1 In the human world, nothing but the immortal cultural contribution has the potential to endure for long. It permeates into the people to become their lasting bequest. If India is distinguished for its great cultural heritage, it is because of the subtle, undeniable Sagely enrichment, our people value and uphold. To understand this Brahmavidy¡ culture, to help in its dissemination and the consequent world-welfare efforts (loka- sa´graha) of a Spiritual Teacher, is a great fortune. Our country has always excelled in preserving this great legacy. February 2010 Vol. 45 No. 05 Vicharasetu - October 2009 2 Contents Science of Inner Redemption – 16 The Right Perception 03 Is Sanny¡sa a must for Enlightenment? - II 11 The Transforming áibiram - A Report – Mala S. 17 A Knowledge-Festivity - (8th áreemad Bh¡gavata Tattva Sameeksh¡ Satram) – Satish Bhat 22 Correspondence Developing Empathy when Faced with Maltreatment 24 News & Notes 26 We are not able to identify many of the devotees who have made offerings through the Ashram’s ICICI account. It will be of great help to us if the remitters, who have not communicated to us the remittance details as well as the purpose of remittance, kindly do so immediately either by e-mail or by post. The same applies to e-Money Orders also, as the postal department does not transmit sender’s message and the purpose of the remittance. Subscription Annual 3 years’ 6 years’ 12 years’ India Rs. 50/- Rs. 125/- Rs. 250/- Rs. 500/- Foreign (by Air) Rs. 1000/- Rs. 2500/- Rs. 5000/- Rs. 10000/- Bank charges Rs 35.00 to be added in the case of outstation cheques (within India). Narayanashrama Tapovanam Venginisseri, P. O. Paralam, Thrissur. Kerala - 680 575. India. Fax & Tel. (0487) 2278363 email: [email protected] Website: http://www.brahmavidya.org Vicharasetu - October 2009 3 Science of Inner Redemption – 16 The Right Perception (Series on Yoga-v¡siÀ¶ha R¡m¡ya¸a, Nirv¡¸a Prakara¸a) Effect of keen listening Sage VasiÀ¶ha concluded: Bi……∆ o˘Œπ]ı®…¥…π]ı¶™… ∫¥…|……h……¶™……∫…{…⁄Ã¥…EÚ…®…¬ * ¶…÷∂…÷hb˜¯¥…x®…Ω˛…§……Ω˛…‰ ¶…¥… i…“h…«®…Ω˛…h…«¥…: ** (6p.28.2) Adopting this insight of pr¡¸¡y¡ma, with the orientation it brings about, swim across, like Bhu¿u¸·a, the huge ocean of worldly life. Sri Rama replied: |…§…÷r˘…: ∫®…: |…æ˛π]ı…: ∫®…: |… ¥…π]ı…: ∫®…: ∫¥…®……∫{…n˘®…¬ * Œ∫l…i……: ∫®……‰ Y……i… ¥…Y…‰™…… ¶…¥…xi……‰ ¡{…Æ˙… <¥… ** +Ω˛…‰ ¶…÷∂…÷hb˜S… Æ˙i…∆ {…Æ∆˙ ¥…∫®…™…EÚ…Æ˙EÚ®…¬ * ¶…M…¥…x¶…¥…i…… |……‰HÚ®…÷k…®……l…«…¥…§……‰v…x…®…¬ ** (6p.28.7,8) We are enlightened, delighted, and have entered into the spiritual expanse within. We have known whatever is to be known, to be like you, ‘almost a second you’! O Master, the story of Bhu¿u¸·a, as narrated by you, is awe-inspiring, and greatly revealing. ¶…÷∂…÷hb˜S… Æ˙i…‰ •…¿z…‰i…Œ∫®…xEÚ l…i…‰ i¥…™…… * ™…SUÙÆ˙“Æ˙M…fiΩ∆˛ |……‰H∆Ú ®……∆∫…S…®……«Œ∫l… x…î…i…®…¬ ** i…iE‰Úx… x……®… Æ˙ S…i…∆ E÷Úi……‰ ¥…… i…i∫…®…÷Œil…i…®…¬ * EÚl…∆ ¥…… Œ∫l… i…®……™……i…∆ EÚ…‰ ¥…… i…j……¥… i…π`ˆi…‰ ** (6p.28.9, 10) In Bhu¿u¸·a narration you have referred to the ‘body-house’ (¿ar¢ra-g¤ham), made up of flesh, bone and skin. I would like to know by whom was this made, wherefrom has it arisen, how does it endure, and who abides therein. Rama just heard Sage VasiÀ¶ha narrating his memorable visit to Meru Mountain Vicharasetu - October 2009 4 and the dialogue he had with Bhu¿u¸·a, the illustrious crow, who was residing there, witnessing the dissolution and evolution of the visible world. The Sage also spoke to him about what Bhu¿u¸·a said about breath-regulation, by which he (Bhu¿u¸·a) was able to remain unaffected by all outward events, at the same time immersed in inner delight and abundance. Rama absorbed the message, the last part of which related to how the mind gets sublimated and the intelligence illumined – a subject that has all-fold relevance to every seeker. Obviously Rama did not venture into any of the breathing exercises. Nevertheless, he admits how the Sage’s instruction had full impact on him, making his mind even, sublime, contented and unaffected. He raises a question quite pertinent to jµ¡na-s¡dhan¡, its pursuit and goal. Sage VasiÀ¶ha’s narration is meant to enrich the minds of Knowledge-austerity all seekers. Spiritual narration has that potential. comes under the Pareekshit went on listening to áukamuni for 7 days s¡ttvika category – continuously sitting in the same place, and derived all it is the highest, enrichment and enlightenment. Thus, reading or hearing the subtlest and the loftiest. any spiritual narration can also be a full-fledged s¡dhan¡. In fact, it is far greater than any bodily or sensory austerity. Knowledge-austerity comes under the s¡ttvika category – it is the highest, the subtlest and the loftiest. VasiÀ¶ha Deva deals with the same subject from various angles and levels, in different styles and modes, to give it the varietal embellishment, but with a centric focus. Body has no Material Cause Sage VasiÀ¶ha said: +Œ∫l…∫l…⁄h…∆ x…¥…u˘…Æ∆˙ Æ˙HÚ®……∆∫……¥…±…‰{…x…®…¬ * ∂…Æ˙“Æ˙∫…n˘x…∆ Æ˙…®… x… E‰Úx… S… n˘n∆˘ EfiÚi…®…¬ ** +…¶……∫…®……j…®…‰¥…‰n˘ ®…il…®…‰¥……¥…¶……∫…i…‰ * u˘S…xp˘ ¥…ß…®……EÚ…Æ∆˙ ∫…n˘∫…SS… ¥™…¥…Œ∫l…i…®…¬ ** u˘S…xp˘n˘∂…«x… ¥…v……Ë S…xp˘ u˘i¥…∆ ∫…nˢ¥… Ω˛ * ¥…∫i…÷i…∂S…ËEÚ B¥…‰xn÷˘: Œ∫l…i……‰ n‰˘Ω˛∫i…l…Ë¥… Ω˛ ** n‰˘Ω˛|…i™…™…EÚ…±…‰ Ω˛ n‰˘Ω˛…‰%™…∆ ∫…®…¥…Œ∫l…i…: * +∫…z…‰¥… S… ∫…k…∫®……i|……‰HÚ: ∫…n∫…n˘…i®…EÚ: ** Vicharasetu - October 2009 5 ∫¥…{x…‰ ∫¥…{x……¥…§……‰v…: ∫…∆∫i¥…x™…n˘… ∫… ®…÷v…Ë¥… Ω˛ * §…÷n¬˘§…÷n˘…‰ §…÷n¬˘§…÷n˘ ¥…v……Ë ∫…i™……‰ ®…l™…Ë¥… S……x™…n˘… ** (6p.28.12-16) This residence called the body, Rama, having bones for its pillars, blood and flesh for its mortar, with nine doorways, is built by none. This is but a reflection, shining like the illusion of two moons. It reigns as true and untrue alike. On seeing, existence of two moons will be there. But in reality only one moon exists. Existence of our body is also likewise. During the prevalence of the body-idea, this body exists as a fact, though illusory. Therefore, it is said to be real as well as unreal. Dream awareness, like wakefulness, is true only during dream state. At other times, it is simply a non-existence. A bubble in water during its prevalence, seems true, but on getting blown out, turns to be a sheer illusion. Sri Rama’s question is fundamental as well as ultimate. Though related to the body, it is equally true of the entire visible gross world of time, space and objects. Only when the matter-energy universe is there, the earth as a planet, on which we thrive, comes to be considered. We humans, as living beings, have been evolved on this earth, with a matter-energy body. The genesis of the body implies the genesis of entire creation. Thus, Rama’s enquiry has a comprehensive relevance. And VasiÀ¶ha Deva’s answer also becomes supremely important. In fact, the source of the universe is what the modern science is also gripped with. Sage VasiÀ¶ha says that the body, however gross, biological The body, however and functional, has no material cause, making its very gross, has no existence fallacious. Its existence as a reality is material cause, making its very unacceptable to reason. A human born of humans is real, existence fallacious. valid and acceptable. But if the first human is to be regarded as not having been born of other humans, his birth and prevalence become unauthentic, illusory, making the whole lineage also equally so. This is the case with the material world, as it cannot and did not have any material cause. The world derives its prevalence from the mind itself, which has its power of sa´kalpa (imagination). Rationally viewed, as already said, materiality cannot have Vicharasetu - October 2009 6 another material source. Naturally, its source has to be a ‘substance’ transcending matter. This is corroborated by the incidence of dream, which is a common experience. Mind is not material, yet it gives rise to a ‘material world’, fully akin to wakeful sensory world. Our body, a part of the world, is also a product of the mind itself. While objective science bases its search and finding on The world experimental processes, aided by various instruments, derives its spirituality solely rests upon our senses, mind and intelligence. prevalence Intelligence first studies sensory experiences occurring in wakeful from the mind itself. state. But we have, in addition, dream and sleep states also. In sleep, are not wakeful experiences fully nullified, leading us to conclude that, whatever we experience as object world, is not real at all? Does it not lack continuance? Anything real has to be present in the past, present and future alike. Waking world does not conform to this requisite. Our intelligence cannot, therefore, accept it as real. The test of anything existing is our experience of it. Thus our body becomes a fact, because it is experienced by us, through the mind. But when that experience is negated by the same mind, during sleep, what should we think of the reality and validity of the body as an undeniable existence? To add to this is the occurrence of dream, in which the mind itself produces a body, a new world, and all the objects, like those we find in wakeful state. There is no doubt that our mind alone, all by itself, produces dream-body and dream- world, both of which are quite material and objective during their currency.