Sanskrit, a divine Language Why? (sent by M.P. Bhattathiry to www.adishakti.org

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ARTICLES FROM M.P.BHATTATHIRY ( RETD. CHIEF TECHNICAL EXAMINER TO

THE GOVT. OF KERALA, RADHANIVAS, THALIYAL, KARAMANA, TRIVANDRUM.

695002. KERALA, INDIA

 

( MAY BE ADDED TO YOUR WEBSITE )

 

 

Sanskrit, a divine Language Why?

 

There are many aspects by which a language can be said as sacred and

how we use it. If a language is used to discover the sacredness,

purity and spirituality of life, it becomes a sacred language.

Whether or not a language is sacred is determined by who is using

it. This in turn has a great deal to do with whether a language is

being used consciously or unconsciously, whether we use language as

an instrument to accomplish our real purpose in life, that is, wake

up and find out who we are; or we are unconsciously programmed by

language, to maintain patterns of a struggle for individual survival

established by previous generations.

 

People are always at the effect of the unconscious operation of any

language. Suppose a group of people listen to some very simple

Sanskrit sounds, sung in a rhythmic sequence, and then individually

duplicate the sounds, based upon what they heard many imes.

Everybody will think that in " my turn " that there is little space

left to actually listen and enjoy the sounds. This overriding

preoccupation with getting it right is accompanied by an endless

barrage of strategies, evaluations, comparisons, judgements,

expectations, hopes, rationalizations and fears of consequences. By

writing down this list of what everyone was thinking, the

unconscious operation of language becomes visible. Most people are

not aware they are thinking all this until they see the language of

it written on a flip chart.

 

But this is just peeling away the first layer. There's a still

deeper layer of the unconscious operation of language where we have

predefined who we are, based on whether or not we get it right.

 

We are given every opportunity to simply have a good time,

improvise, play with sounds. But instead we choose to take it as a

test of survival. In other words, it's more important to prove our

capacity to survive than it is to have a good time. The hidden

unconscious language that we base our lives upon, dictates to us

that we must get it right or we will be dominated by others, and

that threatens our safety, our well being and ultimately our

survival. The first sign of a non-sacred, survival language is that

it refers to " getting it right " as " smart " , as " success " etc. Such a

language defines a person by the way he/she performs in a particular

circumstance. The person is always at the effect of the language. If

I get it right, I'm smart. If I get it wrong, I'm stupid.

 

The problems and conflicts that occur with a survival language are

myriad. To be happy, one must get it right all the time. And his

primary motivation for doing so is to prove that he is brilliant so

others won't control him .. The problem with " getting better " is

that he becomes programmed to always be getting better, but it's

never good enough. Getting better is an endless proposition. This

survival model of language has conflict and suffering woven into its

very fabric.

 

This particular phenomenon is defined in the Yoga Sutras as avidyaa,

the fundamental lack of awareness which is the root klesha, or

subtle cause of all suffering. The definition of avidyaa is: anitya-

ashuci-duhkha-anaatmasu nitya-shuci-sukha-aatma-khyaatir avidyaa

 

" Avidyaa (ignorance) is an identity with a self which is not the

self; with happiness in what is actually suffering; with purity in

what is really impurity; and permanence in what is really

impermanent. " Avidyaa perfectly describes the nature of a survival

language. A survival language is steeped in avidyaa. As long as who

I am, is defined by such a language, I remain the victim of an

endless vicious circle.

 

The question is -- why would we choose a language which keeps us in

perpetual self-judgement. The fact is that we never chose the

language. It has always been around, and as children, we were given

no other options. As long as we do not consciously redesign the way

we use language, we remain at the effect of the past, conditioned by

the very language of the past to repeat the patterns of the past,

again and again.

 

As long as this survival model of language is in effect, it seems

virtually impossible for people to learn Sanskrit. This is to a

large degree due to the fact that Sanskrit is a perfect model of a

sacred language, and a sacred language cannot be learned by means of

a survival language.

 

This is not to say that English or any other language could not be

used as a sacred language. In fact, it has to be, to begin the study

of Sanskrit. Conversely, Sanskrit could be used in a survival mode.

It's just that in the design of most languages, there is very little

safeguard against them being used as survival languages. And in the

design of Sanskrit, there is every conceivable feature built in to

keep it operating as a sacred language.

 

The single most outstanding difference between a sacred and a

survival language is the definition, orientation and usage in the

language of the word " I " . " I " or its equivalent is the source of

language. Without I, there is no you, he, she or it. The evolution

of the word " I " into a complex language is a process of creation. In

the development of a sacred language, the process is a conscious

one; language is an emanation, a creation, an instrument of " I " . In

a survival language, " I " is an effect of the cultural patterns

already unconsciously established by the language. In Sanskrit, even

the sounds which make the word for " I " are consciously selected.

AHAM. " A " is the first spoken sound, as well as the first sound of

the Sanskrit alphabet. It can be discovered by breathing, in and

with the mouth slightly open, releasing the breath with sound that

requires the minimal effort. It naturally arises in the throat

before the articulation of all other sounds. " HA " is the last letter

of the Sanskrit alphabet. After all the systematic patterns created

by the movement of the tongue and lips have produced in perfect

order all the other letters of the alphabet, the final sound

is " HA " . It also is the only consonant sound that moves by the power

of the breath alone, and the only consonant in exact proximity

to " A " . The final letter " M " is the very last sound produced in the

mouth, because it occurs due to the closing of the lips. In

Sanskrit, AHAM is the beginning, the breath of life which brings

forth creation, and the end. And this is expressed not just

symbolically by the letters A-H-A-M, but physically, based on their

location in the mouth.

 

The other most important attribute of a sacred language is that each

of its individual sounds are regarded as sacred. Anyone can feel

this by getting relaxed and repeating the AHAM, over and over, and

while doing so, feeling a complete all-encompassing _expression of

self. Then, becoming silent, continue to feel " A " as the inhalation

and HAM as the exhalation. " A " is the only sound which is truly

internal. " HAM " is the most complete _expression possible, arising

directly from " A " , and closing after passing through all the

positions of all other existing sounds. The design of a sacred

language is such that the sounds perfectly express the vibrational

essence of that which they describe. In this way, words establish

knowledge and understanding directly.

 

The next stage of establishing a sacred language is an intimacy with

the other sounds of the language, becoming familiar with their exact

location, savoring their delicacy, feeling their force and power,

and the unique way they vibrate the body and atmosphere. This is

simply a matter of enjoying sound without inhibition, as we did when

we were children. In the process of learning the Sanskrit alphabet,

one discovers that all sounds are encompassed in " AHAM " . As other

words are created, the sounds which compose them become the means by

which " I-AHAM " establish my relationship of unity with, rather than

separateness from, all existence.

 

Important characteristic of a sacred language is that the purpose

for which it's being used is discovering one's own true nature.

Sanskrit is so highly developed and refined as a tool for serving

this purpose that even the task of learning the language

seems " difficult " -- unless the motive for learning is aligned with

the function of the language, that is, to know oneself. When

Sanskrit is approached with the humility and one-pointedness that is

the trademark of a genuine search for truth, it becomes revealed.

There arises a simple joy in all aspects of its study. Singing the

alphabet is especially inspiring even when one has become

proficient. Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, although a master of

Sanskrit, with more than 60 years of study behind him, and his

speech impaired by a stroke, still seems to find his greatest

delight in leading a group of students through the alphabet.

Perhaps, this says a much as anything about the nature of a sacred

language.

 

We seldom hear anyone over seven years of age singing the English

alphabet. Its not that these sounds aren't enjoyable to sing. We do

not have the same relation to the English language that adults and

children alike who have learned Sanskrit have with it. That relation

is a sacred one, based on the energy conveyed through sound, a love

for the unique characteristics of each sound in engaging the mind,

body, the breath, vocal resonance, the mouth, tongue and lips.

 

Because of the simplicity of life in ancient times, there was an

acute awareness that all changes in life took place as a result of

changes in language. As new discoveries occurred in language, there

was an immediate and very noticeable shift in human beings'

interactions and in the way that they perceived their environment.

The evolution of human awareness was inextricably linked to the

development of language. It was natural that more and more attention

should be given to its development as the single most important

factor in changing the quality of human life. This eventually gave

way to discoveries whose magnitude is inconceivable to us in modern

times, where language tends to be taken for granted.

 

The discovery, development and refinement of Sanskrit must have

taken place over millennia. Although Sanskrit along with its great

power to elevate human consciousness to sublime heights, is often

attributed to a divine source, we can also hypothesize that its

properties were discoveries that took place as a result of human

beings actively and intensively engaging in the discovery of their

own divine nature. The most significant question that must have

arisen to the ancients was how to continue optimizing the human

instrument, the body and mind, as a vehicle for the expansion of

awareness and happiness. Knowing that the operation of the

instrument depends entirely on the language with which it is

programmed, they worked on the refinement of language software. They

scrutinized and experimented with the vocal instrument and the

structure of the mouth and then selected only those sounds which had

the greatest clarity, purity and power of resonance. They then

organized these sounds in such a way that they could mutually

enhance and brighten one another, and build upon each other's

resonance. They explored the factor of breath in creating sound, and

discovered that by minimizing the breath with certain sounds and

maximizing it with others, the language would induce in the

instrument a state of relaxed alertness that could keep it operating

efficiently and tirelessly for long periods of time, while expanding

and building prana-energy. And as they did this, they became

happier.

 

Furthermore, by coordinating the factors of purity of sound,

enhanced resonance and breath, there also developed an awareness of

the entire body as a resonating chamber through which sound could be

transmitted. With increased vibratory power, the concept of the body

as solid matter gradually became replaced by one of the body as the

center of an energy field. In the process of transmitting sound

energy, they observed subtle changes in the field and found they

could expand it by following the sound waves. They had discovered

that language has the capacity to convert the body and mind into

pure energy. They began to feel joy.

 

It was further discovered that certain combinations of sounds would

enhance the expansion of the field more than others, and this was

experimented with, until sound combinations which could bring about

this effect universally were revealed. Their joy expanded. These

particular combinations became useful words for describing as well

as feeling the state of consciousness they induced. In this way the

breadth and depth of all that exists was explored. They looked and

listened and experienced changes in the energy field, to see how the

language could be further refined, what new distinctions could be

made. Eventually, they fathomed creation and found their own

identity at the very source of it all. Their bliss was boundless.

When they spoke with one another in this language they established

love and harmony.

 

Over millennia, Sanskrit was refined as an instrument of Yoga. By

500 B.C. it had reached a point where it was perfected, and ready to

be laid down formally. The genius Panini was born for that purpose.

So masterful, concise and comprehensive was his great work,

Ashtadhyayi in formulating the Sanskrit language, that to this day,

two and a half millennia later, no one has been able to improve upon

his original work. For 25 centuries, the language has not only

survived intact, but thrived through the love of countless

enlightened sages, yogis and scholars, basically unmodified. Just

imagine a language thriving with little change for 2500 years. In

each century there have been spiritual geniuses, who immersed

themselves in the blissful and timeless joy of Sanskrit. Many have

elaborated or commented on Panini's original work, but none have

changed it or replaced it. Yoga has thrived side by side with

Sanskrit, but through all the practice, experimentation and

discovery that has taken place in that science, there has been

little need to develop new language or modify the old language in

order to measure or inspire progress. Sanskrit had been perfected by

500 B.C. as a tool for defining the ultimate pinnacle of human

aspiration.

 

Questions tend to come up as to why Sanskrit has not been used more

as a popular language, or why we are not now utilizing it more

widely. The primary obstacle, as I see it, is that we have had

difficulty in accessing Sanskrit in the way that it is designed to

be used. Because of the strong belief we hold that we are our

body/mind, our primary concern is what is going to happen to us

individually. We see the possibility of change, being happy in the

future. And we try to choose and do those things which will most

certainly secure our future happiness or enlightenment. This

equation is almost universally interpreted as " getting more and

getting better " . The approach never works for learning Sanskrit, or

for being happy.

 

The motivation for learning Sanskrit is the enchantment,

inspiration, peace and deep sense of spiritual connection felt when

listening to it. Or it may have been a pure childlike enjoyment in

duplicating those sounds. Most people would have no difficulty

learning Sanskrit, if they simply remained in the mode of what

motivated them in the first place, their enjoyment. But something

else usually happens. The desire to learn Sanskrit starts to be

perceived as a future goal, which, when and if achieved, will

represent the securing of the happiness which generated the desire

to learn it in the first place. The goal is usually accompanied by

an expectation of mastering a certain amount of material within a

certain period of time. The problem here is the old conditioning,

all past memories of happiness, present or future, being thwarted by

difficulties and interruptions. Greatest among these memories is the

loss of the simple joy of being a child and the pure direct

perception of life we all experienced in our childhood.

 

The nature of a sacred language such as Sanskrit is the direct way

that it models life, or accesses through the purity of its sound and

rhythms, the perfection and beauty of life that we all experienced

as children. On our first exposure to Sanskrit, we reconnect with

that purity and joy, and then with the desire to secure that again

in our lives, decide that we must learn the language. On a very deep

level, it's a decision to nourish our spirit, and reestablish our

oneness with life. But it also at the same time brings us face to

face with our existential pain, the entire sum of our conditioning,

all that has kept us in a state of feeling alone and separate for

the greater part of a lifetime, as well as our repeated failure in

attempting to regain that happiness.

 

Once the task of learning the language is conceived, the criteria

for achievement are unconsciously measured. Success is determined by

comparing what one has managed to learn with what remains to be

known and how much others know. Success also depends on the mastery

of a certain quantity of information in a certain period of time.

The universal question asked at the beginning, is " How long will it

take me to learn it? " But the Sanskrit language is so vast and

distinctly different from other languages and other learning tasks,

that from the very outset, it becomes apparent that it is going to

be very difficult to achieve the expected success in the expected

period of time. In addition, there are many Indian speakers and

scholars, one could never even hope to catch up with. This

inevitably brings the conclusion " Proficiency is further away than I

had believed. " Along with this assessment -- automatically arise the

words " too difficult " . Sanskrit is too difficult.

 

But the problem is not really the perceived difficulty based on the

amount of information that exists in the Sanskrit language. The fact

that there is more information actually represents more enjoyment.

If one were offered a large collection of the greatest music of all

time accompanied by a continuous flow of increasingly majestic and

panoramic visions, one would not be disappointed because it would

take too long to listen to. In other words, discouragement about

being able to learn Sanskrit has absolutely nothing to do with

Sanskrit. Sanskrit is an enjoyable experience at all stages. Working

with Sanskrit increases and develops energy and clarity of mind.

There are seemingly an infinite variety of euphonic sound

combinations and rhythmic patterns to be enjoyed. Experiencing them

expands the capacity of the mind to operate as the cosmic computer

it is designed to be.

 

The only real problem that arises with regard to learning Sanskrit

is forgetting why one decided to learn it in the first place -- to

feel the joy and purity one felt as a child. When the real purpose

is forgotten, we automatically default to concerns about success and

failure based on past programming. It is only in regard to this that

the idea " too difficult " can arise. Once " too difficult " takes root,

the usual result is giving up, because one's image of oneself being

proficient, seems too difficult to attain within the time

limitations calculated as a factor in producing the necessary

satisfaction.

 

Although such resignation is based on the fact of long-standing

pain, it is not the truth. The truth is the original inspiration,

the joy, the play, the heightened awareness. If Sanskrit seems too

difficult, it's doing its job perfectly. A sacred language must

teach us to discover where the energy of being flows, and it becomes

easy.

 

The obvious solution is to have no expectations whatsoever with

regard to time or quantities of information. This is an approach

which serves our original purpose -- to enter into that timeless

dimension. If concerns come up or it seems to be getting difficult,

it's merely an indication that we've forgotten our real purpose. The

moment the idea of getting or adding " more " arises, we lose the

direct absorption, the enjoyment, the sense of play. This is direct

bio-feedback

 

Sanskrit is a play, a dance of energy in the eternal now. It,

modeling life, is perfectly designed to take us beyond our

expectations, our self images, our programming. But we must be ready

to be in the role of a perpetual learner, a student of life, of the

ancient, eternal wisdom, miraculously encoded in this sacred

language. If we believe that by learning a sacred language, we will

gain knowledge and power, then we look to a future goal which is by

definition opposed to our true nature. The power of a sacred

language is to immediately mirror this back, as if to say, NO

ACCESS. A sacred language, is one which guides us to our own true

nature, and every time we derail ourselves, reminds us in some way

that we're missing out on its real nourishment. If we are going to

engage, it must be with our total being, one pointed awareness, free

from the distraction of where it might bring us, or rather, we might

take it in the future.

 

Sanskrit is the living heritage of great rishis who walked this

earth thousands of years ago. It presents us with an awesome

responsibility and a lifelong challenge, while it inspires us to

remain fully engaged in exploring what's possible for a human being.

Learning Sanskrit is an opportunity to know directly for ourselves

what the rishis discovered long ago. Most important, when approached

as a sacred language, it makes us happy.

 

From the perspective of Yoga, all life ultimately merges into

samadhi. It could be said that samadhi is the essence of yoga, In

the Yoga Sutras, samadhi is defined, " tad evaathamaatraanirbhaasam-

svaruupa-shuunyam iva samaadhih " that (consciousness, engaged in

sustained focus upon a single object), reflecting the object alone,

as if empty of its own nature, is samadhi. Everyone has had the

experience of samadhi, whether in childhood, or some deeply

absorbing experience, such as listening to music. It's a period when

our usual identity disappears because our habitual use of language

has been discontinued.

 

Many teachers used to say " the body is a prison only when you cannot

come and go as you please " . The experience of samadhi is the freedom

to come and go. Without samadhi we live in a prison of language,

whose walls consist of words, whose bars and locked doors are the

meanings and significance we unknowingly give to those words.

Unknowingly, because the meanings were never consciously selected.

They were programmed into us by prior generations. For example, when

people make a mistake, they tend to feel stupid or embarrassed. But

whoever (aside from lexicographers) really defined for themselves

what a " mistake " is? The great sage Shankara (in the famous

Bhajagovindam) wrote:

 

satsangatve nissangatvam nissangatve nirmohatvam |

nirmohatve nishchalatatvam nishchalatattvam jiivanmuktiH ||

 

In a state of satsanga, good company, (comes) non-attachment; in non-

attachment, a state beyond confusion; in truth beyond confusion,

motionlessness; in motionlessness, living freedom.

 

The verse could be used as a model of the necessary conditions for

making the shift from being at the effect of language to being at

the source of it. It all begins with satsanga, good company. The

best example of this that I know of is a group of people who have

come together to learn Sanskrit. It seems that on some level,

perhaps unconsciously, a person who has decided to learn Sanskrit,

has decided in some way to use this sacred language for that which

it was designed -- to be free. It is remarkably easy for such a

group of people to change their relation to language, to put

themselves at the source of language and then select and use

language in a way that gives them access to Sanskrit, with ease and

enjoyment. Without the mutual agreement of the group, satsanga, good

company, it would be highly unlikely that the shift could ever take

place. We grew up in a world where a mistake was a bad thing, enough

so that most people would not risk making one. This led to massive

withdrawal. Though people remained in a group, they were not really

part of the group. In truth, fear dominated nearly all groups.

Natural unity was shattered. The satsanga was lost. Groups were

ineffective. Alone, individuals were powerless. Everyone was

hopelessly at the effect of the language of right/wrong and

smart/stupid. In effect, a " group " could have been defined as

a " body of people which has come together to determine who is worthy

and who is unworthy. "

 

Fortunately, the Sanskrit language has given us the word " satsanga " ,

which could be defined as " a body of people who have come together

(sanga) to ascertain reality (sat). " The fundamental agreement of

such a group, such as the one which has come together to learn

Sanskrit, is that " I " am prior to language. I use language to direct

my attention to a full appreciation of the beautiful sounds of the

Sanskrit language, their harmonies and their organization, as well

as the truths expressed through the language. The language that

makes this possible is the language of yoga, another gift of

Sanskrit. The satsanga agrees upon abhyaasa the selecting and

sustained attention upon a single focal point, for example,

listening to the sounds of the Sanskrit language. It's also agreed

that there's nothing " wrong " with being off the point. Becoming

aware that I am off point, without satsanga -- I might worry about

what I missed that others got, I might worry about being left

behind -- " others are succeeding where I fail. " But in satsanga

where the language of yoga has been agreed upon, there is vairaagya

or non-attachment, " the full awareness of my own mastery to not-

attach myself to habitual experience and simply return to the point,

and even acknowledge 'I missed something -- could it be repeated?' " .

For the satsanga, if anyone missed anything, it's an opportunity for

it to be reviewed and clarified and enjoyed again by everyone. It

sounds too good to be true. Yet it happens exactly this way by

shifting our relationship to language. This would not be possible

without satsanga.

 

In the state of satsanga (satsangatve) comes non-attachment

(nissangatvam). There is no more attachment to being right, and

concurrently the fear of being wrong. The real satisfaction derived

from the wholeness of group unity, the much greater capacity of the

group to focus together, enjoy sound together, appreciate the beauty

of Sanskrit together, all make the prior condition of being at the

effect of words such as right/wrong or smart /stupid or

success/failure seem totally irrelevant. Through satsanga, there's a

complete shift in our relation to language -- we see through the

prison walls.

 

In non-attachment (nissangatve), there comes a state beyond

confusion (nirmohatvam). I'm no longer holding myself back because

of the fear of consequences. I am feeling my oneness with the group.

It's safe to put myself into it. There is no conflict over wanting

acceptance, while fearing rejection. My confusion over whether to

participate or not - will I be rejected if I do it wrong or isolated

if I do it right -- is gone. The illusion, and the confusion (moha)

of being separate from others dissolves. The truth that we are one

emerges. When we move as one, we go beyond success and failure and

access our natural ability to perfectly reflect whatever we

perceive -- samadhi.

 

In the state beyond confusion (nirmohatve), is motionlessness

(nishcalitatvam). This happens in the Sanskrit satsanga. In the

absence of striving to be better, fearing getting worse, the old

language that raced through our mind stops. The mind becomes still,

sensitive. A state of listening is present, samÙdhi, in which we

feel the nuances of Sanskrit, its power, and the subtle way it

resonates in the heart of our being, like ancient and eternal music.

There's no more struggle to learn, to gain and accumulate knowledge.

The words of Sanskrit, through their sound vibration are like waves

of pure energy, which we enjoy as if watching a performance taking

place inside us -- while their meanings describe our own fathomless

perfection, as the seer of all, ancient, eternal.

 

In motionlessness (nishcalitatve), living freedom (jiivanmukti), The

prison walls, even the memory that they were ever there, has

dissolved. From beginning to end, from the first attempt to learn

Sanskrit to the direct experience of the meaning of its ancient

words of truth and power, Sanskrit generates and establishes an

entirely different relationship with language. It's the proper

relationship, the true one, establishing our real unity, freedom

from the bondage of the past illusions. It keeps us savoring the

timeless enjoyment of the universe of sound, and a perfect creation.

 

By studying this sacred language only, the soul of India can be

understood and a good example among foreigners, we can say, is Max

Muller a German Scholar.

 

© by M P Bhattathiry

[Guest guest]

shriadishakti , " jagbir singh "

<adishakti_org> wrote:

>

>

> ARTICLES FROM M.P.BHATTATHIRY ( RETD. CHIEF TECHNICAL EXAMINER TO

> THE GOVT. OF KERALA, RADHANIVAS, THALIYAL, KARAMANA, TRIVANDRUM.

> 695002. KERALA, INDIA

>

> ( MAY BE ADDED TO YOUR WEBSITE )

>

>

> Sanskrit, a divine Language Why?

>

> There are many aspects by which a language can be said as sacred

> and how we use it. If a language is used to discover the

> sacredness, purity and spirituality of life, it becomes a sacred

> language. . .

>

> The discovery, development and refinement of Sanskrit must have

> taken place over millennia. Although Sanskrit along with its great

> power to elevate human consciousness to sublime heights, is often

> attributed to a divine source, we can also hypothesize that its

> properties were discoveries that took place as a result of human

> beings actively and intensively engaging in the discovery of their

> own divine nature. The most significant question that must have

> arisen to the ancients was how to continue optimizing the human

> instrument, the body and mind, as a vehicle for the expansion of

> awareness and happiness. Knowing that the operation of the

> instrument depends entirely on the language with which it is

> programmed, they worked on the refinement of language software.

> They scrutinized and experimented with the vocal instrument and

> the structure of the mouth and then selected only those sounds

> which had the greatest clarity, purity and power of resonance.

> They then organized these sounds in such a way that they could

> mutually enhance and brighten one another, and build upon each

> other's resonance. They explored the factor of breath in creating

> sound, and discovered that by minimizing the breath with certain

> sounds and maximizing it with others, the language would induce in

> the instrument a state of relaxed alertness that could keep it

> operating efficiently and tirelessly for long periods of time,

> while expanding and building prana-energy. And as they did this,

> they became happier.

 

 

-----------

 

Kundalini, a SANSKRIT term meaning " coiled up, " is the

evolutionary potency of Prana. The term kundalini designates a force

which is normally latent or dormant, but which can be activated by

spiritual disciplines and made to act like a spring when it is

released. "

 

1996 Kundalini Research Foundation, Ltd. (krf)

 

 

-----------

 

" Moksha, also spelled Moksa, SANSKRIT Moksa ( " release " ),

also called Mukti, or Apavarga, . . . the ultimate spiritual goal,

designating the individual soul's release from the bonds (bandha) of

transmigration. The soul, once entered upon a bodily existence,

remains trapped in a chain of successive rebirths (samsara) until it

has reached perfection or the enlightenment that allows it release,

or moksha. The methods by which release is sought after and attained

differ from school to school, but most schools consider moksha to be

a person's highest purpose in life. "

 

Britannica Online (1994-1998 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.)

 

 

------------

 

" Kundalini — (SANSKRIT kund, " to burn " ; kunda,

" to coil or to spiral " ) a concentrated field of intelligent,

cosmic invisible energy absolutely vital to life; beginning in the

base of the spine as a man or woman begins to evolve in their first

incarnation; fed by the chakras along the spine and by the cosmic

energy entering through the feet from the Earth; as wisdom is earned

in each incarnation, this electromagnetic, ultrapotent energy moves

slowly upward through the spine; it is directed by the speed of the

soul mind as the soul-mind meets the requirements of each chakra,

according to the needs and thinking of the individual; eventually

this energy is unspiralled through the medulla oblongata, pituary

gland, pineal gland and through the crown chakra to unite with the

silver cord; one will ascend to the higher realms to finish

evolutionary cycle; kundalini is feminine polarity in nature. Coiled

Serpent, Cosmic Fire, Chi, Bioplasma, Holy Spirit [cf. Appendix 5

Kundalini] "

 

June G. Beltzer, Ph.D.,

The Donning International Encyclopedic Psychic Dictionary

 

 

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" In the Astasahasrikaprajnaparamitasutra, the earliest known

Prajnaparamita (a word which is SANSKRIT is grammatically feminine)

is presented as the female personification of liberating wisdom. She

is barely personalised in the sutra and is no deity, but the perfect

understanding which liberates is clearly imagined as feminine (Macy

1977, 315.) Prajnaparamita is the mother of the Buddhas and the

bodhisattvas, their instructors in this world, genetrix, and nurse

(Macy 1977, 319.) Without perfect wisdom there would be no perfectly

enlightened beings, and so, as teacher and as what is taught,

Prajnaparamita is the mother who bears and nutures the enlightened

ones. She is the source of light which reveals the truth; she is the

eye which perceives it. " (Macy 1977, 320.)

 

Nancy Schuster Barnes, Women in World Religion

(Women in World Religion, Nancy Schuster Barnes, State University of

New York Press, 1987, pg. 122.)

 

 

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" Karma is a SANSKRIT word meaning 'action.' However, even people

who have studied Hindu philosophy often have misconceptions about

the true meaning and significance of the law of karma, which is a

fundamental spiritual principle.

 

The law of karma implies that the universe is an eternal moral

order. The law of karma contrasts with the mechanistic conception of

material science. Science tells us the world is controlled by

natural forces, specifically particles of matter combining and

recombining with one another in accordance with blind physical

forces . . . .

 

Karma tells us that even behind these apparently blind, mechanical

forces, there is a principle of cosmic intelligence, a power, which

controls the operations of nature and guides the destiny of

mankind. . . .

 

All Eastern systems of spiritual philosophy say that when we realize

the supreme spiritual truth and become integrated with absolute

spirit, the bonds of karma are shattered. When the fire of

illumination kindles our hearts, the bonds of karma turn to ashes.

We gain full spiritual freedom and are not subject any more to

external destiny. We become masters of our own destiny. Without

being affected by adverse circumstances or by external forces, our

lives become like lotus leaves. The lotus leaf floats on the water,

but not a drop of water clings to its surface. It floats freely.

Similarly, when we attain God-realization, we rise above the law of

karma and are united with supreme reality. "

 

Dr. Haridas Chaudhuri, The Essence of Spiritual Philosophy, Thorsons

Publishing Group, UK, 1990, p. 63.

 

 

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" Karma, SANSKRIT Karman ( " act " ), Pali Kamma, in Indian

philosophy, the influence of an individual's past actions on his

future lives, or reincarnations. The doctrine of karma reflects the

Hindu conviction that this life is but one in a chain of lives

(samsara) and that it is determined by man's actions in a previous

life. This is accepted as a law of nature, not open to further

discussion. The moral energy of a particular act is preserved and

fructifies automatically in the next life, where it shows up in

one's class, nature, disposition, and character. The process is

mechanical, and no interference by God is admitted, except by some

of the later and more extreme theists. Thus the law of karma

explains the inequalities that are observed among creatures.

 

In the course of the chain of lives, an individual can perfect

himself, until he reaches the eminence of the god Brahma himself, or

he can degrade himself in such an evil way that he is reborn as an

animal. Not only do past acts influence the circumstances of the

next life, they also determine one's happiness or unhappiness in the

hereafter between lives, where he will spend a time in either one of

the heavens or one of the hells until the fruits of his karma have

been all but consumed and the remainder creates a new life for

him. "

 

Britannica Online (1994-1998 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.)

 

 

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" It is therefore with a bit of hesitation that I write anything at

all about this ultimate chakra . . . The SANSKRIT name of this

energy center is sahasrara, which means " to multiply by a

thousand. " In a looser translation, sahasrara means tapping into

the infinite spiritual dimensions that lie beyond the personal

parameters of consciousness. Awakening the seventh chakra is most

definitely an experience in which we transcend our individual minds

and enter into perfect conscious harmony with the infinite spiritual

wholeness of the universe.

 

The ancient Chinese book of wisdom, the Tao Te Ching by Lao-tzu,

begins by saying that it is impossible to vocalize a name for the

ultimate God. In like manner there is no chant for this chakra. The

sound that comes to you in meditation upon this chakra is nothing

less than the sound of the universe vibrating directly within

you . . .

 

Let me simply say that the seventh chakra is the swirling energy

vortex located right in the top of your head and swirling also above

the top of your head, where you transcend individual consciousness

and tap into infinite consciousness. " You " are gone. There is

no " you. " There is only infinite consciousness, of which you

are an integral part.

 

This egoless experience brings you into an ultimate state of

spiritual bliss. In fact, the remarkable thing about the seventh-

chakra consciousness is that it seems to be bliss itself. The

universal consciousness, if we were to give it any label at all,

would be Bliss Consciousness. This is all we can say. "

 

John Selby, Kundalini Awakening, Bantam Books, 1992, p. 190.

 

 

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" Kundalini " Snake " or " serpent power " in SANSKRIT,

this term originally referred to a type of meditation practiced in

Hindu Tantra. Recently, kundalini has become a label for a variety

of experiences that involve sensations of energy moving vertically

in the body. . . Along the pathway of the kundalini's ascent are

located the Chakras, psychic structures that correspond to aspects

of human personality. Various schools enumerate various numbers and

kinds of chakras. As the snake of power rises, it stimulates each

chakra. The aim of the tantric practitioner is to prevent the

kundalini from falling below the level of the heart chakra; the

lower chakras represent self-centered appetites, whereas the higher

ones embody spiritual aspirations. Experiences associated with the

kundalini in tantric Hinduism are diverse. Classical texts state

that Shakti's energy climbs the central channel in one of the five

ways: creeping like an ant scaling a tree trunk; like a fish

swimming in an ocean; like a monkey that leaps from the spinal base

to the head in a single bound; in the manner of a bird, hopping from

branch to branch; or undulating, like a snake. Metaphors used to

describe the sensation of kundalini frequently combine liquid and

luminous qualities, in phrases such as " flowing light " or

" liquid fire. " "

 

Leonard George, Ph.D., Alternative Realities, Facts on File, Inc.

1995 p. 149.

 

 

-----------------------

 

" However, about twenty years ago marking the very first stirring of

a new Satya Yuga — the transitional age called Krita Yuga —

started manifesting itself. Krita Yuga is a unique period of

spiritual ascent, as the All-Pervading Divine Power, called the

Paramchaitanya in SANSKRIT, has become active at the level of

ordinary human existence. It is predicted that this Divine activity

will bring about the long awaited Satya Yuga, the era of growth and

spiritual ascent. All the signs show that it is the Era of Truth

which is now advancing and we can see very clearly. For example, how

quite ordinary people are becoming aware of Absolute Truth and

Reality through Sahaja Yoga. Sahaja Yoga is the spontaneous union of

the individual consciousness with the All-Pervading Divine Power

through the awakening of the residual Power of Kundalini, which lies

dormant within all human beings in the triangular bone at the base

of the spine, called the sacrum — the sacred bone. "

 

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

 

 

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" A second characteristic of Krita Yuga is that whenever there is a

falling away from Dharma, the inner Divine laws of Righteousness

which are innate and which regulate both human existence, the whole

world structure as well as manifestation of the Cosmos, will arise

as a result with a corresponding, compensatory effect. This is

called the Law of Polarity or in SANSKRIT karma-phalam (the fruits

of action) which means in practical terms, that whatever you have

done, you will get the fruits of those actions. " As you sow, so

shall ye reap. " So in this Yuga, all persons will get their karma

phalam. If they have led their lives in accordance with the

universal and eternal laws of being, they will enjoy an existence

which is harmonious and fulfilling. But, on the other hand, whatever

wrongs they have done, that is, whenever they have fallen out of the

central path of Dharma, either individually or collectively, they

will have to pay for that in this life time. "

 

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi