Dialogue between a Bhakta and Atheist....(Part-7) .

[Guest guest]

Pranams to Bhagavan Sri Krishna and Bhaktas ,

Jawahar ( Atheist ) : O Ram ! Can you explain the meaning of the *Ekaloki* of Sri Sankara ?

Ram ( Bhakta) : In the day time what gives you light? Sun. At night there is no sun, what gives you light ? Moon, stars, and lamps. When there are no sun, moon, stars and lamps what gives you light? Eyes. What gives you `light' when the eyes are closed? Budhi or intellect. Who finds out the defect in the intellect where there is clarity or turbidity? Aham (I) .That Aham is the Light of lights or the eternal Soul or Atman or the Infinite.

Jawahar : What can we infer from the study of deep sleep? The Vedantins talk much of deep sleep. What is the difference between sleep and Samadhi ?

Ram : In the sleep there are no senses, no objects, no mind an yet you experience the highest bliss without a concrete awareness. When there are no objects, wherefrom have you derived the bliss? The mind rests in Brahman during sleep, and it is from Brahman that bliss is derived. Further, during sleep when there are no other persons, `I' alone exists.

In sleep you experience Avidya-Avrita sukha. There is a veil between you and the Self. You do not return to the waking state with intuitional knowledge, you are ignorant; whereas in Samadhi you get knowledge of the Self, you enjoy directly the eternal bliss of the Self as there is no veil. Your ignorance is destroyed in Samadhi.

Bhagavan Sri Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita ( Sloka 2.60- 61) ;

 

"The restless senses can forcibly steal away the mind of even a scholarly spiritual practitioner .

Therefore one should subdue the senses by surrendering to Me in bhakti-yoga and living under My shelter. Only one whose senses are controlled is fixed in intelligence. He alone is *sthita-prajna*. "

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

SriKrishnaDasa Rajeev