. You will be thoroughly refreshed. The only ingredient that’s missing here is obsession. The music you listen to is not a necessity in your life. It’s just an amusement. Now what if your life depended on learning the lyrics? What if someone held a gun on your head and told you that you must learn the lyrics in 5 attempts or else you will be shot. Now your focus on the music is really intense. You really badly want it. If you want to be successful in anything in life this is the formula. Even for Moksha. Do this with God. Here is the catch. With God there are two ways of getting to love him. Force yourself to think of Him everyday till you are really desperate for him. The other way is to start your quest…logically… like Ramki, like everyone here. Try science, try anything. Think beyond your own life. Think of why you are here. Then you will slowly be troubled enough to reach the point of desperation for Him. It’s a long process. Sampath: When you put all the ingredients of A(Awareness): focus, love, complete surrender/involvement AND obsession…into God, something strange will happen. You will get a response, from within. You will notice physical changes that are hard to ignore. You will notice enhanced mental capacities hard to ignore. If you don’t then you are not putting in all the components of the A into practice. Something is amiss. Either you are not focused or you don’t love what you are doing, not committed/surrendered enough or not desperate enough. Because if all are in place, then your INITITATION is complete. You have done your bit. Keep yourself in that state and wait for your reward. Once you are in it,you never want to leave. You want to be aware every minute of the day. Once you have seen paradise, your own paradise, you never want to come out of it.

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All this while, it was you who was improving yourself. Not God. Finally, the last step is To let go of everything. To forget God and your quest for God. To just BE. BE what? BE everything that I told you earlier: focus, love, surrender and obsession…but with no particular thing to focus on. Just experience your life like you did last when you were an embryo. Back then you knew you were JUST ALIVE but you did not know you had limbs, that you were male or female, that you were hungry or not. YOU JUST KNEW YOU WERE ALIVE. You experienced only your life. Now do just that. Sampath: Then magic will unfold. You will realize who you truly are. And what is your status in this creation. You are not Neha or ramki. You are not a north or south Indian. You are not rich or poor, you are not wise or stupid, and you are not good or bad. That you can or can’t is a belief. Everything in this world is a BELIEF. You learnt all this from the world. All this was PUT into your head by yourself and by others. Truth is that we all have the EXACT same nature and EXACT same potential as long as we have the EXACT same C. Our beliefs to a large extent and our genes (old old habits) to a small extent have made us believe in different identities. To unlearn and disbelieve you must constantly challenge yourself. Do things that you would never do and realize how it is just a thought-belief that held you back. For instance, if you could never get up at 6 am, apply A to getting up. Focus on getting up early, love getting up early, involve yourself in the excitement of getting up early and get obsessed with getting up early. Then see how stupid you were all the while. It was just a knot in your head that you could not get up early. It was NOTHING ELSE. IT WAS YOU ALL ALONG. Nothing, no one held you back. If you hated a vegetable, say the brinjal (I used to dislike it), apply A (Awareness). See how it was just a knot in your head. See how you hated exercising. See how you fear going on stage. Apply A. Nothing but you stops you. Once you begin challenging yourself you push your potential. You break your own myths. Then start working on increasing A levels. That’s

• 278 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra another story all together. You are at about 30% of your total A potential. With meditation I can command about 60%. Now imagine revving up the engine to 100%. You know how I challenge myself? My daughter is my inspiration. She learns any song if she hears it 4 or 5 times a day. I need to listen to the same song at least 10 times. Only when I meditate can I reach her level. See how kids are uncorrupted by the world. Inspiration and focus comes easily to them. Sampath: When you meditate, the life force cures you of some of your ailments. I must have told you that ever since I started meditation again, after a gap of many years, thanks to you all, my nasal allergy and sinusitis, which has been my life companion, has completely disappeared. No trace. For the first time in my life my nasal pathways are completely clear. There’s a scientific explanation to this. Meditation helps you control your sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, commonly called Ida and Pingala naadis in kundalini yoga. I can practically feel my mucosa decongest. My sinus ostia open. I can hear the sound of ostia opening, and the post nasal secretions flowing out of the sinuses. There are many more experiences. If only I had the time. If I tell you everything you will think I’m a fool. I have met people who detect and cure tumors this way, people who levitate. When A (Awareness) is 100% you start being aware of things around you. Your awareness starts spreading to include your immediate surroundings, people. You are aware of the thoughts and feelings of the person sitting next to you. Your C (Consciousness) is much more potent than you think it is. You are much more potent than you think you are Vishu: Woke up to a flood of messages. Thanks, Sampath and Ramki for taking time to explain. Sampath: When you have power of the mind, do you get corrupted? Like black magicians? Are they for real? Of course they are for real. Like the example I gave you earlier, instead of music, black magicians and people of their ilk focus on something specific. Their A is on something specific. They achieve it.

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This is the case with everything else when you crank up A (Awareness) levels. You become an achiever in what you set out to do; be it Black magic or becoming the world’s best pianist. But when you focus on God, or better still, as in Kriya, on NOTHING, your mind is so clear and thoughtless that it becomes stable like a rock. It is rock solid, steady and shining like a bright star. It is sharp as a razor; it is in the pinnacle of its efficiency. The thoughtless mind has the power of a thousand hydrogen bombs. It can create or destroy anything. Here, finally I introduce the final attribute of A (Awareness) focused on Kriya in addition to what I already enumerated before. Awareness focused in Kriya has the following attributes: focus, love, surrender, obsession AND emptiness. This is the last step in conquering yourself. An empty mind focused as described before experiences everything vividly as it is uncontaminated by other frivolous thoughts, consciously or subconsciously. More importantly, the mind WANTS nothing too out of an experience. It just wishes to experience life in the most vivid way. In fact it wishes nothing. It just takes in everything. In this state you will realize that there is a distance between you and your intensely vivid experience. How beautiful is the state!!! It is powerful, yet detached. So NOW what happens to Karma in this state? I have experienced this state and have done my mundane day to day work in this state. So I can explain this clearly. When your mind is clear and thoughtless, it is completely free to focus on what you wish to do. Even if you don’t wish to focus on anything it just experiences life vividly. However if one does work, say writes an article in this state, it will be the best article that you have written in the shortest possible time. But the difference between this state and an ordinary state is that…in this state of heightened A state of Kriya, you just perceive the completed work as just complete work. You are not proud of it, you are not happy…you feel nothing. You get the best result feeling nothing. NISCHALTATVA. Whereas in the ordinary state, you get a much inferior product, and despite this you are left feeling proud and happy. So while in increased A (Awareness) states you do things because they have to be done, you do it most efficiently, and at the end you feel

• 280 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra nothing. On the contrary, in normal states you do something with a selfish motive, do it sub-optimally and at the end you are full of emotions (pride, happiness etc). Now when you are in the first state of increased Awareness (in Kriya) how can there be Karma attached to it? You are doing something because it has to be done. You have no motive hence you can do no wrong. You don’t feel emotion, hence no attachment to the result. SO KARMA IS NEUTRALISED. You act without any motive or attachment to the result. NOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY DID KRISHNA TELL IN BHAGAVAD-GITA??? Karmanyevadikarste maphaleshu kada chana! This is what was meant. A state where the Doer does something without motive or without worrying about the fruit of the action. Krishna was addressing Arjuna who was a yogi already. So Arjuna understood. The rest of us just could not comprehend this depth. Sampath: So when you are constantly in these states you are close to Self Realisation. Another attribute of A of Kriya is increased sensitivity. You will cry marveling at everything that is in the creation. You will sob seeing a butterfly or thinking of God. Everything is experienced vividly. Reality, the Real reality sets in. You submit yourself to the God phenomenon. You become a Seeker. But throughout the process it is you who changed yourself. No one else can do it for you. You are the true master of your destiny. The path of Spirituality is more that of Self Discovery than Self Realization. You can chose to stop at any point through the journey. You can stop at just enjoying life better, or at the stage of being an achiever, or the next stage of being a Siddha, or the next stage of being a ardent devotee of God or go all the way and become Self Realized. That’s all folks. I had to pour it out. Pallavi: A thoughtless mind is a destination where everything is savored much the same…when judgement drops. There is nothing to condemn or praise…the state of just BEING is sheer ecstasy.

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Syam: Sampath, In my entire life, this is the best I have read on mediation. Neha: Wow! Great Sampath, you have described that magic of mind so well. Pallavi: Perceive the nature of the Self with the eye of perfect Knowledge through Samadhi, where the mind has been brought to complete quietude. If the declarations of Sruti (heard from the Teacher) are perfectly understood without a trace of doubt, it can lead to no more scepticism. -Vivekchudamani Ramki: Nice words Sampath. But all the heightened A’s and C’s are our genes way of manipulating the world. I don’t know any yogi who has after his earthly sojourn even with the so called most heightened awareness really come back to this plane of existence and said “here you guys my consciousness has transcended death and now I am here to guide you to eternity. Once the DNA SWITCHES off, that’s it; curtains to whatever state your EVOLVED CONSCIOUSNESS might have attained. This might sound disheartening but this is the truth. DO NOT DESTROY OR BECOME THOUGHTLESS, it is just plain hypnotism. OPEN your eyes, see the beauty of nature, meditation is good for concentration to create good MEMES. Just be happy with pure science and the altruistic parts of religion. As EINSTEIN SAID- I do not believe in the immortality of the soul or any other sort of thing.” Enquire, validate and experiment and give evidence. Be good and do good and have a nice time here. Sampath: Have you heard of Jesus Christ, Ramki? There are so many of them who have transcended death. The genes are temporary, an imprint, reflection of your oldest habits that keep you moored to this world. Consciousness is eternal. Ramki: Read Holger Kirsten, Sampath. Jesus’s burial site is in Kashmir under the pseudonym “yuz azaf.” Bodies are temporary. Gene bits, recons are permanent By the way Jesus did not die in the cross, he was dying for sure. In between his apostle saved him by giving him “toned water” dipped in a

• 282 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra sponge and pressing on his lips. The moment the Jews buried him, his apostles dug him out from his grave before his last breath and covered Him in a white cloth which is still revered known in the Christian world as the “shroud of Turin- stains of blood of Jesus.” He was then treated by his apostles who whisked him out of Israel. He lived in Syria, Afghan and Kashmir under pseudonyms where he would be not traced by the Jews. And finally the Rozabal’s tomb in Kashmir. He succumbed to the inevitable just like any other mortal. With all due respect he said some fabulous statements on altruism for humanity. No offence to my Christian friends here, please By the way our brains are top class simulators. They can create anything from nothing, including unheard voices, non-existent visions, like apparitions, angels which are never there but then your brain through its consciousness creates it to satisfy your temporal lobes. Phantom limbs also mean that the brain still feels the pain of severed, nonexistent limbs. It’s the best thing our genes have evolved through 4 billion years and in the near distant future our genes will create much better physical bodies to go for a long time through better levels of awareness, and through genomics immortality is there in the taking. Sampath: Ramki, you are so scientific yet you believe in the Rozabal story? By the way, if you thought Jesus could have been saved from death by his apostles, you have missed reading about the Romans and their tyrannical ways. By the way, there is no dispute that Jesus died in the cross. I can go on and on about it as I live close to Rome and the Vatican. The shroud of Turin is as fake as a Chinese Samsung! As far as genes are concerned, the information passed on in the genes is immortal. Nothing else. It is just a means to continue and develop the process of creation. To keep the chain from breaking. It is fundamental in the progress of Consciousness. The material link. Take the gene out and everything collapses. Evolution and Consciousness. Ramki, if the gene is in the centre of your pursuit of creation, then you must tell me how the gene or the products of the genes came to life? If you can answer this question then I bow down to you.

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Once upon a time there was nothing. Then the Big banged; then came matter /energy. Then came life. Then came Consciousness. Nothing. Matter. Life. Consciousness. These are 4 pivotal moments in creation. Independent entities that was infused from outside. Sampath: Science CANNOT explain these moments. Evolution cannot be explained. There is a fallacy. I have intensely discussed this with a 70 year old Professor of anthropology. He is a genius. He can answer anything in evolution, except the question: How did the amino acids in the primordial soup start organizing themselves? How did that lead to life? He says that time will answer that too. Then I ask…can we then say evolution is an incomplete theory, or rather, a false theory till then? He says I don’t want to answer that question. I only know what I know. There cannot be an Atheistic evolution. The Theistic evolution concept is what I believe in. Darwin himself acknowledged this in his 2nd edition of the Origin of Species. He said all beings descended from some primitive form INTO WHICH GOD BREATHED LIFE. Aayeena: SAMPATH instead of finding and questioning our origin why don’t you engage yourself and find or invent something new. Just a thought. Sampath: Aaeeyna…only if you insist; only for you. Ramki: You forgot about “tholins,” Sampath. The carbon, hydrogen, methane and ammonia of the primitive earth,which form organic hydrocarbons,struck by lightning to create the replicators which are the ancestors of the present DNA. The present Martian soil has what is known as montmorillonite clay which itself causes oxidation and respiration (evidence- Viking 2 of NASA) yes without any evidence of any viable life as of yet, our primitive earth soil was of that sort. These formed the precursors for the replicators and the rest is evolution, mutation and natural selection. As for Jesus, I am skeptical about all the messiah of all the religions. Only science and evidence for me with the altruistic part of all religions. Maybe your prof didn’t not know quite enough. Sampath: By The Way.…I am a part of a group of surgeons/researchers working on finding a molecular cure for paragangliomas. We have finished phase I. We just got a grant for phase II animal trials. We have

• 284 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra tied up with Sloan Kettering for phase II. Phase III is drug trial in animals. Phase IV is human trial. If all goes well I will have some breaking news in the next one year. At the same time I have found faults with the Pittsburgh classification for malignancies of the temporal bone which I published in the Current Opinion. If all goes well I will have my own classification. Ramki: Quoting Philip Johnson of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles “evolution is the liberation of humanity from the false belief that his destiny is not his hands and in the hands of some higher power.” Aayeena: You are a genius Sampath…we have high hopes from you. Sampath: The broth theory is proved to be false. Ramki: That’s the problem. Nobody should be forced into some theories. What you have is DNA. Believe it. Sampath: But tell me Ramki…how did a few molecules organize themselves into an RNA…which then started ‘living’? How can you explain it? Who programmed the nucleic acids to replicate? How does oxidation become synonymous with respiration and how does respiration become synonymous with life? Sampath: By The Way, I’m happy to announce that my 50th pub med indexed article just got accepted for publication. In 6 months it will be indexed in pub med, so all 50 of them will be online and indexed. That’s the highest by any ENT surgeon of MY AGE…(as far as I know…in the world). Including non indexed it reaches close to 60. I have published in all leading ENT and some Neurosurgery journals. I also have 1 Thieme textbook and 4 chapters in international textbooks, editors of which are people whom we grew up in ENT reading. Paperella, Meyers, Laszig. Ramki: Kudos Sampath for your skull base surgery. Pallavi: Wow. Ramki: I wish I had a recording of the primitive earthly conditions and the replicator generation. It’s unbelievably true,Sampath. Perfect self casting by the one galactic hydrogen…in other, in fact the GOD IS the HYDROGEN-REPLICATOR DUO present in and out of the Big Bang creating and destroying as they please.

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Sampath: Out of the bang? What is out of the bang? By the way tell me…if this world is a closed system, entropy will remain constantly disorganised. Remain at the peak of disorder. For organization to occur inside a CLOSED system, energy must be lost. How come the entire universe is getting organized.…Lesser entropy? Where is the energy going out to? If there are 2 bodies kept next to one another, one with 10 degree temperature and another with 30 degrees went great does not flow from 10 to 30 making it 5 and 35? Who made these rules? Aachi: Waking state. All knowledge pertaining to the world is will not reveal Truth. Where worldly knowledge ends, there the Self shines. Ramki: What holds the RNA together? Why doesn’t it just dissipate? Why don’t WE dissipate? Who laid the rules? Aachi: Do we debate in all states. Why only this state? Why don’t we debate in deep sleep? Where do ‘we’ go then? And from where do ‘we’ arise? The illusion of the Mind happens only in Waking and dream but not in deep sleep. We think we are but we are not What Is IS! The Void Knows not anything Everything known hence is illusion. Sampath: Yes Aachi, It could be. But it will make sense only when we find out way there. The journey is as exciting as the destination. By discussing all possibilities we are unraveling the mystery but by bit so that everything eventually makes sense. Hence these specific arguments are necessary. By The Way, we are yet sure only of the things we discuss here, the journey, not the destination, which is still unknown. We don’t know if it’s a void! My take on creation is that it must be real; for us at least. I don’t believe that this is a figment of our imagination. There had to be something real out there. Not just void. Need not be solid but real. If by void you mean materially void I agree. That’s a distinct possibility, not in our dimension but in another which we cannot perceive with our limited abilities.

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Ramki: The universe is a high entropy state with increasing disorder. Within the high entropy state, there are low entropy condensations like our bodies, but that is the nature of it. Sampath, you just reiterated that there is no HE and now you are self contradicting. First decide for yourself. You said “the dice is cast and matter organizes,” again self contradictory, make up your mind. No too much of A’s and C’s and mental jugglery. The randomness of the creation here and the events at large explains the spontaneity of everything. Why is there many craters in the moon and other moons of other planets.,? (initial planetary random collisions), an Antarctican expedition found a clinching piece of material supposedly originated from mars during the initial collision atmosphere of the planets. Why so much of collision and randomness? Why galaxies are hurling towards each other if not for randomness? Why sulphuric acid rains in Venus? Why liquid hydrogen in Jupiter? It’s just because that’s the way it is, just happened to be!!! Just feel the randomness and enjoy you time here!! Don’t think too much into abstraction! Sampath: Anything solid is low entropy state. Anything living is very low entropy state. Are you saying more planets are being formed or more planets are falling apart, Ramki. If you want to understand my theory you will spend some time with it. I did not say there is no God. My God is 100% Consciousness. No matter…no anything ever created. There is no void too as Aachi suggested…in the very end. There is a material void but not in terms of Consciousness. There is a difference. You will come around to my theory. You must. You have no choice. Because I see you going through the same steps that I took to reach to this point. By the way Ramki, do you say there is a creator or not? Is there a He? If so, where is He what are his features? If I was happy with the creation, the randomness and if I was happy enjoying my time I would not be in this group. A Seeker is a seeker. He is not happy till he knows. Science gives you limited answers. Immediate answers. But what’s the bigger picture. Why all this? Why are we here? Is this it? Is there a way out? If so where does the way out lead to? These issues cannot be addressed by science. Science only explains what is in front of you. What you perceive. Not that you cannot perceive.

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Science cannot explain what Black Hole is. Once it is perceived science explains it. If you see God, science will have an explanation. But the God is ever elusive. Peek-a-boo. Aachi: Are we Conscious in all states is what I am asking Are we aware? Do we have awareness in deep sleep? Why? Awareness of being should be continuous The very fact that we are not aware of Deep Sleep tells us that we are confusing awareness with ego perception = science = theories etc. True Awareness does not know anything It is hence referred as Void.

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Nishant:

अपनी आवाज की लर्जश पे तो काब ू पा लो। प्यर के बोल तो होठⴂ से निकल जात े हℂ।। अपने तेवर तो संभालो कि कोई ये न कहे। की दिल बदलत े हℂ तो चेहरे भी बदल जात े हℂ।।

Pallavi: Nishant…so lovely…The epic…Jagjit Singh. we have waited enough for your masterpiece. When r u unveiling it? Aachi: Masterpiece? Nishant: Her way of encouraging me to paint Aachi: Ok. Pallavi: May the wisdom mind fill up the tapestry of your painting with magical and myriad colors of love… Pallavi: This summer… Let the joy explode into a frenzy of colors that amaze. Nishant: Yaar ye consciousness n awareness ke chakkar mein dimag ka dahi ho gaya…warna hum bhi aadmi the Kuchh kaam ke! Jokes apart… it’s amazing how well read and as a corollary tormented the 2 souls would have been at some point in their lives. I find it inexpressible! Pallavi: Nishant, Why don’t you spill their restlessness on canvas? Paint the town red. Sampath: Aachi. Sleep is a very important phenomenon in spirituality. The difference between meditation and sleep: 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

The first attempt at meditation generally ends in sleep. My granny, my mom, my kids felt SLEEPY at the first few attempts at meditation. The fundamental difference is this. In sleep, your mind thinks of nothing. In meditation too the mind thinks of nothing or just one thing. The ONLY difference is that the 5 senses which are shut during sleep are completely open and all guns blazing in meditation. If your senses were functioning during sleep it would be a state of meditation. The final state of meditation is when you WILFULLY shut your senses. Here you are EXACTLY in your state of sleep with a thoughtless mind and closed senses but having achieved it VOLUNTARILY, you have MASTERY of your senses, while in sleep it is involuntary, hence without mastery over senses. When people become sleepy,I am happy because I see progress. I am at least certain that meditation is calming the mind, ridding it of the innumerable thoughts that flash across it. So all I have to work on is to home the mind to rev up A. That comes when all the parameters of A are fulfilled. Focus, love (or wanting to meditate on something), surrender, obsession AND emptiness of the mind. Why go to this state in meditation? Because only when you are completely QUIET will you hear/feel, for the first time, a PURE (C) manifestation of God which is your own life form. Now you must realize how wonderful the system of creation is. We are PROGRAMMED to keep our mind empty everyday, meditate everyday! So you have been practicing meditation since day 1. Every single creature with C has been! You are already an expert having worked on it for decades. You just need to try doing it voluntarily. What is the investment? Zero. No fancy gadgets. If fact you disinvest. Just sit down and leave the WORLD behind. That’s why I keep insisting that it is as easy and natural as a fish learning to swim. If you work on meditation as a textbook procedure you will get caught up in knots. Why? Because you start BELIEVING, expecting results… anxious, wary, sceptic. All these are thoughts too. Beliefs. Your mind will not be a clean slate. If you get the basics right and just let go… Surrender…you will swim. Yesterday me, my wife, and daughter, Aadhya were meditating on Preenayamo Vasudevam and Bhaja Govindam. I told Aadhya to think

• 290 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra of ONLY the song and sit ABSOLUTELY still. In 10 minutes Aadhya fell asleep and we continued. I was happy with the result. Because I knew that she…Aadhya…ATTEMPTED to think of just one thing. And she was absolutely sitting still. Aayeena: I will try today. Sampath: Why mastery over your senses? Because the only thing that separates you from the Creator (yourself) are the distractions provided by the 5 senses. You are bang in the middle of the BEST MIND FOCUS GAME EVER MADE. He or she who fights all the worldly inputs that you get from your 5 senses to find your life force wins. Sampath: Aaeeyna. I will warn you that the only reason to get into this will be to Seek. An effort with any other intention will make it just another concentration exercise. There are plenty of them on the Internet. Even that is beneficial because it is a part of Seeking. Aayeena: No intention, Sampath. Sampath: So the level that you reach depends on your desperation to Seek. If your intention is to become brainy, the help you get from the other side is limited to the point that you become brainy. If you want to unravel yourself more, the only intention must be to Seek. Aayeena: I have enough brains Sampath…I need rest. Sampath: No intention is good Aaeeyna. However no intention must not be no motivation. You must want. Not to become superman. But just to Seek. Rest will follow. Sampath: However my warning was not to begin this journey with a motive. But only with motivation. Aayeena: I understand Ramki: Enough to this “seeking.” Plain and easy formula guys: “live your life to the fullest.” Sampath: Ramki, we all have been blessed with the best of life. If we did not want more than what we have why are we discussing here? If we are not troubled why are we here? Ramki: No point discussing non-evidential existential mentations. I cannot waste life just thinking about hypothetical super death states without any scientific basis. It’s all phantasmagoric

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Sampath: How do you know if you have not practiced it? It is like telling a scientist I don’t believe there is an atom because I have not seen it. Evidence? You believe in what Ramachandran or Segan ‘hypothesized’ but not when our spiritual Gurus did the same? Ramki: You are NOW sounding UNSCIENTIFIC. Talking about mentations which is just like I told you, The necker’s cube analogy; assumedly contemplating the same thing in various ways. We need evidence, Sampath; that is pure science. As for me evidential science is as good as nirvana as Einstein says. Read about the MENSA paper 2002 by Mr.Bull. Aachi: Sampath, I actually used to do this in college MBBS sometimes but my idea has changed Sampath: Most of science is one hypothesis replacing another. Aachi: Any effort to achieve this state through effort only glorifies the Mind. A void comes when I meditate such; answered the devotee “Who sees the Void?” asked Ramana Sampath: So if you were born in 1400 you would think earth is flat. In 1500 that the world was round. In 1900 that gravity was what kept the universe together. In 1920 that everything was Relative. In 1930s that the electron was either a wave or a particle. In 1940s that it was neither but a probability wave. In 2000 NO ONE WANTS TO GO THERE! Because it now sounds eerily similar to what was said 5000 years back! So somewhere there must be a connection. All roads lead to Rome. Aachi: My experience of meditation is limited. Whatever I have had, I have had through Grace. I understood one thing, Effort actually alienates US from OUR TRUE STATE. Sampath: My approach is to measure everything with the yardstick of logic. Not just science. If it satisfies my logic I will accept it. If people say there is heaven and hell I refuse to believe it. Aachi: But logic is an offshoot of the mind. You are trying to achieve through the Mind something which the Mind cannot grasp. At the most it will give you a good feeling inside but it will not lead to realization

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Sampath: Aachi…the error in your approach is that you have a deep belief in one theory. You get what you believe. If you meditate on void you get void. If you WANT to experience void you GET void. Remember that there is nothing possible without effort. Even for those who have meditated all their lives for a couple of births, in their new avatar they must put in the effort. It may be more fluent this time around but it is impossible to achieve anything effortlessly. If the creation exists logically and if at the beginning and end of creation is God…then we will all begin logically from God and end logically in Him. Nothing is magic except the magical creation. Aachi: The problem in my approach is I have no effort to put. Sampath: Ramki…please don’t stop at…enjoy life. It’s a waste of your talent. You have to, Aachi. Aachi: Whatever I have glimpsed is when I was totally effortless. Yes, effort needs to be put till one understands that effort cannot achieve it. Sampath: No one can discover you for you. Aachi: Then in that moment the soul surrenders and stops effort. Then the Rare State is achieved. Sampath: Surrender is a part of my formula too. But a PART of it. Not the whole. Aachi: Effort increases DOERSHIP and alienates one from God. Sampath: No. Effort shows inclination to get where you want. The doer ship dissolves when awareness A increases. The only way to end this game is to be more aware. No other way. The pinnacle of C is God. You have to work your way up the ladder. Even Shiva meditates Aachi!!!!! I forgot to tell you guys…the effect of meditation lasts for a couple of hours initially. Later on, the more you practice it, the longer it lasts and the easier it is to get there Aachi: Shiva meditates on whom? You mean Shiva also has 5 senses like us? See I am not deriding any path.

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All paths lead to God. If one is convinced about effort, meditation etc so be it. But I have known that the One is known Whence He Wills and not by any effort. If at all any effort required it is this. ‘Thy Will be done’ He who bears the burden of the Universe will bear the burden of our spiritual progress. Sampath: Shiva meditates to be on a particular state of connection to Reality. BECAUSE HE HAS 5 SENSES. He needs to overcome the inputs. If the burden of spiritual progress is on God why create in the first place? Why differentiate. In a broad sense everything will eventually culminate in Him. -The spiritual progress is indeed destined. But will you wait for your destiny to unfold or do something about it? Maybe doing itself is a part of your destiny. It is a defeatist attitude to assume that one has no control over proceedings. It is nihilistic. Aachi: Shiva is equated to Absolute in regular parlance. Defeatist attitude of which entity? Do effort,no doubt but do not feel that you are doing effort. It will suffice if you feel God is making me do this. This kills DOERSHIP. The Truth is we love glory. Anything which glorifies our EGO anything which makes us feel good inside and in society we love to do that. These are ego tricks. Let effort be renounced. Let the ego be shamed. Let one rely on Him Alone Sampath: Now we are in agreement. I have always maintained that effort has to be done without expecting tangible benefits. In fact the path is such that increased A takes care of your ego. You don’t have to do anything about it. By The Way, how to rely on Him alone if you don’t do anything to rely on Him?

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Aachi: There is a small story that I used to share with my Dad when I was a child. Sampath: Defeatist attitude that one had no control but to let Him do everything for us. Aachi: He said one should pray to God to protect the candle light from getting doused in the wind but one should protect it with cupped palms also The cupped palms is effort. Sampath: He is right. Aachi: Now comes my concept. I said if your reliance is sincere God will send no wind at all! No need for cupped hands. The problem is we FEEL we NEED to DO something. We are not content for letting things happen according to His Will. Reliance is the Supreme Path. Sampath: Ok. Then please tell me how to rely? How to go about it? Aachi: Renounce the feeling of DOERSHIP You can work but not desire the fruits of work - Sri Krishna in BG This is BASIC CONCEPT of India Sampath: For that I have to do something. I didn’t even begin…in your path. I’m waiting! I explained that statement yesterday very clearly. Coming back; What do I DO to rely? How do I go about relying on Him. For starters everyone relies on God. Aachi: Renunciation of DOERSHIP Let Thy Will be Done…is Reliance I will try… is effort Sampath: Do what Aachi? Just imagine that there is a layman who is troubled by his existence. What will you tell him? Aachi: Why should I tell Him? The Lord who gave him life and love will guide him.

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Sampath: Let go of Doership? He says ok. I will assume that I do not do my surgeries, it is God’s grace. I do not eat. It is God’s grace. There are so many people, Missionaries, priests, moral science teachers at school who say that. The layman follows and understands it. But what is next? Aachi, so you will tell him nothing? But you keep telling me here to quit Doership? Aachi: I am just sharing my thoughts with you. Pallavi: Surrender is a sequelae of Saadhna. The initial journey is effort and dedication, depending on the prarabhda. The soul graduates spontaneously to effortlessness. Both are phases. The journey through them both is equally beautiful. And there is a surprise visitor on this journey that can totally and instantly transform the saadhna to surrender and this mediation is called as “grace” which becomes available as the guru Sampath: Pallavi…the mind maybe tuned as a result of Prarabhda but the body is not. So effort to time the machine to take in the eventuality is a must. There is no born Yogi… Except maybe the Avatars.

Aachi: अयमेव अयमेव हि त े बन् समाधिमनतिष्ु सि– this is verily your bondage that you are practising the attainment of Samadhi.” Sampath: Aachi…now we are getting into PhD levels. But I’m ready for any length of discussion on this. Samadhi is the last vestige of bondage to the world. The edge from where is the Ultimate possible, comprehensible experience to man. We are talking about getting into Samadhi. From Samadhi only a fool or a very brave man can take a leap of faith. Samadhi is a state of perfectly stable and calm mind. It can be achieved by me and you. It has been achieved by many. From there, are steps that only a handful of people take. The shloka will take a new meaning when you practise it. Even after you leap to Self Realization from Samadhi levels, your bondage persists despite Self Realization.

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The ONLY time of the FINAL experience (Moksha) is when you leave the body; voluntarily or by natural process. Aachi: You need not leave body. You can just renounce the thought that you are body Sampath: That is THE end…the void…with 100% Consciousness and no material attachments. Aachi: It will suffice. This is Jeevanmuktha. Moksha while in body. Sampath: That is nothing but renouncing the thought that you are the body. A thought is different from an experience. Aachi: Who experiences it? It’s the ego. What is Ego? = Body Consciousness. Loss of Body bound Ego is Moksham…This is Jeevanmuktha. A Jeevanmuktha does not see anything that he is and anything that he is not. Sampath: A thought is not Jeevanmuktha. An experience is. Aachi: I said Renunciation of thought. That is Pure State. Sampath: I explained you the entire process, all the steps till the very end. Aachi: One day I lost all energy of thought…it happened suddenly… there was no effort. No thought rose in my being and I just was. I was Supremely Blissful, Cool, Infinite, Calm Sampath: Renunciation of thought is a meditative state. You cannot do it when you are running for instance. You have to sit down and work on it. It may come easily to some after that. That’s your belief Aachi. That’s not Jeevanmuktha. I can bet my life on this. It could be a momentary meditative state. A lot of things happen in meditation, as Ramki said, some are tricks some are treats. Meditation is a powerful science. Not to be taken lightly. Aachi: Belief is thought. But this was Aparokshanubhuti: Supreme Transcendental Perception without effort. It just happened in the middle of din of life. No meditation, no japa nothing…Just pure BEING Sampath: That is a culmination of an intense belief in something. You got want you subconsciously wanted.

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Aachi: Mithin was a dream and so too this Universe. What existed always was Me and I Alone Was. Sampath: To check yourself against the tricks of the mind, you must ask yourself what happened to you as a being after the experience. If it was just a state of mind that had nothing else to offer, dismiss it. Aachi: I don’t know what to name that state where no thought arose,no mind game… it was the transcended mind What happened to me? After that state Sampath: Anything that does not transform you, it is to be dismissed. Aachi: I realize more tangibly that I am Not. And He Alone is. Everything is His,Everything is Him. And I am a LIE Sampath: You experienced a philosophy. An idea. Aachi: A bundle of thoughts and desires of no consequence. Sampath: Experiencing a philosophy is different from experiencing the Unknown. Ramki: Aachi—The state of “fixed- motion.” “NIRVIKALPA samadhi.,” with conscious returning to the present state, where the subtlety of the mind merges into the infinititude of consciousness, the state of pure being, beyond the play of the opposites, beyond space, time, causality where you realize that your own existence is in a state of eternal flux, you are all the perfect entity springing forth the cosmos from the repertoire of the consciousness powerhouse from your impending self. Right Aachi!!! Aachi: Ramki great words. Neha: Whoa!! I just love your thoughts guys!! Such different streams of thoughts and philosophies to reach out for the answers! Amazing! Simply superb! Love you all a lot. Aachi: Did I experience a philosophy? But ‘I’ was not. Sampath: Right Aachi and Ramki. Now think of this philosophy, believe in it, feel it in your bone and keep your thought on the philosophy. You will CREATE it for yourself.

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Guys please be careful here. If you are a true Seeker please move forward. I only wish the best for all of you. I am not here to prove anything. I have fortunately got what I wanted. Aachi: As long as there is a seeker there is something which is sought. Stop searching…The Mind gets easily transcended. We all will get what we want. Japa, meditation etc are all excellent paths. I never deride any pathway at the cost of another What I said is no matter what path we take, we achieve the Supreme Pallavi: There is neither ‘engaging-in-work’ nor ‘abstaining-from-it’ for me who am always the same and without parts. How can that which is One, complete, and infinite like the sky, ever strive? Verse 503. Vivekchudamani This paraphrase from the great work of the master supports aachi’s theory of effortlessness. Sampath: I have always maintained that one has to believe NOTHING. One has to experience life only, nothing else. I keep giving you the example of the embryo’s experience. There are many steps from there on. 1st is to attain Samadhi. That’s when you get lost in the calmness of your mind. After that there are more steps that can make or break you. Aachi: Sampy, you trust self effort to reach Him and I depend on Him to take me to Him. In the end, both of us will anyway meet there. Pallavi: Prerna…how alive and dead are u after sadhguru’s rendezvous? I guess you are back after your 10 day back to back advanced programmes at the aashram. Prerna: Hello guys. Back after BSP (bhav spandana programme) and shoonya programme at Isha aashram,Coimbatore. Guys, Sadhguru, I just bow down to him. I don’t get carried away by people, but Sadhguru… It’s been an emotional and physical roller coaster for the past 10 days, in fact I wanted to run away during the second program, but somehow I stayed and in the end just to discover. This is it.

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Pallavi, plan to go for Shoonya…it’s worth every muscle that creaks in your body. Pallavi: Prerna, your bones…which one is intact? Prerna: All…Pallavi, You think BSP is tough. You must try Shoonya then. Pallavi: Ok. Great. I am neither prepared yet, nor enough in seeking it. Prerna: Never once did I have the thought of running away…except during shoonya. But its worth it…Just seek it. Pallavi: I had told you, Sadhguru will feed on you. Prerna: Exactly. Pallavi: I am happy for you Prerna. Lots of love. Prerna: Thank u so much sweetheart. May you always be blessed. Vishu: Wow Prerna. Very happy for you. Well done. Prerna: Thanx vishu. Aachi: What is Shoonya like Or BSP? What do they make you do? Prerna: It’s a emotional and physical roller coaster Aachi: Ok… Prerna: It’s like crazy! Aachi: What happens? Prerna: And then when u come out finally… Something changes within you. BSP is bhava spandan. Aachi: I mean is it Paranayam Yoga etc. Prerna: U go through a rigorous protocol to actually break ur barriers. BSP is an experiential program. Aachi: Mysterious words Prerna but kuch tho batao Hotha kya hai??? Kya karrathae hain? Prerna: Shoonya is a mix of pranayam called shaktichalan Kriya and shoonya meditation. Aachi, we are not supposed to divulge details about programme. Aachi: Ok. I understood. Like Kriya Yoga? Prerna: But it’s worth it…then u continue ur Sadhna…Yes, can say. But it involves an initiation process by the Guru.

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Aachi: Yes these are initiation kriyas. They are yogic sadhanas aimed to awaken the Kundalini Shakthi. Prerna: The basic shambhavi mahamudra has to be continued. Prerna: Not only kundalini. It’s said that adiyogi…Shiva…described 112 kriyas to attain the Truth out of which 111 are Kriya yoga and only 1 is shoonya i.e non kriya. So shatkichalan and shambhavi are kind of Kriya yoga but shoonya is no kriya. The best thing about Shiva is…he is not perfect!! He is a family man on one hand, an ascetic on the other. He is all extremes! If you see, he is the only one to whom devils also come for help and Gods too. He is a reminder to one and all that u can transcend your boundaries wherever you are, if you are willing. Pallavi: Wow. Prerna: Also there is no right. no wrong, don’t judge…just experience. Pallavi: Every morning Sadhguru explodes me. Prerna: I am sure. He touches life of millions, in the most beautiful way. We are Lucky to be in an era when Sadhguru is here. Pallavi: These days…I am basking in my renewed reiki connection. Prerna: Great. It’s new and absolute love. Pallavi: So.reiki and sadhguru both balance me well. Mother and father…one is soft and the other is strict. Lessons are the same. Prerna: For years I have been searching… From reiki to karuna reiki to rajyoga…but since Sadhguru…I have just found my way. Pallavi: And then there is Ramana to go to when both get too much. Prerna: First time I feel now I have to go deeper. Pallavi: Great; The trinity of my life. Prerna: I am happy where I am with Sadhguru now. Pallavi: Great! Prerna: But great Pallavi, u can manage so many things. Syam: Guys, Surprised to see more than 200 messages waiting to be read on this group!

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I am happy at the same time. I will read them tomorrow. Happy for Prerna. Keep it going. I attended Inner engineering program by Sadhguru himself for 2 full days in Hyderabad 3years ago. It was good. Had fever the day after. Pallavi: Being managed. I have become jobless now. Pallavi: Guys, let’s keep mauna for 24 hrs. What say? All the volunteers can please raise their hands. It will give us some time to assimilate. 6: 00 pm IST today unto 6pm tommorow. Let’s be in mauna, we might be force feeding each other realizations that have not happened to us; we must pace down a bit. Thamba guys…please… Aachi: Couldn’t resist this. What disappears when you say its name? Aachi: Answer. We have time till 6 PM. Ramki: Great Pallavi, aachi. Aachi: Answer is SILENCE. Sampath: I’m game. Mauna it is! No one in this group is Realized, this in 100% sure!!! Pallavi: We all are SAMPATH. Don’t know about realization but what’s app has got us all. This mauna will help us detach from what’s app too. Neha: I need that. I meant I need what Pallavi is saying. Pallavi: Neha, detach from needing. Neha: I want my wings back. Pallavi: So snatch them back. Pallavi: Free will is ours. No one should be seen typing after 6 minutes please. Pallavi: 6 to 6 tom Sampath: One more thing. I know one SR (self realization) guy closely. What he said corroborated with what many masters have also disclosed. SR takes at least a few lifetimes of meditation!!!! So please don’t delude yourself into believing that you are SR. You may with years of meditation attain a state of Samadhi. But who knows if you are lucky to have been on this track for a couple of lifetimes now. In which case your efforts will

• 302 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra fructify faster…a decade perhaps of meditation. You will know how deep your water is only if you get your feet wet this time too. It does take a couple of lifetimes to clean yourselves of the habits of your ancient (Ramki’s) genes. Pallavi: freeze! Its 6 PM. Bye.love and light. Sampath: With this I leave you all in peace! Ramki: SAMPATH He he! I have already attained the innermost peace through ADVAITHA, GENOMICS (the factual presence in us of the ever present ancestory), astronomy, quantum mechanics, meditation and zeitgeist each complimenting the other. But as I reiterate you have to work it out yourself. Adios Amigos. Prerna: Hi its 6pm guys!! WE ARE BACK AFTER SILENCE OF 24 HOURS. Himanshu: I don’t get time enough but would love to read Ramki and Sampy’s stuff as a book on one of my long flights…all by myself with no interruptions. Aayeena: I read the first and last sentence usually. Make up the rest myself. Pallavi: Beware of what u ask for…Himanshu. Himanshu: I mean it…anytime now…time permitting…want to read Geeta. Nishant: Food for thought…what did Buddha realize under the bodhi tree? Any ideas? Pallavi: Only love. Neha: This world is an illusion. Aachi: When a man was plucking flowers to worship God, Sri Ramakrishna felt the pain of the flowers and rebuked him saying ‘Why do you pluck flowers to worship Him Whom the entire Cosmos worships? ‘ The man realized that all flowers actually adorn the Virat. Since then he used fallen flowers only to worship the Lord.

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Neha: मंदिर मᴂ फू ल चढ़ कर आए तो यह एहसास हुआ की… पत㔥रⴂ को मनाने मᴂ, फू लⴂ का कत् कर आए हम गए थे गनाहⴂु की माफ़ माँगने… वहाँ एक और गनाहु कर आए हम ।। Nishant:

त ू खदु ा है, न मेरा इश् फरिश्ⴂ जैसा। दोनⴂ इन्सा हℂ तो क्,यू इतनी हिजाबⴂ मे िमले�। अबके हम िबछड ़ तो शायद, कभी ख्वाⴂ मᴂ िमले�। िजस तरह सखू े हुए फू ल,किताबⴂ मᴂ िमले�।। Neha: Wow Nishant! Neha: Hey, can we grow a common spiritual seed for today? Aachi: Meaning? Neha: Something we do spiritually on our own, but we all do or follow that together. Let’s take “AUM” Do something about it… Meditate, paint it, sketch it, read about it, write it, understand it…do whatever u want with this “AUM.” Aachi: Ok,Aum for today. I will meditate on Aum. Neha: Ok. Done. AUM for today. Folks focus on AUM please. Syam: Thanks Neha. You guys are so inspirational. It is very difficult to find such a group of sincere seekers. Neha, why not modify it to chanting OM with sincerity at least 108times today? Neha: That’s a great idea Syam. Let’s do that- Chanting of Om. Here it’s like all our individual positive energy gets amplified. Pallavi: AUM. Vishu: Another thing I wanted to share guys. I am going to Singapore as a volunteer for a course organized by Sadhguru himself. Can’t wait to see him.

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Aachi: Sorry to sound pompous but I am not seeking anything. Neha: That’s awesome Vishu. Aachi: I have given myself up to Guru. No seeking now only abiding His Will. All the best Vishu!!! Vishu: Thanks friends. Pallavi: Vishu…you are blessed. Neha: The more my life is un ravelling, the more I feel convinced that everything is predestined. Nothing is my hands, nothing at all. Or maybe I am wrong. It’s my thoughts changed into actions that are carving out my destiny. But then who put those thoughts inside me in the very first place. Sampath: Nothing is predestined. You have full control of everything. You can achieve anything you want. That’s the first step. To believe that you can. Aachi: Make an apple sprout from an orange tree. Let the Sun rise from West. Sampath: The first step is to live in the moment; To stop living in the future, past or your fantasies. Live in NOW. Enter your car. Notice 5 things in the car you have never noticed before. Walk down a familiar street. Notice 10 things you have never noticed before. Go home. See 2 things in each room that you have never noticed before. Keep doing this every now and then. Realize how much you have made a habit of subconsciously chattering to yourself. 24×7×365; completely useless chatter. How much you have done a habit of not living in the moment. The definition of living in the moment is to SOLELY focus on what you are doing, without a single other thought. It happens to you during those rare moments when something CATCHES your attention. It can be a moment of happiness, sadness or inspiration. We want more of such focused moments.

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After a couple of days we can start focusing. You will know that A is different than simply focusing. Focus, love (involvement), surrender, obsession and emptiness…must all happen in one moment. Neha: Sampath, that’s what! Who puts this “want” into my head? Who gives this direction? Aachi: Totally agree with you about living in now. Sampath: Aachi…a child has to be born first to walk. You are talking about running.…@orange, sun. Nothing is impossible. Sampath: Neha…YOU!! YOU put it. You put everything; Uncontrollably. Now learn to control. Step by step. Every moment try to stop your running mind. Stop thinking and start living in the moment. Thoughtless. Just experience the moment. For a moment. Then for 10 seconds. Then a while minute. Thoughtless. Just experiencing what you are doing. FOCUS. Don’t even think that you are succeeding in this exercise. Get lost in the moment. SURRENDER. We accomplished 2 attributes of A. Neha: May be. In that case, you put the power, a lot of power in one’s hands! With the power, ego will soon follow. Anyway, I will try to live in the moment as you suggested. Aachi: Spiritual experience is nothing but living in Now for there are no thoughts of Past, Present and Future. Sampath: God, the path to God is nothing but powerful. You MUST become powerful. You have no choice. Here is where Aachi’s logic comes. Just don’t think you are doing it. But don’t worry…by then the process will take care of it. If you follow the steps carefully. Aachi: It’s just a Pure State of Being. Neha: By the way, Sampath, that is the best way to work- surrender while working. Just experience the joy of work. Focus only on work and not the consequences. Sampath: You will lose the ego, Neha…don’t worry.

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Aachi: When you realize NOTHING happens because and by you your Ego falls shattered and insulted never to rise again. This is Freedom or Moksha. Total belief that NOTHING happens by me is very important Sampath: Yes. But we still have not put love, obsession and stillness into play! Neha: Hmm… Need to contemplate on this Sampath: Once you have all attributes in play…you then have to crank it up! There’s so much to go. It will take years! Pallavi: SAMPATH… You talk of being in the now and BEING IS NIRVANIC… SO NIRVANA IS NOW. Sampath: Yes……but unless it is experienced, it will fall away. There’s a difference between theory and experience. The biggest risk is to experience the theory rather than experience it. It is…car, street, room, house, life, NOW! Pallavi: Experience is a gift of grace. It cannot come by mere seeking. One can only prepare oneself through Saadhna…and keep the doors and windows open…patiently waiting. Sampath: You’ll take a few weeks to master living in the now…for minutes…a few months to live in the now for a few hours. You’ll take years to learn to increase your awareness in the now for a few minutes. Few decades to sustain it for hours. Few lifetimes to be…what?…Nothing.…100%C (Consciousness) “Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle is one of the best books I have read. If any of you didn’t read it, please order it now. Amazing book! Not religious but very spiritual. It is a simple concept but not easy to follow as we are so used to our minds chattering in the background. While doing meditation every day, it was much easier. I missed doing meditation for over a month and now struggling to keep my mind focused in the NOW. I started meditating regularly and slowly things are falling back into place. It’s amazing

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Syam: Agree with Vishu. Eckhart Tolle’s “Power of Now” is amazing book. I have recommended this book to many people. Anyone who want to read about Living in the moment has to read this book. His next book “A new earth” is not so inspirational. Prerna: Guys…one thing for sure for the group…we are all seekers in the true sense!! Pallavi: Ramki…can u explain what is SAYUJYA mukti. U had mentioned it earlier.thanx. Aachi: Sayujya was a female yogini from ancient India. Her form and colour were sensual and men used to dream about her. Once a great Rishi called Druvanpu fell in love with her and in an act of indulgence lost all powers of penance. Sayujya gradually left him as she got bored frequently and this left the Rishi heart broken Druvanpu cursed her saying that she too will long for someone as he did. After a few years seeing her arrogance Lord Sri Narayana decided to teach her a lesson. He came to her in the firm of Rishi Devarupa Form Sayujya became infatuated with His Beauty and fell in Love with Him Sampath: Living in the now is not nirvana. The highest experience of living in the now is nirvana. Highest A (Awareness) in the now. Aachi: Devarupa and Sayujya lived together in an ashram together. They were very happy One day suddenly Devarupa disappeared Sayujya became stunned and depressed at His absence and went searching madly for Him. She became so mad that people who loved her form took her for an urchin and avoided her. With clothes and hair in disarray, Sayujya finally took refuge in prayer to Sriman Narayana to help unite her with Devarupa Taking pity on her the Lord appeared and gave her darshan as Devarupa

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While she was overjoyed the Lord reminded how she had cheated many such souls in arrogance of her beauty Sayujya realised her folly and asked forgiveness Knowledge dawned on her The Lord smiled and forgave her. Purified with thought of the Lord Sayujya merged into Sri Narayana and became one with Him. This is SAYUJYA mukti Bhagavatham 3rd Chapter Eigth Canto Pallavi: Thanx aachi…for sharing the illumination Aachi: It was all Bull shit! I just made up that story. I don’t know anything about Sayujya Mukti Just played along! Pallavi: Ok. Thanks. The storyteller! Sampath: That’s the most brilliant piece of bull shit I have come across. Ramki: Pallavi, “SAYUJYA MUKHTI” means merging into the radiance of The Lord (creator) i.e the individual consciousness melting into the supreme, i.e to the formless existence as in Vivekachudamani. Adi Sankara makes a statement “kva gatam, kena va nitam, Kutra Lina mitam jagat,adhinaiva maya drishtham, nasti Kim mahaadbhutham “ The self realised exclaims,” where is this universe, where has it dissolved, I just saw it a few moments ago, now it has just vanished, what a big wonder”!! Merging into the source of galactic hydrogen, the force which sets things in the GOLDILOCKS ZONE for creation and evolution to happen. Pallavi: Bhagwan took away my story telling skills. There was a time when I believed…that the word was all mighty and could change the destinies of mankind.soon after arunachala… everything changed The vocabulary is there…but the voice fails me now. I delight in our conversations but can’t speak much…there is no judgement or speculation about the multitude of discussions that happen here…everything only IS.

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It’s like one is travelling in a moving vehicle…the sights on either side are witnessed…and that’s all. they make no impressions…they are accepted, embraced and one keeps on with the travel… Sampath: impossible is a word that exists till someone does it. Till you do it. If you can’t do something, see someone else will. You just fritted away the chance that was given to you to be the best something. In time, things are always done. Overcome. How is it that one could and one couldn’t? It’s nothing physical isn’t it? We all come with (practically) the same tools isn’t it? Awareness is the key to realizing your hidden potential. I still can’t get all the lines of Preenayamo whereas my daughter learnt it in just a couple of weeks. It’s a very difficult song. So I challenged myself. I increased A (Awareness) and focused it on the song. I could only learn the song when I revved up my awareness. There are steps to climb; More to explore in myself. What stops you from living in the moment? Your thoughts. Where do your thoughts come from? The world around you. How do you experience the world around you? Through your 5 senses. So what stands between you and your hidden potential? Your 5 senses. So to experience the best of your awareness you MUST EVENTUALLY shut your 5 senses voluntarily. Samadhi. Syam: I kind of agree with both of you on destiny. Agree with Neha that a majority of the big aspects of life can be destined… With what authority can I say that? Firstly, from reading Andrew Bloomfield’s book and BV Venkatraman’s book on his experiences with astrology. Secondly, from my own experience.Anyone who is a doubter can just go to any website that gives free kundli charts. Check out when your “mahadasa” has changed or your near ones’ mahadasa changed. It usually changes around a decade and decade and half depending on the ruling planet. You will be surprised invariably the person’s life would have taken a big change during that time.

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Had there been no destiny, I strongly feel that many of us would have never thought/ impressed/ studied so much on spirituality given our completely different priorities/ambitions for major part of our lives (until recent years). Don’t know if you have heard of nadi leaves in Tamil Nadu town called Vaideeswaran Koil. They have leaves written about people in kalayuga written by rishis thousands of years ago. if you go to the right people in that town.(there are many bogus ones), if they find the right leaf, they can rightly tell you your date of birth, your profession, name, parents name, major events in life as if they had seen you from childhood.very shocking and thought provoking… How could a rishi a few thousands of years ago write about Syam, his personal and professional life as if he wrote the program and Syam will execute. Sampath, if there is no destiny; life should go more or less according to how we plan… And it seldom does. Almost never in my case! Now, can we change our destiny? Answer is yes. How? BEST is through Guru’s intervention (Gurus of highest order not the ones we have these days). Can quote various examples from Shirdi Sai/ Swami Rama/ Satya Sai/ Nityananda of Ganeshpuri/ Master CVV’s lives as how they could change the destinies of their believers. Sometimes even bringing the dead back to life. The known vedic astrologers – Andrew Bloomfield and BV Raman also said that they had seen many cases where with sheer determination and grit there were many cases where people got more than what they were destined…but it is usually an uphill task. where is it is very easy and nature provides for circumstances if it is destined How else can we change destiny? Through prayers. Again documented in several books – one by a psychiatrist who had NDE & also in Laws of spirit world, a book by a Mumbai parsi. There are also several proponents of kriya yoga these days who also vouch that you can change your destiny through kriya yoga.Logic: you are erasing your past karmas through kriyas. Now as you erase your past karmas,their effect on current destiny decreases… Aachi: My God this group is so knowledgeable! I know not all this! Neha: I always wonder… Who or what brought us together here in this group? People like all of us are so very different… Some of us never even

• 311 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution interacted during the KMC times. And we all are here together talking and discussing our knowledge and experiences in the field of Spirituality + Science+ Philosophy + Religion. It’s amazing. Pallavi: Ramki, what is goldilocks zones? Gurus grace can erase karma. Shyam, The maha dasa u mentioned is similar to what is taught in the surya kriya practise by sadhguru. The solar cycles influence our karmic structure and cause repetitive patterns to happen every 12.5 years. by tapping into surya kriya…we can make these cycles shorter and hence free ourselves from karmic blueprint Sampath: Syam, there is no destiny from YOUR point of you. There is a destiny for you from the CREATOR’S point of you. Destiny derives from the word ‘destination’. In the true meaning of the word your journey is predetermined. This is clear in the journey that your atoms have undertaken over the last billion years. YOU and not the atoms in Mars were destined to be Conscious. You are destined to spiritually evolve as that is your natural destination. There is no enigma here. No magic. It is scientific. If you put a lot of iron atoms in a magnetic field, one by one all of are destined to be magnetized. A few may escape in the beginning but eventually everyone falls in line. Everything in this world is destined to move towards SR. That’s why nothing created is happy where it is. The earth despite its visible stability is burning itself out. So is the Sun. So are we. We are inherently ‘unhappy’ so to speak. We are destined to move towards SR. Some journeys are fast and some of them take a longer route… like the atoms. The routes can be shortened by SR gurus who are capable of simply bringing you on track. They also have the power to manipulate certain aspects of nature to help you. From your point if view, you have no destiny. You have only Karma and it’s effects. I’ll explain this. Syam: You have beautifully redefined destiny… As the nature creating circumstances in one’s path to go closer to SR(self realization)

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Awesome. Aachi: Yes, God/Guru can change destiny. It’s like Sri Krishna making the arrow which was supposed to have beheaded Arjuna only hit his helmet by pushing the chariot into the ground Sampath: Syam you said your life does not go according to your plans. Is it destiny? Let’s analyze this. The things that happen in your life is a product of all the things that you do, people around you do, people around you did in the past, animals (including bacteria) around you do and the product of the Karma of the physical movements of the celestial bodies (I’m not talking of astrology but just the earth and Mars, for instance, moving at thousands of kilo metres). So you think things are working or not working ONLY because you see the summated results of all these things. I mean if you reach your workplace today it is because of the result of YOUR Karma (action) to move towards that place, the result of the karma of your forefathers who created you in the first place, result of the Karma of the fellow in the street who decided NOT to cross the street as your car was zooming past, Karma of the meteor that decided NOT to strike the earth today, Karma of the bacteria that decided NOT to infect you today to give you a fever. Imagine the N number of things the actions of whose Karma are intertwined with yours. Aachi: Sri Nannagaru defines this incident as Gurus Love for disciple so that he can attain SR (self realization) Syam: Sampy and Aachi, I agree with both of you. Sampath: Hence it is said that the effects of Karma cannot be computed in simple terms. There is individual Karma, family Karma, there is community Karma…etc etc. If you are born into a community of people who are hard working, like the Japanese, you become hard working. That’s the deepest meaning of Krishna’s ‘Karmanyevadikarste…’ There are loads to write on Karma. It’s fascinating. So the million dollar question is HOW TO NEUTRALISE KARMA?

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To understand this one has to understand Karma. Karma is just the result of your action and the effect of the results of the actions of things and people around you. Do you have a baggage of past Karma? What do you think? Actually yes and no. YES because your genes are the Karma of the past. The old habits and things that our forefathers did, beginning from the first particle created from the big bang that is in you did… yes ;you are ancient, as old as big bang… these genes determine you. The past determines your actions. Not just you. If you have a genetic problem…say allergy…that affects your actions. NO because what notion we have about we having a bank of good and bad Karma and a Keeper who will keep an account of it…IS SIMPLY WRONG. Aachi: https: //youtu.be/S9rkhf2TAXs Sampath: The reactions to your actions are as scientific as the rest of things in creation. So if you do good, then you get good things in return… scientifically. If you are good to your fellow people, help them, they will help you. If positive steps are taken by YOU at every step, determined actions by YOU, you ate AT LEAST controlling your part of the Karma. You have no control over the meteor or the bacteria but you have control over yourself. So your destiny is in your hands. The Universal programme is NOT in your hands. Aachi: Sri Nannagaru talks about Karma and says in the above video that good and bad deeds result in good and bad results But never can deeds vouchsafe Moksha. Sampath: HENCE Science is in your hands. Spirituality (understanding the Universal destiny) cannot be covered by science. @Ramki. But understanding both is necessary to complete the picture. Aachi: Sri Ramakrishna says that man is a cow tied to a rope. It has limited access

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Only Guru can cut the rope and vouchsafe Moksha Sampath: The astrologers, soothsayers, Gurus out there will only make you feel helpless…that there’s a destiny that is beyond your control. It is FALSE. YOUR DESTINY IS IN YOUR CONTROL. YOUR KARMA IS. IF YOU HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL THEN IT’S BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE THE RIGHT THINGS. You have taken the right steps, been with the right people, been in the right community and environmental. IF YOU ARE UNHAPPY ABOUT SOMETHING THEN YOU’VE SIMPLY GOT IT WRONG. The decisions were wrong, the effort was lacking, the people you surrounded yourself with were wrong, the environment (stock markets, investment conditions) were wrong. Bottom line- Your life is in YOUR hands except for the bacteria and meteors. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. Nothing else or Nobody else. This is ALSO the first step towards spirituality. YOU MAKE EVERYTHING HAPPEN. YOUR DESTINY AND YOUR SPIRITUAL PROGRESS. There is no magic. If God can’t intervene and change things for you, no Guru or Soothsayer has the permission to do it for you. People can reach stages in spirituality where they can manipulate nature. But there are very few of them today. Just a handful. You might not meet even one in your lifetime. So don’t wait for them. Aachi: It’s not wrong to believe in yourself and work hard. But always have a humble disposition that if you achieve something it was because of God’s Grace. Sampath: I used the word permission because true Gurus DO NOT HAVE THE PERMISSION. Unless under extreme circumstances. Even in such cases they have to take the burden of the altered Karma on themselves. These are very deep issues. We will cover them when the time comes. Like Jesus did. Aachi: This approach unites effort to Surrender.

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Remember the basics of spirituality is loss of Ego and not Glorification. Sampath: Believing or trusting in your self to do something is different from feeling important about the result of that action. If you feel God will or is doing everything it is a defeatist attitude. Yes the detachment to Karma comes eventually. But as I told you here we are beginning from scratch. I don’t want the uninitiated to begin believing in the EVENTUAL principles without understanding them. Now that you have touched upon this issue of EGO, let me discuss it. Once YOU have decided to change your Karma, do all the right things, each day if your life …and NOT think God is doing it for you… you have prepared yourself even spiritually. Because you are now beginning to CONTROL a part of yourselves. You have proven that YOU can control your thoughts and actions to bring about a positive material change in your life. Once most people have achieved this, once you have everything you need, success, money, pleasure…you still need more. The matter in creation is unstable. Always moving towards perfection. So if everything in life is perfect what more do you need? Peace of mind. So after material the next step is spirituality. You can move into a thousand different paths throughout this journey. You can think of God for a few years, go back into materialism, become unsuccessful, back to success, back to God…so on and so forth. Your journey to SR is seldom a straight line. Here Gurus and…for me… THIS forum…helps. I’m clinging here like a drowning person to a piece of wood. Once you start thinking of God……of all things…God…then you are in trouble! However if you think of God academically, like in religion, like he’s a knight in shining armor, out there to help you each time you mutter some simple prayers and think of Him for 2 mins, 20 minutes or 20 hours… You are in delusion. Aachi: Imagine how many ‘you’ ‘I’ s are there in your types

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Sampath: If you are troubled by your existence. If the beauty of the creation is painful to you. That it pierces your heart, that you are marvelled by the beauty of the butterfly, the beauty of the ugliest creature…say the fly or the pig, if you can cry at the innocence of a calf or a baby… You have arrived. At that point you seek him not to solve your problems but because you are desparate to KNOW Him. To meet Him. You have no ulterior motives. You don’t NEED Him anymore. You just WANT to reach Him. At this state your desperation takes you through the final steps. Hence in my A attributes one of the most important ones us desperation. In my exercises we have not brought it into play yet. But we will. Aachi: The simple concept is… loss of Ego is Bliss. Why complicate more? How to lose Ego ? 2 ways

1. Is there an ego to be lost? Try to find the source of ‘I’ Vichara Mode 2. Surrender your wants thoughts aspirations and desires and will to Him / Her / Universe etc whatever you call It

Both result in loss of “I” Any other oath will eventually lead to these two paths only. Vichara or Surrender. Sampath: You and I are important tools to REACH THE POINT OF their dissolution. If you lose it from the beginning you will never reach the point. The journey that we are talking about is the toughest EVER. If you are not sure of your capacities you can never undertake it Aachi: If you lose it in the beginning, you need not journey, Sampy, Basically you like effort and your personality revels in that hence you are glorifying it as a means But God is reached with Surrender Alone. No matter what path, it ends in Surrender.

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Sampath: Aachi…what you are saying is academic. You can believe in losing the ego without losing it! You think you have lost your ego but you haven’t. You have as much ego as you think I have. I’ll explain this believing in the principle concept. Jesus said the Kingdom of God is within you. What did he mean? To me he meant SR(self realization) for I have some experience in this matter. It is clear as water for me. (Maybe I’m wrong) To the simple nun it may mean many things. Like happiness is within you. goodness is within you. Godliness is within you. Heaven is within you. A nun will live all her life actually believing and experiencing this principle. She is deeply convinced of her concept. She will experience happiness, goodness and God in herself. She will refuse to believe or understand SR. Syam: Aachi. Losing” I” through vichara is NOT at all easy. Only possible for a lucky few Aachi: True Hence Surrender or SHARANAGATHI Of course I have Ego. Sampath: This is the problem if you BELIEVE. I have always maintained that BELIEF IS YOUR BIGGEST ENEMY. There’s so much to explain! I am jumping between topics…losing my flow of thoughts Aachi: Lose thoughts. Sampath: In spirituality…a dangerous path…belief is your biggest enemy. Aachi: Even if you lose flow of thoughts, it doesn’t matter Syam: Will write on this, Aachi. Both are difficult losing ‘I’ or surrender unless you have achieved a certain stage or met a right Guru Sampath: Yes…Syam is right. Losing I is the VERY LAST stage of the process. It is difficult. Syam: These are very academic. It can only happen with grace. Effort should be made to get that grace Sampath: You can’t begin a path with surrender Aachi! You must discover and know your strengths and weaknesses. More weaknesses than strengths.

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Not to go beating your chest about your strengths bit to know your base levels in spirituality. Once you know that you start taking corrective measures. Aachi: Well, all of you have varied thoughts. You are planning to conquer the Mind with the Mind. Sampath: For those really interested in God…like the way I described… we can have separate discussions. It’s too heavy. Me and Pallavi have been discussing our progress practically every day in the last months and it helps. For the rest, it will not make sense till one reaches the stages where one is really Desparate.despite the distractions of mundane life. Getting to Seek (not pray…Seeking is a desparate form of prayer…not prayer but a submission) at least once in a day, naturally getting drawn back into God. If this happens to you…we must make another what’s app group for them! Aachi: Trying to achieve something beyond the Mind through the Mind. You feel Effort gives you loss in Ego sense…I feel it actually glorifies it I did this and this and these many japas and so many hours of meditation etc Spirituality in my understanding is to deny and starve everything that says that you is you. For you are not what you think… You keep saying I I I…knowing that who says I is not you is Mokshamu - Sri Ramakrishna. I am a simple man I can’t let my ego take me on long trips and tricks of effort I know there is a Power Which runs the Universe I leave myself to THAT POWER to do what it feels best for me This is my Path. It is a Pathless Path Sampath: For the rest, we can be here discussing like before because just the word GOD helps transform your life.

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Aachi…if you are a true Seeker…you will never leave the path of meditation. There is no other path. The way I understand, you have had a bad experience with meditation. The right steps in meditation take you to the very point that you believe in. But you have to identify the I to kill it. I have cried bucket loads with shame…Pallavi knows…ask her why she calls me Meera!…when I realized my I, when I realized my imperfections, when I realized how I had ignored this inner calling for so long. Meditation purifies you if you do it right. Neha: And please don’t make another whats app group… Don’t u dare leave me out of this. This forum is like a virtual solace place for me! Aachi: Haha. I never meditate. Sampy I cannot. I did once in Sri Ramakrishna Ashram in Mangalore Vishu: True Neha. Never leave this group guys. This is very inspirational for all of us. Neha: Yeah Vishu. Same here. Even I am unable to meditate. But will again give it a try. However for me dance, any kind of dance where I get lost in rhythm is like meditation. So, I guess meditation is like connecting with your inner self silently… Be it Dhyan or someway else Pallavi: Sampath.love you. Guys, this lovely soul is a morphed devotee…a devotee of life and it’s beauties…he is just overtly overwhelmed with the process of life…that’s why he is aptly named as MEERA My own journey is vascillating between vairaagya and compassion… it has taken over me completely…consumed… Thanks for being around…all of u to inspire, share and most of all to love. Pallavi: No other groups pls.what’s app will disband us freakos. It’s time we all globalize our understandings and end this group.That time is imminent now…the purpose is all most over… So guys…get set for pack up… In a few days…who so ever feels ready can leave whenever they r… Attachment is a bitch…

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Aachi: I have no problem in accepting any path or anyone path……All are true What worries me is a concentrated effort to label only one mode of action or spiritual idea as true We all have different digestive powers and spiritual path which is conducive for our mental makeup is offered to us by God. Make the most of it but never for one second feel that my path Alone is True. My point is I HAVE NO PATH. I don’t SEEK. I never sought God…I only Loved Him. Why I don’t know. Being in this mind mode,I realized that all spiritual effort one day must culminate in Surrender for that is the sommum bonum of all spirituality Hence I share. Neha: Surrender, it IS. Pallavi: Surrender, it IS. Neha: No amount of intellect or knowledge will lead us to HIM. It will only quench our own thirst. We need to see within and surrender Neha: That’s the question Nachiketa asked too- after death, some say we are and some say we are not. What’s the truth of death? - Refer Katho Upanishad Sampath: Pallu, this group is a service. Maybe one of your highest achievements. You have no idea how these conversations help me or keep going back. I NEED to be here. Especially under my circumstances.… Milan, fashion… gorgeous girls, heights of Materialism. I’m not insisting,Aachi. But honestly i have been through a very long journey. I have tried everything. I know this is the truth because this path came like a drop of water to a thirsty man in a desert. It gave me results. Like it did to many others. I can empathise with everyone’s situation here because I have been through all that- Indifference, disbelief, skepticism, delusion, even OCDs. Only thing that helped me was each time I bounced

• 321 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution back half because I was obsessed with the idea half because…I told you GOD is a word that will uplift you. Neha…it’s a sin to say I cannot meditate. It’s like a baby saying it can’t cry or a monkey saying it can’t climb a tree. The problem is that you associate meditation with a process that requires you to do something. It’s the opposite. You sit and just let go. If you meditate you will realize there’s nothing you cannot do. Really, no limit. I have stayed up at nights meditating and worked during the day. I felt fresher than if I had slept through the night. That’s why I was wishing to get you to first believe in yourself. That you can. YOU CAN! If you really wish to travel this path…this powerful path…you must take it seriously. Not like a pass time. Your involvement must be complete. You don’t have to believe in the idea of SR for this. Be at it every day for 1 hr. If you don’t, life will suck you in. It requires practice, not effort, but time and practice like you do with learning everything else. Just believe in yourself and improve your potential. Forget SR and stuff. After a few steps you will fly. I just want you to try to flutter your wings. You have always been programmed to fly. Pallavi: This group is not an achievement. It is a sacred sojourn on which we travel aboard. However, we must be ready to drop it like hot cake.when the time comes. Himanshu: Sampath… I think I never knew you You are unbelievable… I don’t know whether we are still friends or guru shishya. Syam: Hi Aachi, wanted to clarify on my comment on vichara as a tool and being able to separate yourself from “I.” There were two great Gurus in the past century who were Nisargadatta Maharaj of Bombay and Ramana Maharshi. Nisargadatta maharaj suggested only Vichara as a tool for SR (self realized). Nisargadatta was initiated by some Guru who suggested that he spend time asking himself who he IS. Ramana Maharshi also suggested Vichara. But he also said, he could achieve without a Guru but recommended Guru’s guidance to achieve the supreme.

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Now to clarify, what I said, unless you have Guru’s grace, vichara as a tool to separate I/ Ego from you and stand with naked consciousness is very very difficult. Because I feel the best of levels of this detachment of Ego/I ness comes comes only at higher levels. At that levels there is severe vairagya. You will not feel like working anymore. detached from family, people, friends etc., This separation comes naturally at a higher levels. I fully agree with SAMPATH when he says, vichara is not a tool as a starting point and stick with this only. UNLESS you have a Realized Guru who has the power/ permission to help you whichever path you choose. If someone/ (or) you could reach levels starting with simple surrender simple vichara with not much effort, then in all probability it is because of one’s prarabhda karma.that good part one is carrying from previous births. Why can I say with such conviction? We will have a private chat when we meet next. Having said that, if I were to advise anyone with my limited knowledge, I would advise everyone to try every tool. Kriya yoga/ mantra jaap/ meditation/ bhakti/ vichara.all.and decide for oneself what is best suited for you… After a certain level, all of them work for you. No matter which path you take.they beautifully melt into each other…bhakti to kriya to mantra jaap to meditation.everything starts working after a certain level. Pallavi: Himanshu, Sampath is NOT your guru. Don’t flame his hara chakra; that’ s where the ego resides. Sampath: Very well said Syam! 100%correct. Himanshu!!!! What did you do to me? My chakras are spinning! Pallu…Million thanks for everything! Pallavi: Sampath, the ego has a million ways to work. Always be scared of maaya devi. She is always waiting to catch us! And your chakras are spinning beautifully in all the rainbow colors. Keep them on. Sampath: https: //youtu.be/dBLtMgFVZtg Exercise for today:

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Finish all your work. Find 20 minutes completely free for yourselves with no impending commitments. Listen to the chanting. This is Bhaja Govindam by the one and only Shankara. In fact this is only a part of it. Read the meaning. Feel the depth of the message. Most importantly WANT to do this, to initiate proceedings. Listen to them as if they are an important message to you. Get engrossed by it. THINK OF NOTHING ELSE. Block all thoughts; not forcefully, but gently keep them aside for later. Tell your thoughts you’ll come to them after 20 minutes. Don’t be hard on yourselves. Your habits have been cultivated over billions of years. They are a part of you. They will not be subdued in minutes. Once you block thoughts, one of two things may happen. If you don’t love what you are doing. In this case focusing on the chants of Bhaja govindam, in 20 minutes you will be bored and yawning! If you are absorbed enough you will enjoy the experience. You will be refreshed at the end of it. If you are in love with it you will come out with the room in which you are in looking brighter than before. Actually brighter. And your mind at the end of 20 minutes will be calm, with very few thoughts. If this is the case you are lucky. Prarabhda works in your favor. If you get bored, that’s doesn’t mean your A is low. It just means you are not inclined to this topic. You may love something else, music, dance…you may get this experience with something else. If you can’t bring yourself to love this, try again and again. Like you force yourself to read for exams. If it still doesn’t work for you, you can try another route. Through what you like doing…music, dance, reading. I failed initially in meditation, went through reading, then got back to meditation. Mind you this is not a meditation exercise. It is far from it. These are just exercises to see what levels of Awareness you are in and how much they are AT YOUR COMMAND. Try it with ear phones…with a slightly high volume…just to captivate your mind. Do it alone in a closed room. Sit in any comfortable position. I would recommend a chair as you are used to it. Pallavi: I bhaj the bhaj govindam and arunachala shiva all the time… this humming keeps my consciousness high.

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Syam: You chose a beautiful song Sampath. This should be made birthday song. Bhaja govindam should be heard every birthday. Reason below The story goes: Adi Sankaracharya while going through a village noticed an old Brahman at ripe age studying drukkunkarane (some kind of Grammar) with the hope of teaching and making some money Adi Sankaracharya was having pity and angry on the old fellow at the same time. He was sorry that this old fellow was still trying ways to make money when his end was near. Then he sang bhaja govindam impromptu Bhaja govindam bhaja govindam. Govindam bhaje mooda mathe… Means bhaj(recite) govindam you foolish mind Samprapthe sannihithe kaale nahi nahi rakshati drukkunkarane… Your last days are approaching and your grammar skills will not help you. I am sure you can find complete song’s meaning online. Should be read every birthday. Just to remind ourselves the real purpose. Sampath: Thanks Syam, for adding the narrative. Pallavi: https: //youtu.be/jwdQirABhWc Sampath: Do this with an empty stomach. Not hungry. Once you try this, whatever is your experience, do it under stress… when you are tired, stressful, after meals (when satiety has set in) and see if your intensity is the same as before. It won’t be. NOW CHALLENGE YOURSELF. Even when you are doing good you can challenge yourself to do better. How to measure your concentration? Give yourself an exercise. Try memorizing the lines. NOW YOU ARE FORCING YOURSELF TO BE INVOLVED. How many lines you learn depend on your levels of involvement, your concentration. Remember that a 4 year old girl could learn it in 7 attempts.

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Your mirror NOW is getting ready and polished. You now know how good or bad your base (routine) levels awareness is. Work on it. Concentrate more, involve more. We will get back when the song is fully learnt. Remember this is not meditation but a process to control your mind in the material world. Apply this exercise in smaller ways to routine events in life. CHALLENGE YOURSELF to do something you always wanted to do but couldn’t. CHALLENGE YOURSELF to like someone you could never like. CHALLENGE YOURSELF to change something in you that you always wanted to do but never could or never did. Never say never again in your life. Replace it with Yes I can! Pallavi: Yes. I CAN! Syam: Thanks SAMPATH. This group is very inspirational. Your exercises will at least bring in much needed discipline for meditation everyday, which for me has been very irregularly regular. Sampath: This way you will realize that nothing you thought was real about you is real. You have NO limitations. You are born limitless. It is your natural state. It is your BELIEF that has held you back…just a spineless THOUGHT that YOU created. Something that doesn’t even have a physical form. Memes? May be. But can’t you overcome a meme? Sampath: Yes Syam. Discipline is the most important thing that can leash the mind. If the all powerful mind is left uncontrolled it can drown you in useless thoughts and beliefs which eventually BECOME you, your personality. Syam: Mind uses you. This is the disease. You believe that you are your mind. This is the delusion. The instrument has taken you over. - Eckart Tolle in the book ‘Power of now’ You are unconsciously identified with your mind. You don’t even know that you are its slave. It is almost as if you were possessed without knowing it. Single most step is to learn to dis-identify from your mind -Eckhart Tolle

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Present moment holds the key to liberation. But you cannot find the present moment as long as you are your mind - Power of Now Syam: Not easy to separate mind from yourself and observe. It comes with practice and grace… People who can get to that stage at will are very few. You get to this state in meditation for few minutes at the max. Then mind takes over. Hence I always feel grace as the other key. Sampath: Guys…What Syam said is the key to your liberation. Your potential is limitless. What keep it bound is just a thought…A Belief… A Nothing. It doesn’t exist. You created something that doesn’t exist AND that non existential thing controls you. Some of the belief is put by others. Most by you. Your name is a belief. Your religion is a belief. That you cannot run 3 kms everyday is a belief. That you cannot get up early is a belief. That you cannot do anything is a belief. That you cannot live even the most hateful guy is a belief. That you cannot climb Mt. Everest is a belief. That something is not your cup of tea is a belief. Identify the thought. Think of cutting the thought with a sharp sword. Then don’t think of it anymore. He is dead. This way you overcome all your inhibitions. Once you have controlled your mind thus in the material world, you control it even better in your spiritual journey. Exercise for today. Challenge yourself. Do 2 things today that you normally avoid doing. Eg: Take bath in absolute cold water. Or run 3 kms. Anger is a thought, a belief. Love too is a thought, belief.

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All emotions are. You get angry yourself. Next time you get angry, just use the sword. Next time you hate someone use the sword. Vishu: How strange. I have pushed myself and had a cold water shower today. I completed the task before the master ordered. Sampath: Once you have realized this, you are now capable of pushing your thoughts aside during meditation. You CAN’T meditate will go. YOU CAN. Then you focus on something you love. Try music. Get lost in it. Come out feeling refreshed. Why did you feel refreshed? Because you had the least possible thoughts, beliefs. Less thoughts, more the mind is fresh. Clear. Stable. Now do this often in a day. When you are taking a walk just stop the chatter of your mind and freeze. Enjoy the moment. Then, NOW. Notice things that you have never noticed before. Stay there. Don’t think anything else. You will you grind through the day BEING UNAWARE mostly Sampath: A string of recurring thoughts, beliefs, is a habit. That you need to sleep for an extra 15 minutes after the alarm goes off every evening is a habit, a recurring thought. More complex habits like walking, eating, running etc required for life get incorporated into genes. They stay with you, despite you controlling the thoughts in your mind. They are in a way a solidification, a physical manifestation of a millennia old habits, that began sometime with the ‘thought’ of a single celled organism to become multi cellular. Now you realize the magnitude if what we are trying to do. We are hitting at the ABSOLUTE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT of ourselves. We are hitting out at the tiny bricks that is our rock solid foundation. Just like the atom is the fundamental element of matter, the thought is the fundamental element of MAYA. Destroy it and you are naked. Nakedly Conscious. DESTROY THE THOUGHT. THAT IS THE END OF ‘YOU’. ‘YOU’ AS YOU HAVE ALWAYS KNOW YOURSELF TO BE.

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ONCE THOUGHTS ARE UNDER YOUR FULL CONTROL, you are ready to experience a thoughtless state. Stay there. See what it is about. See if there’s any sound, anything else in that void. But of course there is. There is life! Your life. Feel it. Stay there for a while. Get lost in it. A very long while of not knowing your surroundings is Samadhi. Then go ahead and increase A there. Concentrate, get desparate to know more. Like you did when you tried to LEARN the lines of Bhaja govindam. There lies magic. Aachi: Q: Please tell us something about Hanuman? Sampath: This is a long long journey. Takes years of practice. All the best guys. I always wanted to share this with you. Pallavi insists that I exit from here. She’s right. Because it’s an attachment. It is a source for thoughts. But I cannot exit as this group despite the attachment this group also inspires me to stay on track. So I prefer to stay silent from now on. Aachi: Don’t you dare exit or stay silent Whatever is happening is Good. Whatever happened is Good. Whatever will happen is Good. Love this every time Sampath: Another important thing. There is a form of thought that says nothing but it just exists…something like a clouding of mind. This is generally a manifestation of resistance of your mind to what you want to do. Just a clouding of mind. A presence of a thought. A silent thought. Identify this. Cut it too with your sword. If you want to physically monitor your progress download an app to measure your heart rate stress levels. Over time you will record your resting heart rates stabilizing between 65 and 55. Never higher. Your breath automatically gets shallower. Your rectus gets taut, spine straightens making your respiration purely thoracic. All

• 329 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution automatically. You settle into this posture involuntary when your awareness increases. You will have other noticeable physical responses to meditation. Neha: “Renunciation is the very basis of our true life; every moment of goodness and real life that we enjoy is when we do not think of ourselves. This little separate self must die.” - Swami Vivekananda Nishant: SAMPATH don’t even dare to think about leaving or going quiet! Sampath: Constantly challenge yourself. It’s you versus your thoughts. You versus you. Discipline yourself every day. 30 minutes in a day to discipline yourself. In any way you deem fit. Let the mind know that it is in a body that means business. Not the body but a CONSCIOUSNESS that means business. There are hundreds of layers to be shed before you think of meditation. Discipline yourself first. Small things: Get up early. Break a bad habit. Change your attitude. Control your emotions. Pallavi: Friends…this group was created on 22.3.15 and each of us have come a long long way.encouraging, crying, laughing and sharing each other with our deepest and innermost realizations.most of you will agree that our own downpours and so much so of our friends have brought us to awe and reverie at how much there is to learn or unlearn on the spiritual journey.it has been a fascinating rendezvous.as on request of many of us and our own enthusiasm to do the same, it has been decided to put the conversations from 28.6.15 to 28.3.16 I.e of 9 months into a book form. The theme of 9 months has been chosen with the point of view of curtain raising to the audience and to our own selves how the soul has evolved through the gestation to come to a birthing of a new YOU. Sampath: Brilliant idea! This will be one crazy book though! Himanshu: Book Super idea.

• 330 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

Can’t get better than getting everything at one place… Read it over n over again with a calm mind. Prerna: We all have been a part of our questions and then some answers… but what continues is the yearning to know the truth… Sampath: On second thoughts I think I’ll decide after I read again what the hell I have said here.Just joking. I think all of you are wonderful people and the world needs to know how beautiful you all are. Sampath: let’s talk about this basic fundamental concept now. The confrontation between spirituality and materialism. Let’s go through the motions of one normal day in materialism. You get up in the morning. The first stray thought that comes to the mind is ‘I want to sleep some more. Then your mind thinks of the job and reluctantly wakes up. When you are at your coffee your mind ‘thinks’ it enjoys the flavour of your coffee in the background of many small stray thoughts. On its way to work it thinks of how late it is to work. It then concocts a situation where your boss will see you coming late and scream at you. Then the thought moves on. It wonders how your kid is doing at school. Then you remember that you have to buy her a notebook, you then think you have to leave early to shop. Then when you pass near your hospital you see a colleague park her car and you think what a bitch she is and how you must give it back to her if she makes a slant at you the next time. While in office you actually take the lead in jeering at her. Then you worry about your patient only to realise he is fine. You look at the stock markets and realise that there has been a crash and you need to invest. But you have no savings. Then you think of your next salary and how meagre it is. How you have just a maruti and not a Benz. How you own a flat and not an individual house while your colleague has both a Benz and a house. You then decide you must have an additional income. You decide to have a private clinic. Everything that you do in your material world is determined by your chattering mind. In a day of a mind tamed by meditation, you get up in the morning with an empty mind. You have no thoughts so you experience the morning sun, hear the chirping of birds in your backyard, things you have never experienced before. You call this ‘refereshing’. Refereshing is nothing but a calm mind. You make your coffee (habitually) and just experience the

• 331 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution flavour of the coffee. There is a dodgems between thinking that the coffee is good out of habit and ACTUALLY experiencing it with a clear mind. Your mind is READY TO SAVOUR THE INPUTS OF THE WORLD, NOT OF YOUR STRAY THOUGHTS. So when your kid comes up to you and tells you something innocently your face lights up a smile and you are filled with love for your kid. In the materialistic world you would have certainly missed this moment. You would have brushed aside your kid’s talk. You go to work thinking of very little. You will not worry about being late. You will not hate your colleague. You will not worry about anything. The number of thoughts determine how you lead your life in the material world. If you have say 50% of your thoughts you still have room left for your ambitions, emotions, involvement in your material world. The best part is that in such a state your involvement in all that you do is COMPLETE as there you have eliminated 50% of stray thoughts that corrupt your involvement. If your thoughts are practically zero you are in a state of Samadhi. If in the state of Samadhi is focused on G-O-D, you move ahead in your path. Materialism is determined by you. When thoughts come down, your attachment (a habitual thought that THINKS you like or dislike something) to all things worldly come down. Bringing down your thoughts to 75% will make you live optimally in a material world. With any further dip you naturally move further away from the material world simply because you are not thinking about it anymore. That’s called Vairaagya. I use an empty mind in most important things I do. To go on stage, to operate, to write something, sometimes just to experience the flavour of the moment. To live in the NOW. Pallavi: This is superb.sampath. An empty mind has capacity of 100% involvement in whatever appears to it…and yet remain detached from results or worry… Ramki: Zen Buddhism describes this “no mind zone “.a state where the mind is brushed off of all the dualities, self- satisfied,contemplating on your real self,beyond the constraints of space, time and causality where

• 332 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra your mind dwells in the “void” of Creation, the INFINTE powerhouse which springs forth the animate and inanimate things ie the proton, neutron and the electron and of course my favorite, the DNA.the ecstasy of this deep mediation gives you the charge to project yourself better in your material frame and the immortal spiritual self. Sampath: A calm mind (without the chatter) is fundamental for concentration, memory and for all mental abilities. More calm is essential for spirituality. A thoughtless mind is essential for Self Realisation. Aachi: One second of true understanding that the world is an illusion makes us lose interest in it, in its desirable objects and it’s temptations and Renunciation is automatic. No effort is done to transcend it as it is realised to be illusory. Like a snake in a rope. By concerted effort to transcend it one actually is strengthening the notion in ones mind that it is true All our misery is because we THINK we are the body and we are in illusion and need to transcend it. Sampath: How does such a person participate in his worldly activity? In a calm state of mind…if you are, say, a surgeon and you are operating… you are focused so well, without the chatter of the mind, that you perform it meticulously, fully aware. When you see another surgeon doing the same surgery but not as well as you did, how does your mind react? In the first step you experience the surgery and register the fact that your colleague could have done it in a better way (due to the natural process of deduction). The difference between a tamed an untamed mind is that this particular registration, deduction, will lead to a burst of tangential thoughts.…like I’m better than him, I have better skill, people will appreciate me more, look at him…her can’t do what I did…EMOTIONS like pride, jealousy…everything spring from this. In a tamed mind the registration, the deduction that your colleague did the surgery suboptimally, remains just that. Nothing more nothing less. No re flowing tangential thoughts. Similarly when you work, the motivation to do something will not be based on your benefit. If it has to be done for the benefit of everything

• 333 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution around you, you will do it. You will not do anything cunningly or selfishly. You will not avoid your duty because you don’t have the LAZY THOUGHT. Similarly the result of your action are also devoid of attachment to yourself. Without a personal motive. For everybody. For the betterment of the people, things.…the world around you. When there is no personal motive…desire…the proverbial Apple of Eden…you do only good things. Detachment to the action or the results of the action IS WHEN KARMA ENDS. Remember Krishna in BG ‘…Ma phaleshu kada cha na’ Aachi: Even the thought of action for the betterment of the world is bondage. Let no motive cross the Mind. Then the one who does the work loses individuality or DOERSHIP. Everything becomes God and Godly work. Dispassionate Work with total disinterest to results. This is the Path of Karma Yoga in BG. Sampath: Thinking that you have no thought is a thought. A strong thought is a belief. Thinking that you are not the Doer is different from actually EXPERIENCING non-doership. This arguement can be put to test in many ways. Aachi: When we lose motive we lose thought. Like a fallen leaf we sail unmindful of anything anywhere. This is the Supreme Yoga of Karma. Our one action can cause a loss of million lives or save a million. Nothing touches that Pure One whose Mind is Dead There should be action but there should be no one who does that action: This is Goal of Karma Yoga. Aachi: Hence Sri Krishna says All have been slain by Me O Arjuna… do Thou just move your limbs in action Sampath: Let’s talk on KARMA! If u believe in a karma bank through lifetimes, you must believe in heaven and hell, yama, indra and Co!

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That is because you think of Karma as a phenomenon that will strike back.…in this life or the next. Think of Karma as Newtonian…every action has a reaction…and you will not have a problem with a bad guy enjoying his life. There is NO Karma bank. But……karma is indeed a bitch. It plays itself out at the level of Consciousness. Not at the material world. This will be a long drawn reply. Will do it as soon as I find time. In the material world Karma is simply Newtonian. Except that the effect is complicated by the Karma (effects) of the action of all the things, living and non living, around you. It’s still computable! Complicated also by things that have been in the past Karthik: Just going through all these messages… A book is a great idea. I have missed most of these conversations mostly because of time zone difference. When you guys are very active, I am usually sleeping:)… But a book form of these makes perfect sense since anyone can go back and revisit these musings. I did not contribute anything to this but would love to read them all:) Adding a dimension to the book that these are “musings of physicians” who are in “search of spiritual enlightenment” can get the usual reader much more interested especially on the web. This also may be seen by other physician readers as a tool for their own spiritual assessment… moreover, it can help physicians to support parents as well by incorporating patients’ faith beliefs into their treatment plans… It helps number of physicians, oncologists; it helps in palliative care and it helps dying cancer patients too to embrace death with grace. Addressing Spirituality can also be incorporated in treating and counseling those with chronic pain. The book is a great idea. Also, if you guys are all interested, we can try to bring a good exposure to this quickly on the web through the physician - patient network that we will be launching soon. The network has blogs, forums and spiritual group pages as well where posts can be added as anonymous or with the user’s own name and if you want we can also include spiritual assessment questionnaire for any visitor that visits that group page. Other users globally can join the group, get your posts

• 335 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution in their feed and can interact and post to the page if they want. Since this network is strictly for physician, health organizations and patients, there will not be much noise. Most importantly, you will never lose access to all your musings and they will be in one group, on one page and can be delivered to patients and physicians all over the world……blogs, profile pages can be created for the thought leaders in this group. It will have view count, visitor statistics etc. Again this is only a proposition, I think it’s a treasure that can reach the world only if you all want this to be done this way… Any other ideas are welcome and I will also help in whatever way I can Neha: Wow Karthik… U have some amazing inputs… Excellent. Aachi: He is not only a genius Neha. He is indigenously genius. Karry is highly spiritually evolved.He is a hidden yogi. His Compassion plain hearted nature usually takes a billion years of Sadhana to attain Pallavi: Yes. So true. I have always felt immensely drawn to Karthik s plain countenance… he has a shine about him that is so humble and seeks not any providential evidence for d same… Karthik: I get frequently amazed looking at the amount of unexposed talent that most of our batch mates have and it’s a privilege to be associated with this group. I think most of us can appreciate how our batch-mates and friends built at least 50% of our character and what we are right now……I mean our batch is just superb, I have yet to see a better group of batchmates like this… I don’t think any other single physician batch has so many artists, singers, multi talented individuals, spiritualists, writers and most importantly, intellectually very evolved human beings. You can start a conversation with most of our batch mates and keep on conversing for a long time…truly mature, passionate and intellectual conversations. Karthik: A question arises if we don’t say these things that we feel or blindly follow a faith without questioning, how do we invite debate and self exploration? I feel we can reach spiritual freedom if we let go, experiment with ourselves, question the results of those experiments, converse and debate openly without the layer of hypocrisy and then only, the clear vision would emerge.

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Pallavi: Fantasicism can easily be slipped into when one is on a certain path or part of a religious group… a vision that only can reach the horizon…fails to see what lies beyond it…one always has to be on guard as these mental monologues can distort and disillusion ones spiritual quest. I had personally come to border on this tunnel vision ed approach a couple of years back.and it took me a whole lot of gut to accept and love myself once again after I sprung back to my quest. The spiritual path has its tests and one must know how to identify these tests when they come along morphed in various ways… The ego has multifold ways to trick us…and spiritual forums are more often ego zones…more than anything else. One must shun these zones as soon as they are identified and return ones journey to ones own self… Pallavi: The sin qua non of this is… One ought belong to ones own journey and remain in homage to one’s pious pursuit… Some roads will be long and lonely…also maze like where no one can guide or even support…however with sincerity and honesty in purpose… one ought move on…one step at a time The true north of our quest lies hidden within us alone. Those who seek it outside of them will meet only disappointment and failure. Remaining as oneself… Not becoming this or that… Every step is a blessing of discoveries that are corraborated by ones self… No one else can do you help… This is a path we travel alone. Pallavi: Seeing all as same.(Sama drishti) The guru is a facilitator on the spiritual path but attachment even to the facilitator is bypassing your shortest route to nirvana Karthik: I know total retirement and shedding responsibilities is not possible. I want to first find a balance between retreat and return. By

• 337 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution gradually simplifying the outward life, it may be possible to negotiate with the inside and give it the clues to freedom it has been searching for. The answer, I know, is inside but it’s so difficult to change the inside without modifying the outside. By slowing changing my shell/ the outside hopefully someday, I can gracefully approach the inside to give it an answer it has been seeking. Pallavi: A whole lot of words can be said on this forum about a whole lot of things but the ultimate point to be grasped is not avalaible in any of these words… The solution is only to dive within and find your key. Pallavi: Ur agony is common to all urban seekers…we cannot become mendicants…and yet at heart…we r so much so drowning in our spiritual searches…we pine for ambience where we can devote time and energies to this pursuit. However…the answer is probably looking at the material and spiritual as the same…if we partition…we can exist only in one at a time…but with acceptance of both as a global phenomenon…we can be at peace. Pallavi: Karthik…It always has to be inside out…if we r waiting for d outside to arrange…then that might never happen. Sampath: At the risk of sounding repititive, let me say that at the root of all creation is the THOUGHT. A formless thought, and idea, a motivation… invariably makes things happen, drives the destiny of our world. In fact it is what drives the creation forward. Rene Descartes summed it up in his simple but profoundly epic statement ‘Cogito, ergo sum, (I think,therefore I am). You think and then you make the thought happen. You manipulate creation and make things, perform acts. Just as the atom (for lucidity) and energy (heat, electromagnetic etc) are the fundamental elements of creation, the thought is too a fundamental element of the conscious mind. But the thought of the conscious mind can ONLY create FROM what is available inside the creation. In fact the creation itself is the manifestation of the thought of the creator. This is an intriguing idea but very true. How He inspiringly created all the elementary particle that we know from nothing is something that we will never know. Or perhaps we will some day.

• 338 • Dr. Pallavi Kwatra

While the creation moves forward at its own pace, the material world that is created by man, develops at the pace of the collective thoughts of men of the past, present and future and their resultant actions. From I phones to space shuttles, man has created the material world that we live in. Man, possessed with the highest Consciousness ever known till date, is capable of moving the material world forward, collectively and continuously. Spirituality is all about stepping back from creation, retracing your steps. To move away from thoughts and their actions (of the past and present) and to move backwards towards the point of creation using the same elements that you are endowed with (Mass (M), Energy (E) and Consciousness (C)) Pallavi: So.spirituality is regression to basics? Neha: Sampath, r u by any chance incarnation of Ayn Rand? Your writing style is eerily similar to her… Pallavi: Finished reading the vivekchudamani today…had been at it long… Om tat sat. Sampath: Really Neha??!! Ayn Rand? Wow! I don’t mind being her reincarnation. Spirituality can never be a regression. It is progression, a chance at realisation, to get into the ‘mind’ of the Creator. It’s like you have a toy maker and you have the choice of learning the art of making toys. You have 2 choices: 1) To be with, to study, the toy or 2) To be with the maker. Creation is the toy. Creator is the Maker. More specifically you are the toy and you are the Maker. You can choose to be the toy or to be the Maker. Sampath: The thing that stands between you and you is your thoughts. Actually nothing of a thought. Nothing stands between you and you. Only Maya. As you start decreasing and/or controlling your thoughts (mind), you start moving from man to all powerful man and then to God. Sampath: You will EXPERIENCE every word of what’s written in spiritual books. They will no longer be a concept that’s out there. You will experience those concepts. You will know them to be true.

• 339 • 9 Months: From Involution to Evolution

Sampath: Exercise for the day. Take 2 devices and plug your right ear with earphone connected to one of them and left ear with a microphone connected to the other. Keep the audio volume the same in both. Play 2 songs, one in each device and move your focus from one song to another. You must be able to focus so that you eventually hear only one song at a time. A thoughtless mind with intense focus is a deadly combination. Pallavi: Friends…there is so much we have exchanged and mutually inspired each other to move forward in our spiritual quest. Now, its time we let go of our attachment to all this spiritual jargon we exchange at this forum and move towards implementing atleast a bit of what we have consciously or subconsciously absorbed here followed by extending it to the world around us.so, hereby the group now stands dissolved. LET’S MAKE A DIFFERENCE! LOVE & LIGHT!

• 340 • E p i l o g u e

You are not alone in your journey of seeking solace, seeking God, seeking answers to your questions. A group of friends, each with a different background and bent of mind met virtually with the sole purpose of deliberating upon the issues of God and Self Realization. This book is the rainbow at the end of the spiritual deluge that cascaded for 9 months. This group is now no more…but the friends are on their respective journey of Self Realization. Each has a different path. Each has a different mission. They are like all…dots on the circumference of times, travelling and seeking to the centre of this time. A book for all those who believe in Self and God and their dynamic evolution over time.

DR PALLAVI KWATRA IS AVALAIBLE AT [email protected].