Swachchhataa Abhiyaan

  How essential it is to maintain cleanliness. 2nd October. I went to the university to celebrate cleanliness. Took a broom in my hand. Cleaned my mother earth. Felt great! This was my first lesson towards cleanliness. I need to clean my surroundings without caring about hundreds of others who are ever ready to dirty it the very next moment. I need to clean my house without worrying about the little one at home, ever ready to dirty it right away. But then how would it help?.... well... In many ways... Few of those who are always ready to spread dirtiness around may get inspired by me and join my party. Later on they may inspire a few others, and slowly the group of cleaners may out-grow the group of dirtiers. And the whole country may become clean. Or it is quiet likely that this may not happen. But still, I will land up inculcating a good habit of keeping my surroundings clean. Slowly I may start looking minutely at the whole affair. Starting from my surrounding, my home, my drawer etc...I may move on to make my actions clean, my thoughts clean, my conscience clean, and in this way this habit of cleaning things may lead me to the ultimate goal of self-realization, to Samadhi. The Shastrakara has even said, that Yoga=Samadhi is nothing but cleaning the mind to the utmost and not allowing it to become dirty again - योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः। They say that the longest journey starts with one step... one step in the right direction... the direction seems to be right... I may attain all this... who knows!  

Bhagavaan

BHAGWAN One who controls Creation, maintenance and annihilation, he is called Bhagwan. That object which possesses opulence, righteousness, fame, wealth, knowledge and dispassion in fullness, that is called ‘Bhaga’. The Supreme Lord is known as Bhagwan because he holds the ‘Bhag’. Otherwise one who simultaneously knows creation, annihilation and also the past and future birth, knowledge and ignorance of living beings, he is called as Bhagawan. Vishnu-Purana explains this name in details, giving meaning to each and every syllable of word ‘Bhagwan’— संभर्तेति तथा भर्ताभकारार्थो द्वयान्वितः। नेतागमयिता स्त्रष्टागकारार्थस्तथा मुने॥ ऐश्वर्यस्य समग्रस्य वीर्यस्य यशसः श्रियः। ज्ञानवैराग्ययोश्चैव षण्णां भग इतीरणा॥ वसन्ति तत्र भूतानि भूतात्मन्यखिलात्मनि। स च भूतेष्वशेषेषु वकारार्थस्ततोऽव्ययः॥ The syllable ‘Bha’ in the word Bhagwan means— maintainer and eternal support. ‘Ga’ means— the leader who grants the fruits of actions, the destiny who destroys at the time of annihilation, the creator who creates the material world in the beginning. ‘Va’ means one who resides in everything and everything resides in him. That is called Bhagwan. Furthermore, the purport of word ‘Bhagwan’ is given here according to Vishnu-Purana— उत्पत्तिं प्रलयं चैव भूतानामगतिं गतिम्। वेत्ति विद्यामविद्यां च स वाच्यो भगवानिति॥ ज्ञानशक्तिबलैश्वर्यवीर्यतेजांस्यशेषतः। भगवच्छ्ब्दवाच्यानि विना हेयैर्गुणादिभिः॥ One who knows the birth, death, appearance, disappearance, knowledge and ignorance of all, that is called Bhagwan. The aggregate of knowledge, strength, power, opulence, valor and luster, all these qualities without any mixture of inferior qualities rest in whom, that sustainer is called as Bhagwan. The thing which is used is called ‘Bhaga’. Aggregate of useful qualities is called Bhagwan. In this point of view, Shiva is the only Bhaga and scrutinizingly he is called a ‘possessor of Bhaga’ or Bhagwan. Otherwise if popular meaning is adopted then Mahamaya ( the divine potency) is the Bhag of entire creation. That means entire creation is originated from Mahamaya only. And Shankar is the master of that Mahamaya, so he is called Bhagwan. Another commendable meaning of Bhagwan is given here according to Shiv-Gita— सर्वभावान् निरीक्ष्येऽहमात्मज्ञानं निरीक्षये। योगं च गमये तस्माद्भगवान् महतो मतः॥ Purport: Bharga is called as Bhagwan because 1) it sees everything through self-realization, 2) it imparts the knowledge of Yoga, 3) it is pervaded in everything. According to Batukopnishad, there is a wonderful description of word ‘Bhagwan’ – अथ कस्मादुच्यते भगवान् महेश्वरो, यस्माद् भक्ता ज्ञानेन भजन्ति अनुगृह्णाति च वाचं संसृजति विसृजति च सर्वान् परित्यज्यात्मज्ञानेन योगैश्वर्येण महति महीयते तस्मादुच्यते भगवान् महेश्वरः। भुवनानि ना अवते तस्मादुच्यते भगवान् बटुकेश्वरः। According to Puranas there is a detailed explanation of word ‘Bhagwan’ – यत्तदव्यक्तमजरमचिन्त्यमजमव्ययम्। अनिर्देश्यमरूपं च पाणिपादाद्यसंयुतम्॥ विभुं सर्वगतं नित्यं भूतयोनिरकारणम्। व्याप्यव्याप्तं यतः सर्वं यद्वै पश्यन्ति सूरयः॥ तद्ब्रह्म तत्परं धाम तद्ध्येयं मोक्षकांक्षिभिः। श्रुतिवाक्योदितं सूक्ष्मं तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्॥ तदेव भगवद्वाच्यं स्वरूपं परमात्मनः। वाचको भगवच्छ्ब्दस्तस्याद्यस्याक्षयात्मनः॥ Purport: One who is Avyakta (unmanifested), Ajar (free from old age), Avicharniya (inconceivable), Ajanma ( without birth), Akshin ( without decay), Anirdeshya ( inexplicable), and who is devoid of hands, legs, and who is absolute, unlimited, eternal, prime cause of all elements, causeless, all-pervading, inaccessible, empowering everything, known by scholars, he is Brahman, he is prime effulgence, he is the destiny of monks, he is sole aim of scriptures, he is subtle, he is the prime support and he is said to be Bhagwan. Assimilation of divine qualities is the true sense of worship of Bhagwan.

Man's behavior- Rational or Belief-governed?

It has been said long back that,"Man is a rational animal". Rationality of human-beings is one feature that differentiates them from other animals. I have been thinking on this since some time. The conclusion that I have arrived up to is contrary. All the recent advancements of human race, though arousing amazement and awe, though exhibiting exceptional intellectual capacity of human race, have proved to be destructive for the environment, for other living beings and for the human race itself. Only man has cleared forests and established highly sophisticated settlements. Only man has deviced high speed vehicles and created terrible pollution on the earth, only man has invented and used highly destructive weapons. All these activities eventually prove to be destructive for others and itself. Hence, I feel that man is the most intelligent but the most irrational animal on the earth. Isn't it irrational to develop the concept and criteria of 'rationalism' yourself and then judge the behavior of other species from the same perspective and call yourself the best?

I observed my own behavior and behaviors of many others around me. I strongly feel, that human-beings do understand the self-developed concept of rationalism and logicallism quite well. They also try to show that their behavior is rational and logical. It overtly also seems to us that it is indeed rational. However, the real factor that governs human behavior is their beliefs. Human behavior and decisions are more belief-governed rather than logic-governed.

There is one strong belief in their sub-conscious minds like a trunk of the tree, diversifying itself into many stem-like beliefs about various circumstances and things that they face in life. By close examination of a person, one can easily figure out this trunk-belief supporting every belief that is behind each of their action.

So then what is the role of rationalism, rational thinking, rational behavior or logical behavior? Well, I "BELIEVE" that human-being very intelligently just uses logic and rationalism to justify their belief-governed acts. Of-course logic appeals to him. It may also play as one of many roots supporting his trunk-belief. Other roots may be the thoughts implanted since their childhood, their upbringing, the way others behaved with them, characters of the people that they regard highly etc.

असत्ये वर्त्मनि स्थित्वा ततः सत्यं समीहते // वाक्यपदीयम् २.२३८ //

He stands on a false path, thence longs for the truth.

Knowing the truth itself is the ultimate quest of man kind. It is a natural tendency of mankind to try and investigate truth. But why is it so? The Indian philosophers offer a metaphysical explanation to this. They have a theory- Every thing finally goes to the place from where it originates. Water tends to flow towards the ocean. Fire remains unaffected by gravity and tends to move upwards towards the Sun. Earth comes back to the earth, and so on. Similarly, since all beings have originated from the 'truth', no mater what activity they do, every moment they are heading towards it through that activity.

The 'Path (or वर्त्मन्)' to me is the epistemological standpoint. No epistemological standpoint of us human beings can be perfect or correct enough to view the truth. Man's logical thinking ability is limited, and 'truth' as Rishis describe is beyond logic. No epistemological frame is sufficient to capture it. It can only be experienced when all epistemological frames break.

Man tries to perceive the truth through a particular epistemological framework that he feels is appropriate at that particular time depending upon his level of understanding. From that frame he is also able to perceive some aspect of the truth. That is the truth for him at that point of time.

It it is here that he has two choices to make. He can either be satisfied by the view of truth that he has from that point and rigidly stick to it for ever or he can continue further investigation. Further investigation is possible from this point only if he is ready to believe that what he has seen may or may not be the complete truth. Thus he keeps on verifying what he has found to be true in different way. When an investigation is carried on in this way, a person invariably realizes the need to modify his epistemological frame work. This process goes on and on. As he progresses, he goes on realizing that all the frameworks that he followed in past were not appropriate until the time comes when he understands the need to give up all the frame works. That is when he experiences the truth and becomes one with it.

It is like watching the sun rise. Perhaps initially man must surely have thought that sun actually sets behind a hill. He must have then gone to that hill top where he thought sun set. Then it must have dawned upon him that there is another hill or an ocean behind that hill, and that is where the sun sets. The path he followed to investigate was not correct. But the inquiry had started. It is the result of this very persistent inquiry that must have prompted the man to change his path of inquiry innumerable times till he finally realized that Sun does not set. It does not move at all. It is the earth that is moving. And to realize that man had to go out of the sun and the earth in the space.

Shortest definition of World

Similarity in Uniqueness
equally apt is this definition-
uniqueness in similarity.
when i am in the room.. one cant say that the room is also in me.
नत्वहं तेषु ते मयि... but still... मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम्...
when we define we try to catch hold of the most intrinsic characteristic of the thing.
so 2 definitions are possible when the thing is viewed from 2 different view points.
but here when we make 2 definitions..we are not changing the view point.
its the same view point.
when there is uniqueness in similarity.. similarity is obviously there in the uniqueness..
we are just stating the same fact in two ways.
both the definitions are completely contradicting... still complementary... still each one can stand alone as complete!!
WoW!!

learning is...

inculcating an ability to see what is clearly displayed out there... and we are still not seeing it.. what is darkness... it is this very inability to see what is there. what is light.. it is some thing that enables us to see...the consciousness...and just as two things perceive- 1- the senses and 2 the mind... we need consciousness also at two levels- 1- to know... and 2- to know that you have known.

प्रियं च सत्यं च ब्रूयात्

सत्यं ब्रूयात् प्रियं ब्रूयात् न ब्रूयात् सत्यमप्रियम्।
प्रियं च नानृतं ब्रूयात् एष धर्म: सनातन:॥

Speak truth. Speak pleasant words. Do not speak the truth that is unpleasant and also those pleasant words that are untrue. This itself is the eternal Dharma (the duty of a person)

There is an apparent contradiction here. Truth is mostly not pleasant.Pleasant words are mostly not true. So if the unpleasant true words and pleasant true words are only to be spoken, a person will hardly have any thing to speak.

The solution to this contradiction emerged in my mind from what I observed in reality. Truth is never bitter or sweet. Truth is just what it is. It is we who label it as pleasant or bitter.

So, whether a person feels that the truth is bitter or sweet depends both upon the speaker and the listener. On the speaker's side, what is important is the intention with witch it is spoken. If the intention is to heart some one with a truth and berak down his moral, then that truth sounds bitter. If the same truth is said with compassion and genuine will to bring something to the notice of the listener so that it can benefit him/her in some way then it never sounds bitter. At the listener's end, it depends upon how he/she receives it. A person can insult you with a bare truth about your darker side and you can still choose not to take it that way and take it as an opportunity to learn.

The verse merely appeals us to speak pleasant truth- the truth spoken politely and sloely for the betterment of the listener