Oblivious to the nature of reality

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavatas,

namO nArAyaNA.

 

Questions:

 

How do we maintain and sharpen our focus on the ultimate goal and

nature of reality and bring about internal peace (minimize the cyclical

pattern of ups and downs)? How do we keep the search for

brahmajnana (knowledge of that which is eternal) from beoming like

searching for a needle in a hay stack?

 

Knowledge is a substance (dravya) that can take on infinitely many

states. These states (modifications) are brought about by contact with

external objects, both sentient and non-sentient, through the manas and

senses. Unless we use our free will to channel this dravya (knowledge)

in the right direction we will continue to be dominated by the tendencies

(vasanas) that pull our focus towards the samsaric reality and away

from the ultimate reality. Without focus, the search for brahmajnana

(knowledge of that which is eternal) will be like searching for a needle in

a hay stack (keep in mind knowledge can take on infinitely many states

not all these states are of interest to one who wants the ultimate fruit

and not transitory fruits.)

 

Due to a superficial thought process and haughtiness, most of us who

are born with the advantage of having a greater inclination towards the

truth expounded in the Vedas, do not make avail of the opportunity.

 

Why do we Lose focus?

 

Some thoughts

 

1. Our line of work does not bring us into contact with substances that

increase the likelihood of modifications that result in an expansion of

knowledge of that which is eternal. In fact in most case it brings us into

contact with objects that result in contraction of knowledge of that which

is eternal. Our line of work is against that prescribed in the dharma

sastras.

 

2. In our social interactions we associate with all sorts of individuals,

nihilists, atheists, agnostics, pseudo-vedantins, and so on. All such

interactions are not necessarily bad; however, in general these

interactions are capable of furthering our own delusion.

 

3. In our education, we are exposed to many theories that are in stark

contradiction to the Vedantic conception of the nature of reality. We

sometimes go about reconciling all these bounded theories within the

Vedantic framework even when it is not possible.

 

Note: I used brahmajnana to denote knowledge of that which is eternal

please correct me If I am using the term improperly.

 

ramanuja dasan,

Venkat

krishNArpaNam

(Venkat Nagarajan)

Toronto