Spirituality (PVR ji,,specially for you..)

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sir,

 

> > But What a real spiritualism is still yet to defined....

 

I will try more. But first I want to recommend a couple of books:

 

(1) "Yoga Vaasishtham" is undoubtedly one of the best works available to a spiritually inclined person with interest in vedanta. It is a practical book with many stories (unlike most dry vedanta books) and teaches profound lessons through stories.

 

Interestingly, I am typing this on the eve of Sree Rama Navami (by the way, happy Sree Rama Navami to all of you!). When Maharshi Vishwamitra came to request Dasaratha to send Lord Rama with him to protect his yajna from demons, Dasaratha was hesitant and Lord Ramachandra was confused. At the request of Maharshi Vishwamitra and others, Maharshi Vasishtha taught Lord Ramachandra the essence of the knowledge of Self, in front of other maharshis, kings and gods. These teachings were captured by Maharshi Valmiki as the book "Yoga Vaasishtham".

 

This work helped even maharshis like Bharadwaja to obtain Brahma jnana. When Valmiki explained Vasishtha's teachings to Bharadwaja, he became realized.

 

There is a truly inspired English translation by Swami Venkatesananda, a disciple of Swami Sivananda of Hrishikesh (Divine Life Society). Swami Sivananda is considered by some to be a re-incarnation of Maharshi Vasishtha.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Vasisthas-Yoga-Venkatesananda/dp/0791413640

 

This is the best book I have read in my life and I can say this is the book that influenced me the most and changed my thinking.

 

(2) Bhagavad Gita is a marvelous compendium on practical spirituality. It covers various paths like jnana yoga, raja yoga, bhakti yoga, karma yoga, sannyasa yoga etc. While there are many commentaries and translations, I prefer the treatment of Sant Jnaneshwar. He is a rare Krishna bhakta who is also associated with the path of aghora and nathas! While most Krishna bhaktas follow dwaita and vivishtaadwaita, Jnaneshwar's treatment is purely adwaitic.

 

In Yoga Vasishtham, Vasishtha tells Rama that Vishnu would appear as Krishna in a later yuga and teach the essence of Veda to Arjuna. Vasishtha goes to great lengths on what Krishna teaches. Some modern commentaries on Bhagavad Gita deviate from the adwaitic principles of vedanta and interpret some teachings of Krishna in a way that contradicts Vasishtha's take. Sant Jnaneshwar's interpretation is consistent with Vasishtha's and also consistent with upanishads and vedanta.

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Jnaneshwars-Gita-Jnaneshwari-Swami-Kripananda/dp/0911307648

 

* * *

 

 

> > But What a real spiritualism is still yet to defined....

Self-realized person is one who has realized that all is Brahman and not bound by any limited ego, even though actions continue to spring from a previously existing ego (that continues to wind down like a fan after electricity is turned off).

 

Spiritual person is one who is making *some progress* towards becoming a self-realized person at a point in future.

 

* * *

 

Unfrotunately, scriptures can describe a self-realized person and how he thinks, but they cannot give any fool-proof steps which, when followed by one, can ensure self-realization.

 

Just thinking "all is Brahman" and understanding it *intellctually* is not sufficient. Let me drive my point home using an analogy.

 

Suppose someone goes to a movie and becomes so involved in the movie that he behaves as through something is really happening on the screen. For example, suppose there is a scene where the heroine is in a dark room and villain is about to stab her in the back from behind her. Suppose there is tense music. One may be shuddering with expectation. One may jump with shock and tension.

 

There may be one person who completely realizes that this is just an illusion and nothing is actually happening and watches it without any emotional involvement whatsoever. He is anlogous to a realized person. Suppose someone is so involved and shouts with happiness when something good happens in the movie and shudders when something terrible happens in the movie. He is analogous to a person deeply stuck in maya. Really speaking, this life we live is quite similar to a big movie, except that it is interactive. Thus, my analogy is quite appropriate.

 

Now, one smart person may very well know that this movie thing is not really happening and hence controlling emotions mostly. But an odd scene may make him shudder too! Such a person is analogous to one who intellectually understands and appreciates the essence of Veda (that all is Brahman and the objects we see are all an illusion) and yet does not fully comprehend it.

 

If one fully realizes, then nothing should make one happy or sad internally. One may act externally as though one is happy or sad, but the heart should be stable always and not excited or depressed by *anything*. If all is Brahman, why should anything exicte you depress you? In our analogy, such a person is like one watching the movie with zero involvement, realizing at all times that it is only imaginary and not happening for real and not being shaken even once. One who has only an intellectual understanding and not a complete understanding may some times be affected by the illusion.

 

If someone praises you, does it excite you? If someone humiliates, does it upset you? If something seems nice, do you want to have it? If something seems disgusting, do you want to go away?

 

As long as there is attachment and self-identification with a body or a name or some other limited object, some ego remains and causes all of the above. It results in happiness on some events and sadness on some events. Self-realization cannot come without overcoming ego *fully*. It never comes from an intellectual understanding of the dictum "all is Brahman". It comes from experiencing it.

 

* * *

 

How can one go from a limited ego to zero ego? There is no single path. As I said already, scriptures only describe how a realized person thinks, but they cannot give a fool-proof path to realization.

 

However, some scriptures do outline some paths for reference. While they are not fool-proof and do not guarantee realization, they can be helpful.

 

One person may sit down in seclusion in a forest or in Himalayas or a remote cave and keep eating enough to just survive and actively contemplate all the time "Who am I? Am I this body? Who am I? What are all these objects I perceive? What is all this?" and eventually realize Self. This is jnana yoga.

 

One person may pray to a specific deity and slowly force oneself to see the entire universe as another form of that deity and see that deity in everything. One may eventually realize Self through that deity. This is bhakti yoga.

 

One person may consider work and service as god and spend all of one's time serving people without prejudices, without any self-pride and without any selfish motives. One may try to see god in all people and all service and may eventually realize Self. This is karma yoga.

 

One person may use forceful methods of raja yoga, control the body, senses and mind through yogic practices, forcefully raise self-awareness (Kundalini shakti) to higher realms of consciousness. They too may eventually realize Self.

 

In each of these four broad paths, there are many sub-paths. But please realize that no path guarantees self-realization. They help, but do not guarantee anything. And the only method of spiritual progress, IMHO, is how much ego has been overcome.

 

 

Most people stick to one method. There are exceptions like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa who tried each path and succeeded. In fact, I believe the logo of Ramakrishna mutt employs symbols of each of these paths in it! While each saint is great and one cannot compare them, Ramakrishna was somebody else. His lila (play) cannot fully be understood by most people even today, after such a long time. His lila may in fact continue to play out long after he left the body.

* * *

 

I just want to share my personal view on the link between the abobe paths and Jyotish. This is not from any classic and based on my own intuition.

 

The path of karma yoga is seen from the element of earth. The path of bhakti yoga is seen from the element of water. The path of jnaana yoga is seen from the element of fire. The path of raja yoga is seen from the element of air. Of course, ether is in all. Ether or space is the basis of all yoga.

 

Best regards,NarasimhaDo Ganapathi Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homamSpirituality: Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.netFree Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.orgSri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org

, "Tarun" <tarun.virgo wrote:>> Dear Sir,> > a very good mail from your side.> > you covered all points, > > including the Karma which you mentioned as Arjuna and Krishna's > example and Raja Janak> > Rest sanyas things which you mentioned with examples of Trilinga > Swami, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa ,Narendranath (Swami Vivekananda)and > few others.> > Spiritualism of Rajnikant.> > But What a real spiritualism is still yet to defined....> > being a sadhu tatva is spiritualism ?? doing karma is spiritualism ??> giving teachings is spiritualism ? doing Social service is > spiritualism ?? guiding others is spiritualism.?? being honest is > spiritualism ?? or being a warrior and killing because of duties is > spiritualism ?? or taking sanyas is spiritualism ?? or sitting in > temple and worshipping / doing yajna /doing yoga etc...etc...> unlimited things.> > or not helping people and letting them face the god's decision is > spiritualism.> > > as per you ..a self realised person who finally loses ego ( any > planet specific ) is lost that time a person is spiritual ?? but > what does he do finally .....again long list as above. ...> > you have read Geeta and all other puranas , if you can share few > things from your vast knowledge , it would be great for those who > donot understands the meaning of spiritualism.> > But do you agree to me that there are many people who has made it as > moeny earning module in western countries..> > ////> > > > in my view, being a senior astrologer doesnt make one to > certify any> > > > persons doings as good and spiritual.> > > > Nobody can "certify" anybody. However, those who know some > astrology can give their views on charts that are shared and > discussed publicly. If some people see those views as > a "certificates", it is their perception.> > ////> > if you read history of Ashoka ...he killed thousands of people > before taking sanyas. in the war of kalinga.> > were you able to define him spiritual before ?? that time no one was > able to be sure that Ashoka will take Sanyas. > > > Basically acceptance of truth / satya and following it can be > Spiritualism.> > > due to lack of time i was not able to reply you earlier. > > hope to receive reply.> > Tarun.> > > > > , "Narasimha P.V.R. Rao" > <pvr@> wrote:> >> > Namaste Sir,> > > > > > i will say if the person is spiritual ...go and do tapasya in> > > > Himalay..why sitting in pleasure world and earning money and> > > > enjoying all world pleasures.> > > > Sitting in pleasure world and earning money is NOT synonymous > to "enjoying all world pleasures". One may be sitting in pleasure > world, earning money and engaging externally in various activities, > but the mind may be established in peace and bliss.> > > > A realized person is NOT identified by the actions he/she engages > in. Just as an electric fan continues to turn for a few minutes even > after the electricity is turned off, a realized person who is still > in a body continues to engage in actions based on the previous flow. > After King Janaka realized Self, he continued as the king of Mithila > and did all royal duties. After Krishna made Arjuna realize Self, > Arjuna fought a war and killed his gurus, brothers, grandfather etc.> > > > One who has not yet realized Self will distinguish between various > objects of this dual world and view some as good and some as bad. > He/she will try to stay away from so-called bad actions. On the > other hand, a realized person sees all people, objects and actions > of this universe as the same Self and sees no reason to either be > attracted to or repelled from anything. His/her actions and > inactions are thus not based on the principles of attraction and > repulsion. They are based on the previous flow.> > > > Renouncing wife, children, job, money etc is an attempt to find > true mental renunciation. Renouncing external objects can promote > mental renunciation, but not guarantee it. On the other hand, one > can remain in the midst of the material world and all the external > objects and yet have a perfectly stable, peaceful and blissful mind > that is not attracted to or repelled from any of the objects one is > surrounded by. For all you know, a big film star like Rajinikanth, > who makes millions of dollars per movie, surrounded by glamour, > money and adulation, may be more detached at the mental level than > many yogis in Himalayas. It is probably true in the case of > Rajinikanth.> > > > When one stays away from objects that may attract one, it is > relatively easy to overcome attraction temporarily. Whether one can > retain that renunciation when one comes in contact with the objects > again or not is a questionmark. On the other hand, to be in contact > with the objects that may attract one and yet maintain mental > detachment and mental renunciation is tougher. It is the true test.> > > > It is not out of place to mention a small story.> > > > Trilinga Swami lived for about 300 years and did unbelievable > austerities in Kashi. When Ramakrishna Paramahamsa met him in Kashi, > he remarked to his sishyas that Trilinga Swami was Shiva Himself and > a fully realized being. Narendranath (Swami Vivekananda) was not > with him on that pilgrimage and he made a point to force > Narendranath to go to Kashi later to have a darshan of Trilinga > Swami!> > > > Lahiri Mahashaya was the guru of Yukteshwar Maharaj, who was the > guru of Paramahamsa Yogananda. Lahiri Mahashaya was a householder > and had a high-paying job. Yet he realized Self. Trilnga Swami spoke > little, but he once spoke a few words in Lahiri Mahashaya's praise. > He said, "The state of mind I achieved by renouncing everything, > Lahiri achieved it while being a householder, being in the middle of > everything. I bow to him."> > > > * * *> > > > > > in my view, being a senior astrologer doesnt make one to > certify any> > > > persons doings as good and spiritual.> > > > Nobody can "certify" anybody. However, those who know some > astrology can give their views on charts that are shared and > discussed publicly. If some people see those views as > a "certificates", it is their perception.> > > > * * *> > > > Self-realization can be consistently defined. However, > spirituality is tough to define. It will mean different things to > different people.> > > > The goal of all spiritual journeys is to realize Self, at some > time or the other. However, most spiritual journeys of this age do > NOT end in Self-realization.> > > > It is limited ego that binds one to a limited existence like a > body and stops one from realizing the all-pervading true Self. While > a self-realized person's ego is completely killed, it is possible to > make partial progress. There are many people, who overcome ego to > various extents and realize to various degrees that body is > temporary and it is not the true self. One can do so by following > many spiritual paths, like the path of knowledge, the path of > devotion, the path of pranayama, the path of hatha yoga, the path of > work and service etc. One who overcomes ego to some extent, using > any path, is making some spiritual progress. When the ego is > completely subdued, one realizes the true Self. This realization is > the same irrespective of the path followed. However, intermediate > steps look and feel different based on the path.> > > > Enough of my 2 cents for tonight...> > > > Best regards,> > Narasimha> > > > Do Ganapathi Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam> > Spirituality: > > Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net> > Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.org> > Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org> > > > > > > > Dear Prashant ji,> > > >> > > > in my view, being a senior astrologer doesnt make one to > certify any> > > > persons doings as good and spiritual.> > > >> > > > There are many factors which one over looks,> > > >> > > > and in true sense ....what is the real spiritualism.> > > >> > > > i will say if the person is spiritual ...go and do tapasya in> > > > Himalay..why sitting in pleasure world and earning money and> > > > enjoying all world pleasures.> > > >> > > > Regards,> > > >> > > > Tarun