six stages of self realisation enabled by Krishna,by Shri Ananda Murthi.

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When Parama Purusa incarnates as Taraka Brahma, the liberating Supreme Entity, at a certain transitional period, the people of that period invariably enjoy some special privileges. As Vraja Krishna and Parthasarathi, the Lord helps people find the path of spirituality.

 

When people attain progress in the realm of spiritual realisation, that progress is divided into six stages. At the stage of salokya, people feel thatthey have come onto the earth at the same time as Parama Purusa. This brings a sense of ecstasy. This state of bliss is termed salokya. When Krishna wasin Vraja, the people felt intense joy and a sense of pride that a great personality in the form of a young man had chosen to live in their midst.

 

Duryodhana, even though he was apparently Krishna's enemy, was convinced that Krishna was not an ordinary person. He thought that he would be fortunateindeed if he could win Krishna's support. So on the eve of the Kurukshetra war he went to Krishna to ask Him for help. Arjuna was there, too, for the samereason.

 

Duryodhana arrived at Krishna's palace before Arjuna to find Krishna lying in bed with His eyes closed. He seemed to be fast asleep. Duryodhana sat nearKrishna's head. Arjuna came afterwards and took his seat near Krishna's feet. Suddenly Krishna sat up. He was awake. He looked first towards Arjuna sittingnear His feet and said, "Welcome Arjuna, you've come. It's good to see you." Then He caught sight of Duryodhana and said, "Welcome Duryodhana, you havecome too. It's good to see you." Duryodhana's realisation of salokya was less than Arjuna's; hence he could not get benefits of salokya, while Arjuna easilycould. Now the entity who seemed to be asleep was not Vraja Krishna, the constant wielder and player of the magic flute, but instead, He was ParthasarathiKrishna, the intellectual. Had He been Vraja Krishna, he would have played his magic flute, drawing Duryodhana as close to Him as Arjuna. ParthasarathiKrishna was practical and diplomatic.

 

The second stage of spiritual realisation is samiipya. In the second stage, they feel close enough to Parama Purusa to talk to Him on friendly terms, even regarding extremely personalmatters, and thus be relieved and comforted by Him.

 

Next comes the stage of sayujya. It implies close contact, almost body contact, the closest proximity imaginable. But it was not so easy to attain thestate - not everyone was blessed with this realisation. None of the other brothers had the opportunity. The next stage of sadhana or spiritual practice is sarupya. It implies that "Not only am I close to Him, but whenever I think of Him I see Him in all directions."Next comes sarshthi, when spiritual aspirants realise Parama Purusa in all possible ways and in all conceivable manners. Not only do the devotees see Him,they also remain united with him, one with Him. When a sadhaka attains this stage, he feels, "Lord! You exist. I exist. We are so close that I have becomeYou. You have become me."

 

One can attain sarshthi through Parthasarathi Krishna no doubt, but not of this kind. There the ideation is "O Parama Purusa, O Lord, O Parthasarathi!You have made me exclusively Your own. Finally when the devotee merges with Parama Purusa without maintaining its existence, that is the stage of Kaevalya.

 

(Excerpted from the writer's book Namami Krishnasundram)

Regards,K.s.Vishwanathan.Tel No: 022-28738192.e-mail:kalpathyvs.