The Pandora's Box

The placement of the brain at the top of the human body matches with the superiority of its role as compared to the other organs. It sits at the head of the body as if Lord Shiva divine glory is present on the sacred Kalish peak of the Himalayas. The strong fort of the skull protects it from pollution, harmful radiation, and effects of weather fluctuation and also prevents it from being hurt due to external stroke or hit. Further, the outer walls of this fort are also in contact with the external environment so as to allow important cosmic signals to reach the brain, this organization is most suitable for the healthy functioning of the brain as well as the body.
As infants brain weights only about 12 ounces. In a grownup youth it becomes about 3 pounds. Its functional capabilities increase at exponential rates as compared to the growth of its size and weight during this period. With the help of microfilms, we can store huge volumes of books in a tiny pocket. A healthy and normally developed human brain can store the amount of knowledge, which if printed, would require billions of huge volumes of books. Moreover, nature has endowed it with the potential to even double this capacity as and when required.
If one half of the brain is damaged or hurt due to some accident or similar causes, the remaining half fulfills the tasks of both. We normally have two hands, two legs, two eyes, two ears, two lungs, two kidneys etc. If one of these is lost, the normal functions of the body continue without much trouble because, the other member of the pair can compensate to a large extent for the lost or failed one. The brain does so despite being a single organ. It continues to perform its essential duties efficiently even if half portion becomes useless.
During the Second World War, about sixty-two soldiers had to undergo major surgical operations in which half portion of the brain was removed because of concussion. It was feared at that time that even if they survived, the memorizing capacity and efficiency of their brains would also be halved after such an operation. However, such apprehensions were found to be baseless as the half-brains of these soldiers worked normally like the complete ones.
Size, weight or physique of the body might be a good measure of its physical strength to some extent. However, that is certainly not the case with respect to the potentials of the brain. The brain of an elephant weight about 10 pounds and that of a human only 3 pounds. But, we all know that an elephant is not intelligent at all as compared to a normal human.
Intelligence is found to be associated with the connectivity of the neurons in the cortex. More the number of active connections among these neurons, the higher will be the efficacy of information transmission and retrieval through them. The principle of cooperatively assures progress in every field of life. That it is also the basis of intelligence - can be easily seen in the structure and functional adaptability of the interconnected neurons.
The human brain controls every activity of life. The domain of its regulatory tasks ranges from the body-functions to mental faculties and from the wonderful creations of imaginations to the depths of sentiments and subtler fields of emotions and acumen. Every kind of experience is stored in its memory. Only the intelligent machinery of the brain performs the functions of reasoning, planning and decision making. Whatever be the external structure, appearance and activities of the body, the basic source of control of each and every component and function of the body lies in the brain (mind). All the macro and micro level physiological, biochemical, cellular and molecular activities inside the body are conducted under its regulatory mechanism. It is the core of the origin, cultivation and culmination of the endeavors and tendencies of inclination towards philosophy, science, business, technical skill, art, music, adventure etc. What is the present level of one's personality and what it would become in near future - this can be deciphered by the elucidation of his/her mentality and emotional propriety.
The amount of material substances in brain is very less but its structural complexity, flexibility, storage capacity and functional adaptation fro, the hidden stock of its memory almost instantaneously and its parallel processing at ultra fast speed make it a supreme computer. These together with the unbound intelligence of the human brain challenge that none of the advanced information systems, super computers or other man made artificially intelligent machines could ever match the functioning or human brain in Toto.
Man made devices perform only the particular tasks for which they are fabricated. Their power and efficiency depends upon their design. Such is not the case with the natural 'instruments' like the human body and brain. The brain automatically controls its own development and can expand its capacities, potentials, activities and efficiency beyond any limit. It begins to grow on its own since the time of birth of the fetus and continues to perfect its development till the time of death along with performing its duties towards the other organs without any pause. In this respect, it may be likened to a teacher, who besides teaching regularly in the school, also continues his own studies and gradually passes higher grades of examination to expand his own scholarly talents.
Recent developments in neurosciences have revealed many features of the structure and function of the human brain. The facts known till date are so starling that this organ appears to be superior to the collective accomplishments of the most advanced technologies. What remains to be known about it could be more astonishing. Many layers of this majestic Pandora's Box still remain closed. As stated earlier, in normal case a large number of neuronal connections remain inactivated throughout the life of a human being unless some extra efforts are made - for instance, by Yoga practices and other experiments of spirituality to stimulate them. Rousing of these latent centers of consciousness can bestow supernatural faculties. Then, an ordinary human can enhance his physical power to compete with that of a giant and develop divine talents and potentials at the mental, intellectual and spiritual levels too.
Regular physical exercises and massaging etc. are practiced in order to energize the functional centers, which maintain physical health. The metabolic activities are maintained by eating pure, nutritious and digestive food in balanced quantities. Such practices ensure happy and healthy survival of the body in normal cases. However, extra care is essential for the refinement of mental capabilities and talents. The food intake of a person engaged in such a endeavor should be pure and austere and should also be 'charged' by subtle energy. The latter helps stirring and arousing the reservoir of consciousness existing in the brain.
The food of one's own refined thoughts, sentiments and inner strength catalyses the actions of the subtle energy. The external means useful in this regard consist of - dedicated endeavors (Sadhanas) of practicing truth, austerity and penance in every aspect of life, ascetic contemplation and Swadhyaya coupled with the Sadhanas of spiritual elevation. Meditation (Dhyan) is the simplest kind of Sadhana, which sublimated the flow of subtle energy in the brain.
Focusing of sunrays on a convex lens results in generation of thermal energy and ignition, channelizing of steam in a single direction triggers motion of a steam engine, targeted attack of cannon gives rise to an explosion. These examples demonstrate the power of concentration .A large number of bio-electrical impulses and energetic currents continuously flow in the human brain … focusing these to refine and strengthen specific quality of mind - is accomplished by a Dhyan Sadhana. This also results in rousing the willpower and mental strength along with sharpening of the intellect.
The inner strength of the mind is more important than the might physical power of the body, the power of wealth and external resources or the impact of education and talents etc.. One can rise up to those heights of development which are unimaginable in today's world and gradually culminate the personality with the help of the awakened inner strength of the mind

The process of sensory Withdrawal

Turning off the Hand Organ: Hands Folded in Lap
In the process of meditation, one sits motionlessly, with the hands folded in the lap, the fingers locked together. Many religious use a string of beads or a rosary which is rhythmically turned by the fingers, while repeating a prayer or chant. The monotony of any repetitive rhythmic activity lulls the restlessness of the conscious mind. But while telling beads, the hand motor organ is still operating, so the conscious mind is still somewhat active, although less. During meditation, however, we keep the hands completely still, locked together in the lap. Thus, the hand motor organ is completed "turned off".

Feet, Gentry, Excretory organs: "Lotus" Pose
Some spiritual disciplines use swaying prayer (the Hassidim) rhythmic waling meditations (Theravadin Buddhists) or dancing (Sufis). These monotonous or rhythmic bodily movements also serve to calm the conscious mind, but they cannot still is completely transcend the senses we must stop the functioning of the feet organs completely. For this, a special posture has been recommended by yoga experts after thousands of years of experimentation. It is called "Lotus Posture" (Padma'sana) because in it, the mediator becomes symbolically like the lotus flower which grows in the muddy water of roadside canals throughout Asia, with its blossom ever spotlessly pure and white, unaffected by the filth below. So the spiritual seeker remains in the world, but his or her mind rises above, transcending the disturbing and often degrading stimuli of the world around. In this posture, folded onto the right thigh
Scientific experiments conducted in a London laboratory revealed that persons simply sitting in this posture, not even meditating, experienced an immediate change in their brain waves, from the restless and rapid beta rhythm to the calm and slower alpha rhythm indicating a relaxed and heightened awareness. The subjects were given difficult math problems to solve while sitting in this posture, and were subjected to loud noises, bright lights, and very cold objects to distract them. It was found that in this posture they reacted much less to disturbing external stimuli, and were able to concentrate more deeply than people sitting in an ordinary posture. Thus simply sitting in the lotus pose intimacies and concentrated the mind.
One reason for this is that the pressure of the heels against the body affects the lower energy centers which direct the sexual and excretory organs, and as a result the functioning of these organs is temporarily suspended. Thus the energy they normally utilize is redirected above, to energize and expand the mind.

The Saint and the Scorpion

One day a Sadhu went to the river to bathe. There he noticed a scorpion struggling in the water. Scorpions cannot swim and the sadhu knew that if he did not save the scorpion, it would drown. Therefore, carefully picking up the scorpion the monk rescued it from drowning and was just about to set it down gently on land when the scorpion stung his finger. In pain, the Sadhu instinctively flung his hand and the scorpion went flying, back into the river. As soon as the Sadhu regained his composure from the sting, he again lifted the scorpion out of the water. Again, before he could set the scorpion safely on land, the creature stung him. This drama went on for several minutes as the Sadhu continued to try to save the life of the drowning scorpion and the scorpion continued to sting his savior's hand before reaching the freedom of the riverbank.
A hunter watched as the saint carefully and gingerly lifted the creature out of the water, only to fling it back in as he convulsed in pain from each fresh sting. Finally, the hunter said to the Sadhu, "Forgive me for my frankness, but it is clear that the scorpion is simply going to continue to sting you each and every time you try to carry it to safety. Why don't you give up and just let it drawn?"
The sadhu replied. "My dear child, the scorpion is not stinging me out of malice or evil intent. Just as it is the water's nature to make me wet, so it is the scorpion's nature to sting. He doesn't realize that I am carrying him to safety. That is a level of conscious comprehension greater than what his brain can achieve. But just as it is the scorpion's nature to sting, so it is my nature to save. Just as he is not leaving his nature, why should I leave my nature? My dharma is to help any creature of any kind - human or animal why should I let a small scorpion rob me of the divine nature which I have cultivated through years of sadhana?"
In our lives we encounter people who harm us, insult us, plot against us, whose actions seems calculated to thwart the successful achievement of our goals. Sometimes these are obvious acts, such as a co-worker who continually steals our ideas or speaks badly of us to our boss. Sometimes these acts are subtle - a friend, relative or colleague who unexpectedly betrays us or who we find has been surreptitiously speaking negatively about us behind our back.
Slowly we find that our own actions, words and thoughts become driven by anger and pain. We find ourselves engaged in cunning thoughts of revenge. Before we realize it, we are injuring ourselves by allowing negative emotions dominate us. They insulted us or plotted against us and or sabotaged a well-deserved achievement at work. But we injure ourselves more deeply and more gravely by allowing our hearts and minds to darken.
Our dharma is to be kind, pure, honest, giving, sharing, and carrying others due to ignorance, lack of understanding or due to the way in which their own karmic dharma is unfolding, may act with malice, deceit, selfishness and indifference. But we must not let their actions or their ignorance deprive us of fulfilling our dharma. We must not allow ourselves to be lowered by their ignorance their habits or their greed. The darkness in their heart should not be allowed to penetrate into the lightness of our hearts.

(Earth, upon which this moving, breathing life exists: May she bestow on us the finest of her harvests! Earth, the al-sustaining, treasure-bearing resting-place" Golden breasted Earth, home of all life, Who bears the sacred fire. ……Set me, O earth, amidst the nourishing strength that emanates from the body. The Earth is my mother, her child as I. (Athervaved)

The Second Quality of a Mantra: Incantation

The second quality is incantative. The mantra must have a certain sound, a certain vibrational pattern so that when it is chanted internally, it will elevate the individual's own vibration, or "entitative rhythm."
Each entity of this creation has its own particular entitative rhythm, its own note in the universal harmony. From pulsing quasars to osculating electrons - from the ultrasonic melody of mountain ranges to the ceaseless reverberation of the creatures, singing and drumming, whirring and clicking, laughing and crying - all the notes are orchestrated in a vast cosmic concert.
The source of this ceaseless rhythmic movement is the Infinite Consciousness, soundless and still, the ocean of peace. Undisturbed by any vibration, it flows in an infinite straight line through eternity.
The ancient sages, who had merged their minds in this sea of unexpressed Consciousness, realized that the universe is a vibrational play of varied waves with different wavelengths. By their intuitional powers, they came to understand the laws of universal harmonics governing this vibrational flow, and they developed a subtle science of sound to affect the rhythms of creation - without any mechanical apparatus.
Nepalese music, developed by the great yoga, master, Shiva, over seven thousand years ago, was one branch of that science. The classical ragas, or musical scales, are so subtly attuned to the rhythms of nature that each raga is to be played or sung only in a certain season and at a certain time of the day, to produce a specific emotional effect in the musician and audience. One raga is played only at dawn in the spring, to evoke the mood of universal love; another is sung only during the evening in summer, to arouse compassion; still another only during midday in the rainy season, to summon courage.
It is said that the masters of music had control over not only human emotions, but all natural manifestations as well: they could produce heat and rainfall at will, and the vibrations of their voices alone would cause finely-tuned musical instruments to resonate in accompaniment! Historical documents describe the remarkable powers possessed by Tansen, the 16th Century court musician of Akbar the Great. Commanded by the Emperor to sing a night raga while the sun was overhead. Tansen's vibrational song instantly caused the whole palace to become enveloped in darkness.
But the subtlest of all these sciences of sound was the science of mantra. The masters knew that each individual's entitative rhythm vibrates at a particular frequency. Like many instruments is a symphony playing in harmony, the combination of all the various "bio-rhythms" of mind and body (psychic waves, heart-beat, metabolic rate, etc) produces the individual's particular slower frequencies, it ultimately becomes infinite - and the mind merges in boundless Cosmic Consciousness.
Through long inner experimentation, the yogis developed a series of powerful sounds or mantras which, when chanted internally, resonate with the individual's entitative rhythm and gradually transform it into the infinite straight line of supreme peace.
These sounds originated from inside their own bodies, and were systematized into the oldest alphabet and language on earth- Sanskrit.

The Squatters in the Basement

It is commonly accepted fact that we human beings are utilizing only a fraction of our mental potential. As one scientist sail, "probably 99% of human ability has been wholly wasted; even today, those of us who consider ourselves cultured and educated operate for most of our time as automatic machines and glimpse the profounder resources of our minds only once or twice in a lifetime."
It has taken evolution ten million years to equip us with an incredible brain with seemingly unlimited capacity, but we use only a minute part of it. We are like a small family of squatters who have taken over a vast palace but prefer to live in a corner of the basement.
The emphasis of Western civilization on external life, on the domination and mastery of nature, has produced monumental technological achievements, but it has exacted a price. It has almost totally ignored our inner experience, and the "Shrunken psyche" of human beings is now crying out for expansion. Thus, we see all over the world today feverish interest in spiritual disciplines and psychic powers, mind expanding drugs and mysticism, hypnosis and meditation, dreams and creativity. Humanity is becoming increasingly hungry for transcendence, and more and more people are embarking on an "inner odyssey" to realize their full potential and develop the tremendous powers hidden inside them. But as a contemporary biologist warned, "we must know where we are going, and how we are going to get there."
Where we are going, and how we are going to get there! If we are to journey into our inner spaces, we need a map of the realms to be explored. And we must learn how to travel.

That Persons Who wants Happy in the Society

Meaning: According to the lines of Yajurved 29/37, Samved 1470 and Athervaved 20/69/11 — "We learn by being near the man who desires to see others happy like himself, as such our darkness of ignorance gets destroyed, we earn money and wretchedness gets destroyed. Therefore we should all be near spiritual people.
Message: These days' spiritual persons are seen nowhere. See anyone and you find him busy only in worshipping the body and forgetting the soul. He is constantly involved in decorating the body, in indulging his senses and fulfilling his desires. But what is this body? What is the difference between this live-body and the body after death? Apparently nothing, but what is the liveliness of the body due to? So long as there is the spark of the soul within it, the body has a meaning. Otherwise it is a corpse. Then what remains in it? Neither knowledge nor brightness: no feelings and no sensation. Man is considered impure by merely touching such a dead body.
So long as soul, a part of the Supreme Father is within this perishable body, it gives it the halo of form and beauty, and brings knowledge and life in this ignorant body. Only God himself manifests in the form of a spark along with all his living powers. Because of their presence and contact only, this body is pure. What wonderful grandeur this, of God? Wandering in the darkness of ignorance, man is not able to understand that Ultimate Truth. Rare are the spiritual people who understand it. Let them be few, but even then such men exist in the present times also. Only those men are successful who try to seek help of such spiritual persons. But those who do not make any efforts and merely sit with folded hands; they are not able to recognize such great men even though they may come before them.
The satsang of such great men does the work of the philosopher stone; it brightens the life like pure gold. It pulls out man from the darkness of ignorance and provides the knowledge of the meaningfulness and usefulness of light of life. With this knowledge, promising progress is made in achieving the objective of life. The bad tendencies and bad thinking do not increase, and actually, with mental strength and willpower, these get eradicated. Their place is filled with good qualities, thoughts of good activities, and they become joyous and cheerful. With the assimilation of excellence and idealism in greater and greater degrees in this qualities, deeds and nature, man becomes more enthused to make this world, this vast manifestation of God, more developed and more fragrant. Then he cheerfully plans the use of all his capacity and personality for public welfare and for the removal of the widespread ignorance, corruption and backwardness in the society.
The entire society becomes heavenly with the influence of satsang.

Ketoom krunvannaketave
pesho marya apayshasay
samurshaadibharajaayathaa.
(Yajurved 29/37, Rigved 1/6/3. Samved 1470 and Athervaved 20/69/11)

Thought should be clean

Meaning: The line of Athervaved 12/2/28 has given the instruction to us about the help, which means — "May our thoughts always be clean and pure. May we save others from going on the wrong path and take them onto the good path so that all together achieve full longevity of life."
Message: All the troubles of the world are because of warped intelligence and wicked activity. That is why after diagnosing the cause of a disease, it should be attacked at its very roots. The best method of social-service is to rescue the people from lowly thinking and activity and direct them towards excellence.
If people change their methods, then on the strength of their tremendous inner capacity, they themselves can solve their backwardness and difficulties. We should cooperate in directing their activities on to the good moral path. They should be led with such qualitative leadership that they will give up their destructive activities and themselves start taking interest in constructive works.
The only way to self-development is that we spread our friendliness in a wider area. Bu considering others' happiness as ours and their sorrow too as ours, let us think and act to reduce their sorrow and increase their happiness. No man has that much capacity that he will employ all his wealth in removing others' wants. Neither can the 24 hours of the day be employed for public service. Even then, there should be a strong sentiment that after fulfilling our minimum requirements, the entire remnant should be dedicated for the removal of societal backwardness, difficulties, wants and grief.
Today the world has discarded the robe of excellence and replaced it with the cloak of meanness. Life itself has become hellish because of the entry of meanness in our methods of thinking and working.
Gradually we are proceeding towards collective suicide by being busy in internal squabbles, quarrels in homes and mutual torture. In such a situation, human race can be served in only one way, that is, it should be saved from illusory, indiscreet and immoral thinking and prepared to develop logical discretion and to take shelter of turambhara pragya (pure intelligence). In today's situation, that is the greatest service to the society. By revolutionary thinking, the current miserable condition can be changed and heaven made to descend on earth. There is unlimited strength in purity of thinking. Whenever thinking is done on any subject with purity in viewpoint, then a situation can be assessed in n impartial and neutral way and any decision taken is also in the interest of all. Divinity is the natural quality in men which they have received right from their childhood. This divinity gradually gets lost only because of polluted thinking is extremely necessary.
Only those men are able to rouse discretionary thinking in people, who establish idealistic thinking for moral regeneration. It is our pious duty to include this excellence in our character.

Vaishwadevim varchasa aa raabhdhvum
shuddhaa bhavantaha
shuchayaha paavakaahaa
atikraamanto duritaa padaani
shutum himaahaa sarvaviraa madem. (Athervaved 12/2/28)

Transformation of the Era by Thought-Reform

The foremost requirement of this era is reformation in thinking. If man's thinking is not changed in time, then this world will be destroyed. As long as the present condition of man's way of thinking is not altered and straightened up, all the efforts for establishing peace and happiness will prove unsuccessful.
The only reason for all the perversities, obstacles, grief, sorrow, dualities, conflicts, wants, crimes, and diseases is that our thinking has been vitiated. The reason for all the wars is vitiated, wicked thinking. Even if all the facilities are available and still our way of thinking is not proper, then the individual will receive only unhappiness and cause unhappiness to those in his contact. The reason for our physical, mental, economic, familial, social, national and international problems and troubles is the impure thinking of the people. If the reasons for the mistakes are not tackled, then the effort for reformation is like watering a dried-up tree.
Therefore if a real solution is to be found for the current problems, then we have to conclude that it is essential to change the prevalent pattern of thinking in the world. Moral and cultural revival is possible only on this basis. Except for this there is no solution for world - peace. The foremost requirement of this era is an all-round revolutionary - thinking, a complete change in our thinking. Whether achieved today or after a thousand years, there is no other way except this. All of us must make effort in this direction according to our capacities.

Spiritual Development
Creating a new order should start with one's own self. 'Preach others but practice not' may be alright in other matters, but when it is a question of cleansing people's minds, the cleansing must start with one's own self. The sooner we learn the truth in depth that excellence is not achieved by preachment but by conduct, the better. Speech and writings can be effective to an extent for teaching others. The real influence comes from the preacher's conduct. People do not have the courage to tread a thorny path unless they have an ideal before them. Physical information can be obtained though speech and writings, but not so with subtle and spiritual information.
One must think seriously every day for a long time on the following four basic philosophical principles of spiritual development.
1. The first truth of looking at one's own self i.e. the soul, is to think of oneself as a very pure part of the Supreme and to think of the mind and the body as completely separate from the soul and to think of them as merely the vehicles and instruments of the soul.
2. The second spiritual truth is to think of the human life as the pure gift of God for the purpose of public good.
3. The third big truth is - to achieve the life's objective of achieving completeness from incompleteness. The chasm between God and the soul can be filled only by removing one's faults and deficiencies. Only by adopting the policy of excellence in thinking and ideal behavior, does the person get the opportunity of spiritual elevation to the level of God.
4. The fourth big truth is to think of this vast universe as a concrete manifestation of God and to make sincere efforts in spiritual endeavor for spiritual enlightenment.
Only these four truths are the central points of the science of spiritual Endeavour. If we want to usher in a new era, we will first have to concentrate on spiritual development.

True Knowledge is the Key of Character Formation

Meaning: According to the Rigved 1/22/19 — "No benefit is achieved by mere parrot-like repetition of any religious scripture or a volume of the Vedas. We must follow those rules in our life."
Message: There is a tale of the time of the student days of dharmaraja Yudhishthir. Once their teacher taught them the famous Vedic mantra 'satyum vada, dharmum chara, swadhyayaanma pramadaha' i.e. speak the truth, conduct yourself religiously and do not neglect self study and asked all the students to memorize it. The next day all the students recited the mantra before their teacher, but Yudhishthir said that as yet he had not memorized it. In this way four to five days passed and then one day he said, "Now I have memorized the mantra". All were very much surprised that Yudhishthir took so many days to memorize such a small mantra. On being asked the reason, he explained that despite making strong efforts, he could not prevent himself from uttering lies, but yesterday he had not uttered any lie at all, and in this way by implementing it in his conduct, he has now thoroughly memorized it.
This is the essence of Nepalese culture. It will not do good to merely recite any mantra, or religious book or a passage. It must be absorbed in one's heart and become a part one's conduct. There should be harmony of knowledge and deed. Only that is the real knowledge which manifests in beneficial acts. 'Knowledge' which produces arrogance, hypocrisy, desire for fame among people is not real knowledge. Only that is real knowledge which gives peace, satisfaction and spiritual uplift. One which makes a person realize his ignorance makes him humble and fully absorbed (in spirituality), is original knowledge. That which does not manifest in life, which cannot mould life, which cannot make for beauty, excellence and simplicity in every field, how can it be called knowledge?
Today unfortunately, the opposite situation exists. Whatever moral policy we read about, we think it merely a decorative piece of literature. The best philosophies are ridiculed. It is believed by people that 'satya (truth), ahimsa (non-violence) etc, are all needed for lectures and religious discourses only. They think that in practical life, only those indulging in untruthful and violent conduct, become successful. Only this untruthful knowledge is the main reason for all the present day ills. People talk big (i.e. high ideals), but the inferiority of conduct by itself disregards the rules of truth and indulges in wickedness in every way. They forget that by such pretense they deceive themselves only.
Unless and until there is harmony of knowledge and action, we cannot achieve success in personal life nor there peace and happiness in society. Whatever small and big philosophies we have read, we should try to implement them in our conduct. If we start with small matters, then in future wee can also fulfill big 'vruts', (giving up bad tendencies and imbibing good qualities) and resolves easily. Learning the scriptures will be meaningful only when the knowledge of so many scriptures like the Vedas, Purans, etc enters the heart and becomes a part of our conduct.
Character-formation means nothing but making our conduct shiningly bright with true knowledge.

Truthful Conduct

Meaning: In the line of Yajurved 19/30 has been explained that — "By recourse to vrat (i.e. a religious pledge), man obtains excellent office and worthiness, and thereby he receives increasing honor. By receiving honor, one's faith and trust develops in doing good deeds."
Message: All the learned persons, thinkers, sages and great men in the world have praised the grandeur of truth. Truth itself is religion, austerity, yoga and the eternal brahma (or God). Truthful behavior by itself is the best yagya. The entire world is based on truth; religion too is established on truth. In no field, whether social, economic, political or educational is progress possible without truthful conduct. Truth is so gentle that it does not hurt al all, but is also so hard that it bores even though the rock and gets prevailed. Only truth is victorious everywhere, hence the eternal truth enshrined in three Sanskrit words, "Satya meva Jayate". Truth means the mighty God. Man's spiritual union with God, the embodiment of Supreme Truth, is achieved only with truthful conduct.
If we want to get to the centre of all powers, we will have to worship the truth, will have to exert very hard to practice it and give up all petty matters. One can achieve truth only when the mind becomes restless and is burning with the desire for knowing, understanding and achieving the truth. To obtain the truth, one has to climb the four steps of 'vrat, diksha, dakshina and shraddha'.
What is Vrat? Vrat means giving up bad tendencies and adopting good qualities. Vrat involves 'upwas'. Upwas is nothing but freeing oneself from sins and adopting good qualities. Normally in 'upwas' people undertake a fast, i.e. remain hungry, but 'upwas' does not mean remaining hungry and reducing one's body. Vrat or upwas means such conduct, thinking, dealing and good resolves which should be adopted for making our life clean, pure, high and great. Let us take the vrat (or pledge) of giving up our addictions and be good in conduct. Let us take the pledge of helping others and serving our country. Life will be uplifted by adopting such real 'vrats'.
By understanding and implementing such vrats to the extent possible, we will soon become deserving of diksha or initiation. Initiation means entry into the empire of refinement, the right to reach the court of truth. By staying in the court of truth with truth-loving persons, one develops the ease, the naturalness of seeking and living according to the truth and we get the benefit of the experience of the companions.
After Diksha comes 'Dakshina'. By implementing truth in our conduct, we can experience that our will-power is increasing, 'tej' and 'oj' is increasing, (tej means mental brightness and oj means mental alacrity) and we are progressing towards the goal of life, and the society is also honoring us by accepting our skill and progress. This four-fold progress is our 'dakshina'.
Ultimately because of the influence of 'vrat', diksha and dakshina, unshakable faith (shraddha) for truth is roused in us. After that there is speedy progress and all the difficulties in the path automatically get destroyed.
Only truthful conduct is the spiritual power of our character.

Walking the Pathless Path

Sometimes a lesson has to be repeated for thousands of years, not because it was not learned the first time but because new people arrive on the scene. The lesson I am thinking of was Siddhartha's a prince on the Nepalese boarder of northern India. He dropped everything and hit the road, becoming the original or at least the most famous dharma bum. He traveled from seeking to master with his begging bowl, he became impressively austere. Instead of a loving wife, a warm bed, and feasts, he tried the opposite; solitude, sleeping by the wayside, and subsisting on whatever scraps of food he could beg for.
It's still an appealing choice, because we equate austerity with virtue. If the stress of a chaotic world is too much, perhaps harmony lies along a different, quieter, moral solitary road. But the moral of Siddhartha's tale led a different way. Leaving home didn't bring enlightenment, nor did austerity, poverty, starving his body, or trying to force his mind to be still. Instead, Siddhartha became someone entirely transformed - the Buddha - when he hit upon a new road, the one called "the pathless path".
The pathless path isn't a straight line; it doesn't even lead from point A to point B. The journey takes place entirely in consciousness. A mind overshadowed by fears, hopes, memories, past traumas, and old conditioning finds a way to become free. This sounds impossible at first. How the mind that is trapped and old conditioning can finds a way to become free. This sounds impossible at first. How can the mind that is trapped by pain also be the tool for freeing itself? How can a noisy mind find silence? How can peace emerge from discord?
The Buddha offered his answer, which is variant on an even more ancient answer from the seers or rishis of Vedic Indian transcend the personal mind and find universal mind. The personal mind is tied to the ego and the ego is forever swinging from pleasure to pain and back again. But If you look at awareness when there I s no pleasure or pain, when the mind is calm while simply existing, a fascinating journey begins. You have made the first step on the pathless path.
This is not to dismiss the other path, the one that takes you away from home into a retreat, ashram, meditation centre, or holy place. They have their own atmosphere; therefore, the mind can breathe a different kind of air, so to speak an air of tranquility and peace. When you arrive at such a place, two things usually happen. You soak up the peace, enjoying the contrast with your busy life at home. At the same time you notice how loud your mind, is how much chaos it has absorbed. So these holy places can only suggest what the pathless path is about.
Kabir sang of spiritual travelers: "There is nothing but water in the holy pools/ I know I have been swimming in them. All the gods sculpted of wood or ivory can't say a word. I know, I have been crying out to them. The sacred books of the east are nothing but words. I looked through their covers one day sideways: What Kabir talks of is only what he has lived through. If you have not lived through something, it is not true."
These lines don't deny the worth of spiritual journeying, but they tell us that there is no substitute for first-hand experience. Where you go to find it is irrelevant. The true seeker after truth discovers, sooner or later, that truth was seeking him all along.

We Should Obtain Knowledge

Meaning: According to the line of Athervaved 6/64/1 we can receive the message that we should obtain knowledge by our clean deeds which can be explain as — "It is every man's duty to obtain knowledge and live by mixing with others. May all be blessed with good culture? Just our ancestors have been carrying out their duties. Similarly, let us also carry out our duties completely."
Message: The activities of the life of a spiritual person are not based on filling the belly, producing children and desires like the ordinary men who are like animals, but his activities are bright and are inspired by idealism. A spiritual person knows the difference between the body and the soul and believes that the soul is the lord (or the controller) and the body is a means. The person who has clearly understood this aspect gives importance to the thought of the best ways of utilizing this invaluable human life for great projects like spiritual salvation and self-development, while ignoring bodily comforts, temptations for indulging the senses, false acclaim and pomp. If for fulfilling this objective there is a reduction of physical comforts and material wealth, he is not upset even for a moment, because he knows that the body is merely a means. If his privileges are snatched, the door for the upliftment of his soul is opened up. There is greater benefit and lesser harm in that.
A spiritual person follows the ideals of plain living and high thinking. It becomes possible to save the time and money spent in pomp and luxury and spends it for idealistic works of public welfare. The needs, worries, difficulties and troubles of a person are in proportion to his spendthrift and pompous life. The person who reduces his desire for showing off and living a life of great comforts compared to others, will find meaningless his own and his families useless expenditure and pomp. That is why divinity starts with frugality (i.e. spending minimum for only basic needs and for a very simple life).
When a man realizes the above, then he experiences joy only in mixing and living harmoniously with others. He understands others' happiness and sorrows as his own and finds his own happiness in the happiness of others, and sorrow in others' sorrow. His desire sharing his happiness with others and desire for reducing others' sorrow by sharing their troubles takes him to the high level of considering the 'world as a family' as enshrined in the snskrit saying "vasudhaiva kutumbakam". With the sentiments of sympathy, pity, helping others, love and oneness with others, there is an increase in mutual goodwill, affection and the feeling of equality and a heavenly atmosphere is created in the society.
Our rishis had fixed this very ideal for us, which is equally meaningful today. They were making use of their knowledge and intelligence only for societal welfare. Living in thatched cottages and leading very ordinary lives, they used to be busy in making the society happy and highly prosperous. What an excellent way of thinking! They loved to devote their entire lives busily in doing their duty.
We can be men of character only by putting into our personal conduct such excellent ideals of our ancestors.

You are What You Think

Self is immutable and so is the Supreme self, therefore, be one with the immutable. Why do you allow yourself to be swept hither and thither like a straw? You become peace-less in the face of petty troubles - a notice from a government department, not being able to have your way, not being able to gratify your senses, a slight to your ego, a servant not saluting not getting approval or recognition in some matter….. How small you become!

As you think, so does your mind become? Therefore, please think of God.

Don't let your mind go towards any person or thing other than God. Focus.

You are told that God is in everybody and everything and that His will be done. It means the Lord abides in you. Thousand of gamblers are playing games; let them play. You think of playing with the indweller Lord and so turn your mind inward. You shouldn't exhaust yourself capitulating to kinsmen laboring under delusion. God's will be done means accepting whatever is happening whether or not it is to your liking.

Some people when they meditate expect some type or depth of meditation. Don't predetermine any type of meditation nor have preconceived notions of the results it should produce. As you sit for meditation, tell Him, 'O Lord! Hail to you! Thy will be done! This is meditation and reflection too.

Whatever you do with your body, do it for the pleasure of indweller Lord. Don't work for sense-gratification or for ego trip. Works with a view of propitiate the Lord. This is real service. If people seek your help or service by flattering you, be careful and examine yourself whether you are being motivated by adulation or you are rendering service for the pleasure of the Guru or the Indweller Lord. If you exercise this care, your service will become much rewarding and your nature will be sweet.

Those who work for appreciation and fame end up quarrelling and fighting with each other.

Reject your ego. Doing so is good for you. Give your acceptance by saying. "O Lord! What you will is for the best of all! They will be done! God the knowledge Absolute, Bliss to be like Him. God's will being fulfilled means God will make you God. The Supreme Brahman for you is in substance one and the same as Himself.

Instead of praying for a particular kind of weather, pray to Him, O Lord! Thy will be done! Then whatever the weather may be, it will not cause any trouble to you. Just give your consent. If somebody hurls abuses at you, say in your mind, 'God! You are great! Through these cuss words, you are destroying my ego. O Lord! Thy will be done! This in itself is a great sadhana. If you think 'oh my God! It is very hot………' you will be tormented by hot weather. But you want to enjoy the rain - summer heat is essential for the rains to come.

Summer heat is essential also for making one strong enough to tolerate cold as cold is essential for making one strong enough to tolerate the summer heat. Insults are necessary to make one able to assimilate appreciation and fame. Death is necessary for one to assimilate life. The Lord is doing all that is necessary for you.

'That man is disciplined and happy who can prevail over the turmoil that springs from desire and anger, here on earth, before hi leaves his body.

(Bhagavad Gita 5.21-23)

Subtle Aspects of Yagya

The extremely subtle effects are by far the more important. Like humans, matter too, has three bodies -- physical, subtle and causal. The body which eats, sleeps, walks, acts; which consists blood, flesh etc. is visible man's physical body. Subtle body is that which thinks, considers and controls the physical body. Causal or astral body is that in which faith, convictions, aspirations etc. are deeply rooted. The subtle body is much more powerful as compared to the physical body. The casual body is several times more powerful than the subtle body.

The casual energy underlying all the Havishya used in Yagya is stimulated by the rituals prescribed for the Yagya performance. Only then alone it is possible to affect desired changes in the mind and consciousness of the participants. It this is not done, the effect of Yagya will be limited to the physical - chemical effects fo vaporization of specific substances. No doubt, several benefits can be derived by these effects too; the fumes of Yagya remove foul smell and spread soothing fragrance. It can also help in controlling virus infections and thereby promoting physical health. This is, however, an insignificant achievement, as compared to the vast potential of Yagya.

Importance of Yagya lies in the subtle power of the substances which are offered in the sacrificial fire. The selection of a particular wood or Havan Samagri depends on the purpose for which Yagya is performed.

In order to stimulate the causal energy of the offering, help of the science of Mantras is taken. The conductor of Yagya takes all precautions to ensure that the Mantras are uttered, pronounced and appropriated correctly in the pitch voice, rhythm and tone duly prescribed. Strict discipline is required to be maintained, and there should be no deviation. Shabda (the eternal and cosmic sound) is termed as Brahm. Ordinarily, it is used for exchanging of thoughts but at subtler and higher levels in Mantra, Shabda plays the role of getting transformed into potential energy.

The entire basis of the Mantra Shastra stands on the footing that the selection, interlocking and appropriation of words in a Mantra exist in such a way that it becomes possible to get miraculous advantage by making the causal energy of Shabda specifically enhanced and made more powerful.

All the pots and even water used in the Yagya are purified by specific Mantras before use. The fire-wood (Samidhas) are washed, dried and use dafter they are duly sanctified by Mantras. The process of Vedi Pujan and Yagyashala Pujan are resorted to make the Havan Kunda live….. with awaken causal energy. This as a whole is the scientific process of mass medication which strengthens the spiritual basis of the Yagya process.

It is generally experienced that Yagya (Agnihotra) --- atmosphere is very compatible and alluring for attaining spiritual uplift. Dr. Motohama of Tokyo, Japan has studied the effects of Agnihotra, with his instrument for measuring electric fields surrounding the body. He has reported that after performing an Agnihotra, the Anahata Chakra (cardiac plexus) exhibits similar condition that exists after psychic and spiritual healings.

Study (Swadhaya) of Good Literature

Meaning: The line of Samved 1303 gives us instruction that — "With the study of the literature which inspires men's thinking towards good deeds, men and women feel joy. Imbibing good thoughts, they ultimately get the benefit of salvation."

Message: Man's mind is like a blank paper or a slate or photographic plate. The situations, events and thoughts, which come before it, get etched on it and then that type of mental ground or mindset is created. By nature, man is neither intelligent nor foolish nor good nor bad, but in reality he is a very sensitive animal. He accepts the nearby influences and gets cast in the mould of whatever atmosphere exists before his mind. This specialty of his gets him swept in situations which either led him to downfall or to uplift. The path to uplift or progress opens up only with worship of God, satsang and 'swadhaya' or study of scriptures.

There are tow meanings of the word 'swadhaya', first is the study of Vedas and scriptures which uphold the thinking in the Vedas. The second meaning is 'swadhaya' ('swa' means self and 'adhayayan' means study, which means study or observation of the self). An individual closely observing himself daily for a few moments makes it a habit to find out personal faults and also makes an effort to remove them.

The main interpretation of the word, 'swadhaya is the study of scriptures and good books. Their study is like drinking the sweet nectar, and does the work of a beam of light in the darkness of life. The study of good moral books is the basis of man's progress, whereas the reading of bad books becomes the cause of his downfall. Good books serve a man's need of good friends and through them he finds out the road of spiritual and moral uplift. The demoniac tendencies and events encourage us to adopt man, lowly beliefs and activities. To annihilate this wicked influence, the contact of saintly, great men and the study of their books act like magic. With the study and contemplation of such books, in fact, our mind establishes a sentimental unity with that great man, by which day by day there is an enhancement in our character, personality and willpower. Good holy literature has provided the opportunity to innumerable men for uplift and to be men with strong willpower. The enunciation of the holy Gita benefited not only Arjun who was the first to hear it from Lord Krishna, but has helped millions of people in achieving their objectives of life.

Today's irony is the availability of rotten, irrelevant, obscene and perverse literature at every street-corner. People buy it for its cheap entertainment. On the contrary, one must make an effort to get only the literature with good thoughts for self-study. If we employ regularly one hour's time for study, in a short time, our thoughts will become excellent.

The habit to study must be made the daily indivisible deed of our life.

Paavamaanihi swastyayanistaabhirgachhati naandanum

Punyaanshcha bhakshaanbhakshayamrutatvum cha gachhati

(Samved 1303)