SELF-REALISATION OR GOD-REALISATION (part 1)

SELF-REALISATION OR GOD-REALISATION

By Dr. K. Eswara Dutt

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SELF is our true nature.  We are not this body, mind or intellect. We are wearing this body temporarily. This body is a vehicle by which, if properly utilized, we will realize our true nature, GOD-HOOD, SELF-HOOD or what VEDAS and UPANISHADS call-BRAHMIC –STATE.  We are that immutable, omniscient, all-pervading, self-luminous, imperishable, and infinite BRAHMAN or GOD or SELF. If we realize the SELF, we are GOD upon the earth.  WE are Lord KRISHNA of our life and times.

Lord KRISHNA in BHAGAVAD GEETA  says : ‘ eternal portion of my-self came down to earth as JEEVAS in the world of JEEVATMAS’ . All Jeevatmas   (Individual –souls) are nothing but, Imposter GOD , or Phantom Paramatma.  Jeevatma  is our false nature. GOD-HOOD or PARAMATMA is our true-nature.  JEEVATMA’s goal is ultimately to realize that he is none other than GOD ,  PARAMATMA.

: JEEVA  BRAHMA  EKATMA  PURNAM  :

Jeevatma and Paramatma are one and the same.  One is an imposter and other is real.

Mahavakyas  (great statements) of VEDAS are glorifying this concept:

1.      AHAM BRAHMASMI:   I am BRAHMAN.

2.      TATVAM ASI:   Thou art that.

3.      AYAM ATMA BRAHMA:   This individual ATMAN is BRAHMAN.

4. PRAJnANAM BRAHMA:   Pure consciousness is BRAHMAN.

These four   MAHA-VAKYAS,   great aphoristic and visionary statements are  roaring  with the concept that JEEVATMA (individual Soul )and PARAMATMA (UNIVERSAL SOUL) are one and the same.  GOD   cannot be known as separate from you. If you want to know   GOD, you have to become GOD.  As, Lord Krishna in Bhagavad  Geeta   says:  Knowing the ‘SELF’  is being the  ‘SELF’.  If one wants to know the ‘SELF’ ,  one has to become the ‘SELF’. If GOD is separate from you, he becomes an OBJECT. An object of my perception can never  illumine  me ,   ’the SUBJECT’. Hence, GOD is SUBJECT. That is why,   GOD and man are one and the same. Again, GEETA says,  ’GOD  ‘ forgetful of his own glory, became a deluded man.  Hence, man awakened to the glory of the ‘SELF’ is ‘GOD’. So much so, man and GOD are one and the same. Man has to be awakened to the higher ‘CONSCIOUSNESS’.   Dreamer has to become ‘the WAKER.’ Worshipper has to become ‘THE  WORSHIPPED’,   Meditator’s goal is to become ‘The MEDITATED.’ Dreamer’s goal is to become ‘The WAKER’. Because, the WAKER is none other than  the  DREAMER.  Similarly,  JEEVATMA  (individual  soul) is none other than  ‘PARAMATMA  (universal soul).

Usually we live turning our attention to the external world. We need to reverse the direction of our attention inward. In other words we need to contemplate and meditate. True contemplation and meditation is for   ‘ self-discovery’ ,  because self is our true nature. To identify with our true nature, we need to turn within.   We  need  to turn our mental attention inward.  Because,   spiritual seeking  and searching is for what lies behind our mind and intellect.  Swamy  Sankaracharya in  Drig-drishya viveka   sa ys:   Eyes cannot see without the mind and mind cannot see without the intellect and Intellect cannot see without  ‘The SELF’. Without the ‘SELF’, or ‘GOD’,   the senses, the mind and the intellect cannot function.  Prakruti cannot function without ‘PURUSHA’ illumining the  ‘Prakruti’.  Man in his true nature, is That ‘PURUSHA.’  The ‘SELF’ or ‘PURUSHA’ is our true nature and we need to realize that, as  glorified in the great   Maha vakya:  TATVAM ASI,  ‘THAT THOU ART.’ BHAGAVAD GEETA is based on this Maha vakya.   This  SELF can be achieved only by constant contemplation and meditation and unconditional worship.  In other words, one has to practice   constantly.  Turning inward to see what lies behind our   mind and  intellect  requires withdrawal of our attention from the outer world of objects, emotions, and thoughts during contemplation and meditation and unconditional worship.  The mightiest   power called “the SELF” is beyond the comprehension of  the  senses, mind and intellect. Hence, meditation is to transcend the mind and intellect and to realize the self, our true nature.

‘Self-realization’   is  transcendental.   Vishnu  Sahasra   namas  are emphasizing on this.   ’APRAMEYAH’-means, I am not amenable for your sense perceptions. Why not?  Because,   I am  illumining ,your sense perceptions.  Hence,  you cannot perceive me.  meaning,   illumined can never apprehend the illuminator.  ‘Self or GOD’   is illuminator. Senses   are illumined. Hence God realization is beyond the senses. Meaning, one cannot see, hear, touch, taste or smell God. Through meditation, one can transcend the senses to realize the   ‘ SELF or GOD’.

Can we apprehend God through mental feelings or, intellectual thoughts?  Another   Vishnu   Sahasra   nama  says,  ’NO’.  ‘AGRAHYAH’-meaning you cannot apprehend me through mental feelings or intellectual thoughts. Why not?  I,  the ‘ GOD’  am  illumining  your mental feelings, hence you  cannot feel  me. I   the  ‘GOD’   am illumining your intellectual thoughts,  hence you cannot think of me. Illumined can never apprehend the illuminator. But,   through   unconditional  worship, intense meditation and concentration one can transcend the mind and intellect to realize ‘  GOD-HOOD or SELF-HOOD’ .  Hence, self-realization is transcendental. One has to use the senses, the mind and intellect to go deeper and deeper into the depths of depths ,    in unconditional  worship, intense  devotion to transcend  them  all.  Because, ultimately, in our deep   meditation ,   we have to realize that we are the ‘SOUL’ with a body and not the other way round. In other words, we are wearing this mortal garb temporarily. We have to use the same mortal garb, body gown to transcend it in intense   meditation and unconditional worship.  Meditation is to become the   ‘MEDITATED’. Worship is to become  the  ‘WORSHIPPED’.  Seeking is to become the ‘SOUGHT’. Loving is to become the ‘BELOVED’. Ultimately, we are the ‘WORSHIPPED, MEDITATED, SOUGHT   and   BELOVED.’ That is our  ‘TRUE NATURE.’ WE are “BRAHMAN”.

Self or   GOD  is not an object.   Self  is not something that one  can reach in a particular place or time. Because,  self  is  our true nature.   We  are it.  SELF   is not far away from us.  Self   is not an object of our perception. Self cannot be perceived or felt. IF self or GOD is an object of my perception, it can never illumine me ,    the subject. Hence, God and man are one and the same. The concept of a Vedanta is –‘Jeevatma  ( Individual soul ) and  Paramatma (GOD or Universal soul) are one and the same. Out of delusion, we have identified with our   false  nature.   When that delusion is gone, true nature will shine through in all its glory. Out of delusion, I may see a Rope and think that it is a snake.  When   the delusion or darkness is gone, the same snake becomes a rope. But, the snake never existed in a rope. Here   Jeevatma   is a snake and    PARAMATMA OR  GOD  is a rope. Our problem is Delusion or ignorance.     When ignorance is gone, SELF or GOD will  shine  through  in all its glory.. Just as when darkness is gone, we don’t have to invite the light. The light will shine automatically.

It is important to understand that actions have consequences. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. But actions done without anxiety for the fruit will not cause any reaction. In other words,  if we do all actions without anxiety for the fruit and accept whatever comes to us with   equanimity,  that will not leave any indelible impressions on the shores of our mind. Indelible impressions left in our minds are called ‘VASANAS’.   These   ‘VASANAS’  lead to   impurities   of the mind. Actions have to be without anxiety for the fruit. Worship has to be without anxiety for the fruit. If you worship GOD with anxiety for the fruit, you are asking from somebody to give you something.   That may or may not happen, depending upon your   ‘Prarabdha   Karma.   ‘GOD’   is not  something   or  somebody.  ‘GOD’ is you.   ’AHAM   BRAHMASMI’.   WE need to realize that through unconditional worship and Meditation.

You may attribute   ‘PRARABDHA KARMA’   to GOD.  But, Lord Krishna has emphasized again and again –‘AKARTARAM’   Meaning ‘I do nothing of that sort’.  That is: you are   punished   by  your  ‘SINS’,  and not  ‘FOR YOUR SINS’ by me. Besides, If I give you something,   that is something   other than you. If I give you my GRACE, how long does it last? In other words, if I bless you today, I will take it away tomorrow. In other words,   Grace or blessing cannot be gained or lost. If you   gain  something  from me , you are going to lose it  in time. Wealth you can gain today and lose tomorrow. Health you can gain today and lose tomorrow. That is why, Lord Krishna has emphasized in   Geeta    that ‘SELF’ is you. Don’t try to gain it or acquire it or reach it.   Realise    it.  In other words, re-discover what you already are.  Hence, Worship only to become ‘The WORSHIPPED’, to become ‘The MEDITATED’ and nothing else. Hence, worship without anxiety for the fruit, and do actions without anxiety for the fruit, thereby, you   ‘Incur no SIN’,   meaning, incur no   ‘Vasanas’.

The more actions we do with anxiety for the fruit,   the more  ‘Vasanas ‘ we develop.  ’Vasanas ‘   beget ‘Vasanas’.  It becomes a vicious circle. ’KARMA begets ‘KARMA’. Good karma leads to   good  Vasanas. Bad karma leads to bad  Vasanas.  Ultimately,all  ‘KARMA’  has to be gotten rid off   to exhaust   Vasanas  and to purify the mind. Without purification of the mind, self-realization (GOD realization) is not possible.  Hence,  the importance of getting rid off  Vasanas.  Lord Krishna has emphasized the importance of  ‘Vasana  catharsis’  or  ‘VASANA PURGATION’.    He emphasized that without desirelessness,    Vasanalessness   is not possible. Without  Vasanalessness,  purification of the mind is not possible. Without purification of the mind,   unconditional , unswerving devotion and worship is not possible. Without   unconditional  worship  and  meditation, SELF-REALISATION OR GOD-REALISATION is not possible.  Hence, The importance of purification of the mind is emphasized in   Bhagavad  geeta   and Upanishads.  Most of us do not have purification of the mind. Hence, we find it difficult to   worship  ‘GOD’  unconditionally.  Conditional   worship   leads to more  ‘vasanas’.  To exhaust those ‘vasanas’,   we need to take repeated    ‘birth-death- rebirth cycles’.  LORD KRISHNA says:  millions of people try to reach me, but only a handful of people succeed.  Because,    most of us do not have the purity of mind for unconditional   worship.  For this to happen, we need to have ‘True Knowledge’.

Lord  Krishna   in the chapter 4, stanza 37 says:  as the blazing fire reduces fuel to  ashes, O   Arjuna,   so does the fire of knowledge reduces all actions to ashes.

Meaning, all actions, all Karmas, whether good or bad get burnt up in the ‘fire of knowledge.’ For every action, there is a reaction. Actions with anxiety for the fruit,   will leave   reactions.  These   reactions are called ‘Karma.’ Three types of  ‘ Karmas’  are described in Upanishads. ’  Prarabdha   Karma (Operative), Sanchita  Karma (Not  yet operative),  Agami   Karma (To be operative in the future.)’

The fire of knowledge destroys all actions to ashes. Meaning, knowledge teaches us, that actions with anxiety for the  fruit ,  will leave reactions. These reactions will force us to come  back  to  this  finite world again and again in different birth-death-rebirth cycles. Hence  the importance of getting rid of   Vasanas,   to ascend in Spiritual ladder.

Knowledge is the greatest purifier. There is no greater  knowledge  than  ‘self-knowledge’ .  Self-knowledge is not something that can  be  gained  or acquired. Anything that can be  acquired ,  can be lost. For example, wealth can be gained or lost. But,   ‘SELF’ cannot be gained or lost. Self is our true nature. Self-knowledge is   ‘ already  there in us’ .   we need to realize it. We need to re- discover what we already are. When we get rid of   our  Ajnana,  Avidya,  Aviveka,  darkness,    ’SELF’  will  automatically shine in us. This can be accomplished with intense meditation with the purified and serene mind. The ‘SELF’ is not far away from us. We need to wake up in that state of ‘pure-consciousness.’  For example, the   waker    is never far away from the dreamer. The dreamer is none other than the   waker.   As long as one is a dreamer, and continues to dream, one suffers the sorrows of the dream until he wakes up. When he wakes up, all the sorrows of the dream are gone.  ‘ The waking state is our goal’ .  The waking state is never far away. Because, even while   dreaming, you are but  ‘ the  waker’ .    It is a question of realizing the   ‘Waker-hood.’    On waking up, sufferings and sorrows of the   dream world   are wiped out.  UPANISHADS   emphasize     that  this world is a dream world.  The life is a dream. Present state of consciousness is a dream consciousness. All  our sufferings and sorrows,  sighs and sobs, our sense of limitations, our fears and the dualities, our  lack of self- confidence within ourselves, all will disappear ,the moment we wake up from the present state of consciousness  to the highest state of consciousness,  the ‘PURE- CONSCIOUSNESS’,  the ‘SELF’ ,  which is our true nature. Self-realization is not a utopian dream.  It can be accomplished through unconditional worship, intense devotion, contemplation and meditation.

SELF- REALISATION is not gaining some knowledge of some object   through sense-perception or intellectual inference.  SELF is not an object.   Jeevatma   is nothing but, PARAMATMA in   ‘Disguise’.

Pure- Consciousness cannot be divided at any time.  All   ‘GODS’   are different manifestations of the same   ‘PURE-CONSCIOUSNESS’.  I, the   GOD ,  am  ‘BRAHMA, VISHNU and    Maheswara ‘.   They are three aspects of ‘GOD.’ ( TRINITY.) .   I am the   Creater,   Sustainer  and  Destroyer. I may have different manifestations.   Pure-consciousness is one and the same at all times, in all places and under all conditions.  Individuality of   Jeevatma   is false, just as individuality of snake is false in a rope. Snake disappears when delusion is gone.  Jeevatma  disappears when delusion is gone and ‘PARAMATMA’ will shine through in all its glory. That ‘PARAMATMA’ is one and only, second to none. All ‘GODS’ are nothing but me   in   ‘different manifestations.’   ‘I   the ‘GOD’   am  one  and only,  second to none,  but my appearances maybe many.’

The Sun-light is the same at all times. It may look and feel different at   different  times. It may look different when  it  illumines different objects. But,    minus the object, sun-light is the same. Similarly, ’PURE-CONSCIOUSNES’ remains the same even though it is illumining every one of us. We may be ‘Tamasic,   Rajasic   or Satwic  people’.  But,   ’PURE-CONSCIOUSNESS’   is the same in all of us. Illumination is the same.   But,  the   ‘REFLECTION’ varies from person to person ,depending upon our mental and intellectual mirrors. In a  Sattwic  person, the reflection is beautiful, but, in a ‘TAMASIC  ‘Person, the reflection is  dull.  It is not the fault of ‘PURE- CONSCIOUSNESS’    that  the reflection is dull  but, it is the fault of the reflecting medium,  the fault of the intellectual and mental mirrors. If we purify our intellectual and mental mirrors,   then,’ THE PURE-CONSCIOUSNESS, THE SELF’ will shine beautifully. That means,   we need to dust off our intellectual and mental mirrors,   meaning, we need to purify our mind and intellect    equipments. 

The distinction between   ‘Jeevatma’   and  ‘Paramatma’  is out of fear and ignorance.  Why are we afraid of ‘GOD’?  That is because of ‘DUALITY’.   Taitreya-upanishad  says  :’  When I, the ignorant person, make the slightest difference between ‘BRAHMAN and Me’, there is fear of ‘BRAHMAN’.  AS long as ‘GOD’ is different and ‘I’ am different,   there is ‘FEAR OF GOD’.  But, GOD and MAN are one and the same, as all Maha-Vakyas   of Vedas are roaring.  Why can’t I get it? That is because of my Ignorance,    Ajnana,  Avidya  and Aviveka.  These can be gotten-rid   off    through  un-conditional  worship, intense meditation and contemplation. Then, ’FEAR OF GOD’   will disappear.  Remember   that  ‘WORSHIP’ is for you,   the Jeevatma   to become ‘PARAMATMA’.  Worship is not for ‘GOD’. Worship is for you.  If you are worshipping   GOD ,  to please him,  then, if he is pleased and blesses you with all boons,   he becomes ‘an EGO-CENTRIC GOD’.   Does ‘GOD’ have an ‘EGO’?   ‘EGO’ is another name for ‘JEEVATMA’. EGO   and   JEEVA are one and the same.  Hence, GOD cannot have  an ‘EGO.   ‘Egolessness’  is  ‘SELF-REALISATION’.    ‘GOD’  cannot  be  pleased, or satisfied.”    He is none other than you.   GOD’ can be realized.  Because ,   GOD is not an object,  but, subject.   Realize    that.  Re-discover   what   you already are.  ‘TATVAM ASI: Thou art THAT.’

In  Shloka   29, Chapter9,  LORD     KRISHNA says : ‘The same am I to all beings. To me there is   none hateful   nor dear.  But, those who worship me with unswerving devotion, they are in me and I am also in them’.

This is a stanza of par-excellence.   We need to reflect on it again and again. We need to go deeper and deeper into depths of depths to understand this stanza.

The same   ‘GOD’ or   ‘Pure- consciousness’  is   in all of us.  For example, the same ‘SUN’ reflects in all surfaces. But, the reflection varies depending upon the surface, dull or bright. Similarly, the same   ‘PURE- CONSCIOUSNESS ‘  (GOD),  is illumining all of us.  The reflection   varies   depending  upon  Sattwic,  Rajasic  or  Tamasic  (Dull) minds. It is not the fault of the ‘SELF’ that the reflection is DULL, but, it is the fault of our mental mirrors.  SELF   is the same in all of us.  That   ‘SELF’  is our true nature.  Sankaracharya,   Ramana Maharshi ,   Buddha, Christ ,Mahatma Gandhi  have realized  that. WE can too, provided we can broaden our horizons and thinking and make an effort.  It may take a few birth-death-re-birth   cycles.  But, we have to start somewhere.  We need to start now. Our entire concept of   ‘GOD or SELF’   has to change. We need to   accept   the  ‘MAHA –VAKYAS OF VEDAS’  and   ‘UPANIshadic    truths’.    BHAGAVAD GEETA is nothing but, compilation of   ‘UPANISHADIC  TRUTHS’  in a nutshell.  We need to   break  the  ‘NUT’  to enjoy the   nectar    of  ‘NON-DUALITY’.  In other words,   study of UPANISHADS   is  very  essential  to  understand true concept of  ‘NON-DUALITY’. 

The  wrong   concept that ‘GOD’ blesses some people and not others has to disappear from our minds. ‘GOD’ does not   discriminate   between  worshipper  and non-worshipper. ‘The same am I to all beings’-Says, Lord Krishna. ’ Bhakti’ is not a cult.  Some narrow-minded people may think or surmise that By GOD’S grace,   some people manifest ‘Divinity’.  ‘GOD’ cannot be partial to some who worship him,   and hate others who do not worship him.  ’GOD’  does  not  know  what  ‘ hatred ‘  is.   ’GOD’ cannot be ‘HINDU GOD,   CHRISTIAN GOD or  MUSLIM GOD .  ’’GOD OR SELF OR PURE CONSCIOUSNESS’ can only be one.  Hence, LORD KRISHNA   emphatically declares:  ‘ The   same am I to all beings and to me, there is none hateful  nor  dear.’ The same   GOD  or SELF is there at all times, in all places and under all   conditions.   To GOD or SELF,   there   is  no  distinction  between  good and bad.  ‘ Good and bad are GUNAS  or  qualities’.    GOD   has no GUNAS or   qualities. It is very difficult to accept this concept.   LORD KRISHNA  has emphasized  that  he  is  : ‘NIRGUNATWAT’ ,   he has no GUNAS.  GUNAS or qualities   belong to objects.  ‘GOD or SELF is not an object.  GOD  is   subject. Subject   cannot have  GUNAS  or qualities. That is why, LORD KRISHNA has emphasized  the  visionary  statement :   ‘GUNATITAH BRAHMAVIT .’  He  said  : Transcending the GUNAS or qualities is  :BRAHMAN-REALISATION’. Even  Sattwic Gunas  have bondage,  (though minimal) ,  as enunciated by  LORD KRISHNA.

Hence,   GOD   does not bless some body or curse some body. GOD or SELF   does  not  entertain  a particular love for some body or hatred for other  people. Because,    in their true nature,  they are none other than ‘HIM’.  How can he hate   ‘HIMSELF?’ 

If we use the analogy of sunlight, it can be easily understood. Sunlight does not discriminate between bright   surface   or dull surface. Its reflection is the same.  But,   the reflection  varies  depending upon the qualities of the surface.  Similarly,   depending   upon where we are in our   ‘SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION’, our mental mirrors reflect the same  ‘SELF’ differently.  It does not  mean  that  the  ‘SELF or GOD’ has any preference for one person or other. It is the law of the universe.  Hence,’ the  same    am I to all beings’.

But, some people are coming closer to me while others are going farther away from me.  WHY?.

LORD KRISHNA immediately  answers :   Those who worship me totally, unconditionally,  selflessly, without  any strings attached, with unswerving  and unflinching devotion,  they are in me  and I am in them.   This   aphoristic   statement is  strikingly  ‘ Thought-provoking’.  This has to be properly understood with a few analogies.  If we can use the analogy of the  snake  and  the  rope, the snake is in the rope and the rope is in the snake. One is simply a super-imposition upon the other. Rope and snake are inseparable and non-dual.   But ,   separation comes  because of ‘ignorance’.  When ignorance is gone, the same snake becomes the rope. But, the snake never existed in the rope. Snake is seen because of ‘DELUSION’.   When delusion is gone,   snake, which never existed, disappears. Duality disappears. If the   Worshipper   Worships   with   unswerving  devotion,  he will soon discover that he is none other than ‘the Worshipped’.   If ‘ Jeevatma   ‘ Worships   ’Paramatma’  unconditionally, he will come to realize that he is none other  than   ‘PARAMATMA’  in due course.    .  One has to worship ‘GOD’ unconditionally. That is true devotion.  True devotion   and   worship   leads to ,ultimately,  ‘total identity  with the ‘BRAHMAN’ ,   his true nature.  The  Worshipper  becomes  the  ‘WORSHIPPED’.  He is liberated.  He becomes   ‘Jeevan mukta’    if he is still in his embodiment.   If it happens at the time of leaving the body, then, he attains ‘MOKSHA ,  NIRVANA, KAIVALYA  or LIBERATION’.  No more ‘BIRTH-DEATH-REBIRTH CYCLES’.   It does not mean,   GOD has shown any preference to the liberated ‘SOULS’.    GOD has  neither  preference  nor  prejudice  against anyone.  The great ‘SOULS’ discovered in their deepest devotion,    their   ‘ONENESS  with  BRAHMAN’,   true identity with the ‘SELF’   and became  ‘BRAHMAN’.   Sankaracharya,    Ramana maharshi,   Ramakrishna  Paramahansa,    Vivekananda  are but a few examples.

This has to be read again and again, to ingest it ,  digest it  ,  absorb it  and ultimately  ‘Assimilate the  Concept of “ TATVAM ASI’  as enunciated by LORD KRISHNA in Bhagavad Geeta  and “ UPANISHADS”. 

                                                                     Dr. K. ESWARA DUTT.