Gita Satsangh Chapter 10: The Divine Glories

[Guest guest]

Namaste Satsanghis:

 

While describing His own glories, Lord Krishna tells that among

waters, He is the Ocean. This is a profound statement because Ocean

symbolises infinity and also the origin for all waters, the source of

life! In chapter 2, verse 70, Lord Krishna provides the essence of

vedantic philosophy.

 

Chapter 2 Verse 70

 

apuryamanam acala-pratistham samudram apah pravisanti yadvat

tadvat kama yam pravisanti sarve sa santim apnoti na kama-kami

 

He attains peace into which all desires enter as waters enter the

ocean which, filled from all sides, remains unmoved; but not the man

who is full of desires.

 

Verse 70 contains the essence of the Vedantic philosophy in a

nutshell. This verse in poetic form uses a powerful simile to

describe the qualities of the True Nature of the Jiva in no uncertain

terms. English Translation of verse 70 by Dr. Radhakrishnan: "He

unto whom all desires enter as waters into the sea, which, though

ever being filled is ever motionless, attains to peace and not he who

hugs his desires." The science of Vedanta expressed in Gita combines

both the scientific rationale and the mystic experience. We can

possibly apply scientific rationale to explain rains, rivers and

oceans. Science explains why water is essential for the survival of

life in this planet. Scientists also predict the time, location and

the amount of rain falls with a higher level of precision than ever

before. They can also explain why rain waters fill the rivers and why

rivers can't be recognized when they reach the ocean. But science has

its own limitations. When scientific explanations stop, mystic

experiences start. Some of us while standing at the banks of the

river, we experience inner peace and tranquility. The reasons for

inner peace and tranquility are beyond the scope of science. When we

stand before the Ocean, we are able to witness the boundless beauty

and wonder of the nature filled with Divinity.

 

Science identifies that ocean is the source for all waters that flow

in this universe and consequently ocean becomes the very source for

our life. The subtle connection between material objects and life is

mystic. Mysticism can be experienced but can never be explained!

Scientists will be able to prove that there can be no life without

water. But scientists could not disagree with the Vedantic claim that

there is no life without consciousness! When rivers reach the ocean,

rivers lose their identities. When we realize Brahman, we become

Brahman. Ocean is a good visual image of infinity; it is motionless,

silent and serene. Ocean is always full and we can neither overfill

nor empty the ocean! The nerve center for human desires is the mind

which undergoes changes with spiritual growth. Rain waters represent

the desires. River represents spiritual life. . When we adopt the

spiritual path of life, we move away from selfish desires and seek

unselfish desires that benefit the community. We are able to evolve a

sense of direction and a destination. The waters of the rivers flow

through the planet for the survival of humans, animals, plants and

insects. The spiritual person also leads the life by conducting

actions for the betterment of the society. When the spiritual person

reaches the ultimate destination, (Brahman) he (she) loses his (her)

worldly identify. By liberating his (her) selfish desires, the

spiritual person enjoys eternal happiness and peace like the river

merging on the ocean!

 

Warmest regards,

 

Harih Om!

 

Ram Chandran

[Guest guest]

Ram

Beautiful analysis.

> The science of Vedanta expressed in Gita combines

> both the scientific rationale and the mystic experience.

 

Science as we know looks for cause and effect relationships to establish

the natural laws governing these, and explore the degree of universality

of these laws. The mystic part is lack of understanding the source of

these laws.

 

Sugar tastes sweet - so are fructose, glucose, saccharin, Equal, now

splenda. However, what exactly is the sweetness in terms of the

structure of these compounds and their effect on the taste buds and the

way they affect the neurons in the brain? - are all still mystery

indeed. Is this mystic experience or lack of understanding of the

phenomenon?

 

Happiness is another one. Absence of duality or dvaita is considered a

source of joy. But that is the joy of ignorance. Endo morphines

produce the comfort zone for the brain to relieve it from stresses. One

can induce advaita or negate dvaita by inducing sleep, but is that the

mystic experience.

 

Is it the understanding of the very mystic experiences is the truth of

the Vedanta?

 

Vedanta says you are the source of all that and abiding in that is

knowledge of the mystic experiences too.

 

We do not know what 'life' is other than through its manifestations.

How that 'life' principle enlivens the assemblage of matter into a

dynamic presence is the mystery indeed. Vedanta says you are that. How

'I' be the source of mystery. How can I make inert matter to make into a

dynamic manifestation. Or even from advaitic perspective make

something that looks like so real and inert of existence-conscious

principle. Is maya or mystery accounts that as an explanation!

 

That so-called 'consciousness-existence principle' which is incapable of

doing anything (since it is infinite) by its very presence makes the

mater pulsate with life making to manifest Shiva which otherwise is

shava, is real mystery indeed. Is this a mystic experience or so

self-evident truth?

 

Is it just understanding Shivoham, Shivoham, Shivoham from shavoham,

shavoham, shavoham, as a fact is the solution of all mysteries?

 

 

 

> When scientific explanations stop, mystic

> experiences start.

> The reasons for inner peace and tranquility are beyond the scope of

>science.

 

Is it? I am beginning to think science includes that - not the science

that is based objective analysis but science that include the analysis

of subject, I. The tools of investigation obviously are different.

Vedanta is the tool or pramaaNa providing a working hypothesis while

pointing solution that one arrives - where all the investigation

dissolve into that. It is neither mystic nor an experience but factual

understanding of the state of affairs or scientific discovery.

 

 

Just some thought to contemplate.

 

Hari OM!

Sadananda

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sadaji:

 

First thanks for your kind words and insightful explanations. I

agree that we can get some satisfactory explanations to inner peace

by expanding the scope of study of `science' appropriately. .

 

All scientists do not agree with the idea of expanding the scope of

science to explore the validity of a theory without observations. In

the US, there is an ongoing debate on what should be taught in the

class rooms in public schools on `science' . Advocates

of "intelligent design" are gearing up their fight to teach the

controversial religion-based explanation for the formation of the

universe and human evolution as `science' in class rooms of grade

schools of US. These proponents of teaching intelligent design in the

public schools argue that evolution is a "theory" and ask why

shouldn't their theory be allowed equal time in a science class.

Majority of the scientists are of the view that a scientific theory

and intelligent design theory are two different things! In

conclusion, I do believe that the general consensus is reflected by

the popular quotation – "Religion begins where science ends."

 

Swami Ramakrishnananda of Belur Math states that Science is the

struggle of man in the outer world where as Religion is the struggle

of man in the inner world. In other words, Science provides the means

to find the Truth in the outside universe and Religion provides the

insights in the inner universe. The scientific method of finding the

Truth is based on observation and experiment and consequently science

will always to deal with finite bodies. The Vedantic philosophy

considers that the whole universe is within and consequently time,

space and causation are not separate entities.

 

We do have problems of expressing our thoughts through the medium of

language/words that can be understood by everyone uniformly. This is

the famous problem of `perception.' Each of us seems to be

comfortable with our own framework (model) based on our understanding

of scriptures and sets of assumptions based on our own beliefs. This

is one of the fundamental reasons for our struggles to find inner

peace and tranquility.

 

Finally, I do find the following observation by Swami Vivekananda

about Truth very insightful: Truth is of two kinds: (1) That which is

cognizable by the five ordinary senses of man, and by reasoning based

thereon. (2) That which is cognizable by the subtle, super-sensuous

power of Yoga.. The knowledge acquired by the first means is science

and the knowledge acquired by the second is the Vedic Wisdom..

 

Some more thoughts to contemplate,

 

Harih Om!

 

Ram Chandran

 

-- In advaitin, kuntimaddi sadananda

<kuntimaddisada wrote:

>

> > When scientific explanations stop, mystic

> > experiences start.

> > The reasons for inner peace and tranquility are beyond the scope

of

> >science.

>

> Is it? I am beginning to think science includes that - not the

science

> that is based objective analysis but science that include the

analysis

> of subject, I. The tools of investigation obviously are different.

> Vedanta is the tool or pramaaNa providing a working hypothesis while

> pointing solution that one arrives - where all the investigation

> dissolve into that. It is neither mystic nor an experience but

factual

> understanding of the state of affairs or scientific discovery.

>

>

> Just some thought to contemplate.

>

> Hari OM!

> Sadananda

>