How to excel as Kartha

 

            Taittriya Upanishad (2-5-1) states that Vijnamaya Athma: “yajnam tanute, karmani tanute’pi cha (performs sacrifices and performs physical actions too)” which makes out the Vijnanamaya Athma as the Kartha human being. For ‘yajnam’, the sacrifices, stands for all sacred actions and ‘karmani’, the physical actions stand for all secular actions; and ‘yajnam’ and ‘karmani’ together represent all of one’s actions. The Upanishad (2-4-2) earlier describes Vijnanamaya Athma thus; “tasya shraddaaiva sirah, rtam dakshinah pakshah, sathyam uttarah pakshahh, yoga athma, mahah puchcham prathishtha (Shraddha is its head, Rtam is its right side, Sathyam is the left side, Yoga is the trunk, Mahah is the tail and the support)”. Taking these two Mantras together in the order stated above, we can say that one can excel as Kartha if one cultivates or takes care of the principles described as the five limbs of Vijnanamaya Athma, i.e. Shraddha, Rtam, Sathyam, Yoga and Mahah.  We shall now see them one by one, starting from Shraddha.

            Shraddha, in this context, means reverential love for the action that a Kartha does. Some actions one undertakes and some one is forced to do as in nursing a sick, helpless parent. Whatever be the type, never do any action reluctantly, half-heartedly. Any action one does, let it be done with love. Even if there is no positive love, let there be no dislike, no blaming, and no complaining about one’s Prarabdha etc. and make an effort to learn to love the action by developing an attitudinal change.  If one learns to like the Karma one does, that Karma itself will give Ananda.  One need not wait for Karma phalam to attain Ananda.  The great advantage of Karma Ananda is, It is instantaneous.  As even one does, one gets pleasure while doing that. And this Ananda that one derives by loving the action while doing it is free from all obstacles also. Even Prarabdha cannot obstruct this Ananda.  So the first principle of excellence in Karma is; Love what you do and even if you don’t love, at-least don’t dislike what you do and what you have to do.

            Rtam, the second principle, in this context, means proper knowledge regarding the actions that one has to do i.e. what to do, when to do, how to do, how much to do, where to do and also the consequences.  If one is not well-informed, not only the Karma will be poor in quality and as a Karta, one also will be diffident, with diffidence leading to tension and worry.  For one, every role one plays in life including the role as spouse and parent is also Karma only. If one does not play the role of a husband properly, one becomes miserable, making the partner also miserable.  If one does not play the parenting role properly, one will be bringing up brats only which affects the family and society also. Similarly, in other roles also. And proper knowledge is all the more necessary in religious activities for the activities to bear fruit. There is no limit to one’s knowing because if one has to do a job repeatedly, the learning process continues as one can learn from one’s mistakes as well.  When one chooses to learn from Karma, and has an open learning mind, one avoids the boredom that arises from repetition. The best method to avoid boredom is to use every performance for one’s research & development for the next. 

            Sathyam is the third principle.  Sathyam, in this context, is implementation of whatever one has learnt. The knower and doer should not be split. So Sathyam means that knower-doer split is not there.  When there is no such split first of all, one avoids all the negative consequences. And secondly, there is a total satisfaction also because one has done a thing well. One derives the satisfaction based Ananda. 

            Yoga is the fourth principle.  Yoga, in this context, means converting every action into meditation i.e. being totally focussed in the performance. If one performs an action with undivided attention that act itself becomes meditation.  By applying oneself totally to the action on hand, one converts each one of his actions into meditation.   And also saves the time, energy and strain involved in large measure in a mechanical action.  Performing every action fully focussed as in Dhyanam, will also help one later, if and when one chooses to study Vedanta.

            Mahah is the fifth principle. Mahah, in this context means Hiranyagarba, the total Kartha. Later the Upanishad says the individual Karta should learn to identify with the total Karta i.e. one has to learn to expand.  It means that when one performs a Karma, one has a total vision.  One does not see it from the angle of benefit to oneself only, but wherever possible to others involved also. Performing Karma with an expansive outlook and not with a selfish outlook only is also called Paropakara. 

            So the five principles that together lead one to excel as Kartha are:

1)        Love for the Karma one does

2)        Total knowledge of the Karma

3)        Putting in action the knowledge

4)        Single-pointed attention to the Karma in hand

5)        Having a total outlook in Karma, one is engaged in

(adapted from Swami Paramarthananda’s talk) 

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Vedic approach to Happiness

 

Vedas divide happiness into three categories, based on the means by which the happiness is acquired by a person.  Swami Paramarthananda calls them as Kama ananda, Dharma ananda and Moksha ananda based on the concepts.  We shall call them as Kamananda, Dharmananda and Mokshananda and see them one by one starting from Kamananda.

The term Kamananda means the pleasure derived through the desired or desirable objects. So it means all the sense pleasures enjoyed in the world through contact with sense organs like sabda, sparsa, rupa, rasa, gandha i.e. sound, touch, form, taste, smell.  In short all forms of sense pleasures come under Kamananda.  Vedas do not condemn them but only advise moderation in their enjoyment. All legitimate, Dharmic sense enjoyments are accepted by Vedas and Vedas even prescribe pujas to attain these pleasures. Taittriya Uanishad in anuvaka 4 of Sikshavalli speaks of Avahanti homa wherein food and drink, clothes and cattle are prayed for. This is the most popular Ananda, all over the world.   In fact, when one talks about happiness, others understand it only as Kamananda, the materialistic sense pleasure.

Dharmananda means the happiness that a person derives by following a Dharmic way of life. The life style governed by Dharma is called the Dharmic way of life and the teachings or instructions of Vedas come under Dharma which can be classified into three categories.  They are sadbhavana, satguna and satkarmani i.e. healthy attitudes, healthy or noble values and healthy or noble actions.  All the three are equally important and they complement each other.

Of these three, sadbhavna, healthy attitudes, is the first and others will follow.  Vedas repeatedly mention that one must have a healthy attitude towards the world in which one is living.  Since the world is readily available to one, it is taken for granted and so one does not have a proper attitude to it and this leads to abuse and exploitation of nature and environs.  Vedas prescribe varieties of upasanas / meditations in which one is asked to dwell upon the wonderful universe with the wonderful variety of planets, oceans, rivers and mountains besides all living beings.  Taittriya Upanishad (1-7-1) prescribes a upasana on “The earth, the sky, --- the fire, the air, the sun, the moon, the stars, the waters, the trees -----“that brings about the awareness of the world around us.  The earth has got not only all basic resources but also everything for the fulfilment of all human aspirations i.e. Dharma, artha, kama and Moksha. One has to learn to appreciate this universe and this appreciation should change to reverence as expressed through Vedic mantras as “Namasthe Vayo (Salutations to Air)”.  This reverence will come when one looks upon the universe as Visvarupa Iswarah. Therefore, one’s attitude towards the universe must be one of bhakti and this Vivarupa bhakthi is a part of Dharmic life.  The reverence towards the entire universe of things and human beings as a manifestation of Iswara, besides looking upon all that one has got as a gift from Iswara is the first component of Dharma, sadbhavana.

The next two categories, satguna and satkarmani, are based on one fundamental principle; “Happiness ever, Sorrow never” that governs everyone’s attitude in life.  Sukham is universally sought and Dukham is universally avoided irrespective of nation or religion. Therefore, Vedas say, a Dharmic life is a life which takes into account this universal quest.  So Vedas say, don’t cause pain to others by word, thought or deed.  Even where pain is to be caused due to extraordinary circumstances, as in the case of a doctor inflicting pain in the course of treatment, efforts should be made to keep it as minimum as possible.  “Ahimsa paramo Dharmah” is the scriptural saying emphasising the paramount nature of Ahimsa and Swami Dayayananada Saraswathi says, “All other values are nothing but an extension or derivative of Ahiṃsa only'.  So Ahimsa, which is a fundamental seed value is the second component of Dharma, Satguna.

Applying the principle that everyone desires happiness and no one welcomes sorrow, we can say that the noblest action is Paropakara wherein one helps to relieve the sorrow of the others, known or unknown, voluntarily without any expectations except their happiness.  Veda Vyasa declared after writing the eighteen puranas that the lesson to be learnt from the puranas is: “Paropakara punyaya, papaya para pidanam (helping others confers punya and hurting others, papa)”.  In creation, Nature is doing this as said in the following verse: 

Paropakaraya phalanti vrkshah, paropakaraya duhanti gavah, I

paropakaraya vahanti nadyah, paropakarartham idam sariram II.

Trees bear fruits for consumption of others, cows give milk for the benefit of others, rivers flow giving water to people (others), (Same way, this human) body is for helping others.

And Paropakara, wherein one increases the happiness and relieves the sorrow of others voluntarily without any expectations is the third component of Dharma, satkarmani.

        So a Dharmic way of life is following these three i.e. Viswarupa Bhakthi, Ahimsa and Paropakara, in one’s life to the extent possible and the joy derived through adherence to  the practice of Visvarupa bhakthi, Ahimsa and Paropakara is called Dharmananda.  And Vedas say, Dharmananda is quantitatively and qualitatively much superior to Kamananda.  Dharmananda will also preserve the earth as livable for the future generations as it involves no exploitation of nature.

            Mokshananda is Ananda derived through Moksha.  Moksha is freedom from Self-ignorance and consequent Self-misconception.  Vedas say that one’s true Self is Athma, the Brahman, whose nature is infinite Ananda only. From ignorance of one’s Self, Athma, arises the misconception that one's Self is the body-mind-complex with its limitations.  From this arises the biggest misconception that one has to get happiness from outside. Vedas say that whatever happiness one derives from external sources are the ones that external sources are bringing out from oneself like the reflection in the mirror.  They are only mirroring one’s inherent happiness for only Athma is Ananda svarupa and not anathma.  Both the Kamananda and Dharmananda that arise from external sources are the Ananda brought out from one’s inner core, the Athma, only.  If one follows the disciplines of Jnana Yoga starting with the study of scriptures under the guidance of a competent teacher, one will discover this fact that the primary source of all his happiness is his inner Self, Athma. Then, as said in Bhagavad Gita (3-17) such a person will be rejoicing in one’s Self only (athmarathi) being content in one’s Self (athmanyeva cha santhushtaha).  Mokshananda is the greatest Ananda, greater than Dharmananda and Kamananda, as attaining Mokshananda, all the struggle of one for happiness ends.  That is called Liberation; freedom from Self-ignorance; freedom from Self-misconception; freedom from struggles to attain happiness.

(adapted from Swami Paramarthananda’s talk)

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Handling Human Relationships

            There is a popular saying that man is a social animal.  The idea conveyed here is that a human being can never lead an isolated life style.  Human beings live together in groups, call it family, or community or society or nation. And there are varieties in relationships; long term, short term, active, passive, close (intimate), and shallow. Of these some are man-made relationships and some are God-made relationships and these relationships decide the quality of human life.  Relationships have got a significant role in determining the very quality of life. A good relationship can convert the earth into heaven and a terrible relationship can convert the earth into hell.  Of the human relationships, scriptures say that one should look upon them as a means of inner spiritual growth and not as a means of happiness.  Happiness depends upon many factors, some known and some unknown and of the known factors also some are uncontrollable making it unpredictable, fragile and fleeting. So if happiness alone is taken as the factor, human relationships also will be fragile, fleeting and unpredictable and not stable. Since the very goal of human life is inner growth, relationships promoting it will be enduring and rewarding. 

            We shall now see how the relationships can contribute to inner growth.  Firstly, human beings have a fundamental problem, the sense of isolation and loneliness born of Self-ignorance.  Minimum one stable relationship is required if a human being should enjoy reasonable sanity - not only mental health but even physical health. Though the ultimate solution for this problem is Self-knowledge, its acquisition is not easy and many have no inclination for it. A stable relationship is a temporary solution available to all, to avoid the sense of isolation and loneliness that contributes to the problems of mental health and consequent problems to the physical health as well. Even for sanyasis the sastras prescribe a relationship with Guru and Ishta Devata, Guru Ishta Devata Sambandha.

            Secondly, some of the Karmas are exhausted only through certain types of relationships and not in any other way.  As per scriptures one is born to exhaust one’s punya-papa Karma.  One has to exhaust certain Karmas, Karma Kshaya, through certain forms of relationships. If one approaches the relationship with that attitude, one is cooperating with the Lord’s law of Karma. The very cooperation with the Lord’s law of Karma is a form of inner growth because one is aligning with Dharma.  

            Thirdly one gets Titiksha through relationship.  Titiksha means tolerance.  Tattvabodha defines Titiksha as “seethoshna sukhadukhadhi sahishnuthvam (the endurance of heat and cold, pleasure and pain etc.)”.  Titiksha is that frame of mind in which one is able to accept the opposites like cold and heat, pleasure and pain with equanimity and without complaint.  This is an important spiritual value for one seeking Jivan Mukthi.  Even otherwise it is an important value required to manage old age.  Lord Krishna tells Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita (2-13,14):

matra sparsastu kaunteya sitoshna sukha dukhadah I

agamapayino’nityastamstitikshasva bharata II

yamhi na vyathayantyete purusham purusharsabha I

samadukha sukham dhiram so’mrutatva ya kalpate II

The contacts of the senses with the objects, O son of Kunti, which cause heat and cold and pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end; they are impermanent; endure them bravely, O Arjuna! (13)

That firm man whom surely these afflict not, O chief among men, to whom pleasure and pain are the same, is fit for attaining immortality! (14)

Without Titiksha, Jivan Mukthi is not possible and also old age management. Suffering is an integral part of life because suffering also has a role in making a human being mature. Suffering can be a learning experience only for a person with Titiksha. 

            Fourthly, any good work in Sastra is called Yajna and it requires a minimum team of three or multiple of three members.  Team means human beings and human beings means healthy relationship bond is involved. Without that it will not be a team, only it will be a confused crowd. Further, when human beings, spiritual seekers especially, want to contribute something to the society, they do it as a team of people. For as a single individual, one can contribute only very little or practically nothing. 

            Thus, human relationship contributes to good health, mental and physical, Karma Kshaya, Titiksha and Yagnya Anushtanam which all together will lead to inner growth.  In this approach, human happiness that is fleeting and impermanent is secondary and human growth is the primary aim.  Therefore, the Vedic approach is one that doesn’t give importance to impermanent happiness which is born out of relationship but gives importance to inner growth that leads to inner Ananda, Athma Sukham, described as “atmaneva atmana tushtaha (satisfied in the Self by the Self) “in Bhagavad Gita (2-55)

(adapted from Swami Paramarthananda’s talk)

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Mastering the mind

            Tattvabodha defines mind as a functional facet of one’s inner equipment, called anthakarana. This anthakarana is a continuous flow of thought modifications called vrittis. It has four facets. Mind, called manas, is one state where thoughts of doubt and indecisiveness prevail. Emotions also constitute the mind. Intellect, called buddhi, is the second state where thoughts of decision and reasoning dominate. All knowledge arises in buddhi. Memory, called chitha, is the third state that acts as a storehouse of experiences as impressions from which flow thoughts of recollections. It is only on this basis of recollection that cognition takes place. Ego, called Ahamkara is the fourth aspect associated with thoughts of doership that gives one individuality.

            Mind is an important part of one’s personality. But it is a very much neglected part as compared to the body.  Body being gross is visible to the outside world and one takes pains to present it beautifully.  Mind being part of the subtle body is visible to oneself only and so is less cared for.  And mind’s Importance can be seen from the sayings like ‘Mind can make hell of heaven and also heaven of hell’ and ‘You are not what you think; but what you think, you are”. But such an important instrument is not under one’s control.  Arjuna tells Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita (6-34):

Chanchalam hi manah krishna pramaathi balavad dridham I

Tasyaaham nigraham manye vaayoriva sudushkaram II

The mind verily is restless, turbulent, strong and unyielding, O Krishna! I deem it as difficult to control as to control the wind.

            We must first understand the mind i.e. what it is and how it functions and then only we can master it. The existence of the mind cannot be established by any objective scientific methods.  Scriptures describe it as flow of thoughts. How fast is the flow? It is faster than light and it can reach any place in the universe and return in seconds.  It has immense capability as all knowledge and all emotions also exist as one’s thoughts in the mind. Anything in existence can be proved as a thought in one’s mind. All our advanced sophisticated instruments were first conceived as thoughts in the mind. Everyone does not understand its working but everyone uses it.

            The flow of thoughts in the mind can be compared to flow of water in the river. If the waters are clean the river looks clean. Thus if the thoughts are good, mind is good.   If the thoughts are agitated, mind is agitated.  So mind management can be translated as thought management.   Thoughts are managed by managing their quality, quantity and the direction of thought flow.  One can change the quality of thoughts for the better by encouraging positive thoughts and discouraging negative thoughts by interrupting them and re-directing them deliberately.  One can also resort to the practice of Bhakthi yoga and divert one's thoughts towards one's chosen deity, Ishta Devata, through chanting and thinking about the Ishta Devata whenever negative thoughts invade the mind.  This will arrest the flow of negative thoughts like anger, jealousy, hatred and the like and will facilitate redirection of thoughts into positive channels like love, sympathy etc. One can arrest the rush of thoughts by quietening the mind through simple breathing exercises, as breath control will lead to thought control and calm down the agitated mind. Direction of thought- flow in the positive direction can be achieved through satsangh, company of good and noble people, reading elevating literature like the lives of saints and scriptures and through cherishing inspiring ideals.

            The mind can be divided into four parts as; 1) that we know and others also know, 2) that we only know and others do not know, 3) that we do not know but others know and 4) that we do not know and others also do not know.  Parts 1,2 and 3 come under conscious mind and amenable to control and restraint through practices outlined earlier, but part 4 which is one’s subconscious mind cannot be disciplined this way.  By avoiding temptations only, one can ensure that the latent vasanas of subconscious mind do not come in the way of control of thoughts.  This is achieved through avoiding attachment in respect of objects and relationships.  While agreeing with Arjuna regarding the nature of mind, Lord Krishna also says in Gita (6-35), “Abhyaasena tu kaunteya vairaagyena cha grihyate (by practice and by dispassion it can be brought under control)”.  So along with the practice of the above steps one should also practice dispassion, Vairagya to achieve mastery over mind.  Vairagya is defined in Tattvabodha as “Ihaswarga bhogeshu iccharahityam (the absence of the desire for the enjoyment of the pleasures of this world and heaven)”.   So dispassion does not mean abandoning responsibilities but it only means not running after objects seeking joy, objects including persons and situations. This will ensure one does not fall a prey to temptations and bad vasanas are neutralised.  Mastery over mind is necessary for one to manifest one’s latent divinity through Jnana Yoga.

(Based on the lectures of Swamini Vimalananada)

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Who am I?

 (Based on Taittriya Upanishad)

            The first anuvaka of Brahmandavalli of Taittriya Upanishad opens with a cryptic statement, “Brahmavid apnoti param (The knower of Brahman attains Supreme)”. Supreme here denotes Brahman as we can see from Mundaka Upanishad (3-2-8) where there is a similar statement which states, “Sa yo ha vai tat paramam Brahma veda, Brahmaiva bhavathi (Whoever knows the Supreme Brahman, becomes the very Brahman)”. This gives rise to the questions, “1) Who or what is Brahman and 2) where can one find Brahman”.  The answers to both these questions are given in the latter part of the Mantra. Let us first take the first question which is answered through quoting the Rig Mantra which states “Satyam, Jnanam, Anantam Brahma (Brahman is Satyam, Jnanam, Anantam)”.   The nature of Brahman is defined through these words Satyam, Jnanam and Anantam.  We shall see each of them separately taking first “Anantam”

            Anantam means the limitless one or infinite. The limitation can be in three ways; spatial, time-wise and object-wise. Spatial limitation means an object cannot be in two places at the same time i.e. presence in one place means absence from other place.  So free of spatial limitation means It is all-pervading, sarva vyapakam.  Time-wise limitation means one is confined to a time-frame. Swami Chinmayananda calls our life a dash from womb to tomb. Brahman is present at all times; past, present and future i.e. eternal. Object-wise limitation arises from the presence of another object. Brahman is free from this limitation means it is non-dual. So Anantam means eternal, all-pervading and non-dual.  Jnanam means knowledge. Knowledge is of two kinds. 1) conditioned knowledge which is knowledge of things conditioned by things known and 2) unconditioned knowledge which is absolute knowledge illuminating the objects of experience in the outer and inner worlds, namely, the Consciousness principle.  Brahman being infinite without limitations is this Pure Consciousness which is called Chit.  Satyam, generally meaning Truth, also means an existent object. The existent object has three components, nama, rupa and existence. Brahman being infinite, the finite nama, rupa is discarded and the pure Existence principle which is called ‘Sat’ alone is taken as the meaning of Satyam.  As Brahman is free from attributes, the definition is called ‘Svabhava  lakshanam’ and it is “Sat, Chit, Anantam” i.e. “eternal, non-dual, all-pervading Existence, Consciousness” which we shall refer hereafter as “limitless Existence, Consciousness”, capital letters indicating that they are Pure Existence and Pure Consciousness.

        Now we come to the second question, “Where can one find this Sat, Chit Anantam Brahman?”. The Upanishad gives the answer along with the benefits flowing from the knowledge of Brahman, following the definition of Brahman as, “yah veda nihitam guhaayaam parame vyoman I sah ashnute sarvaan kaamaan, saha brahmanaa vipashchiteti II (He who knows It as existing in the cave (of the heart) in the inner Akasa, realises all his desires along with the Omniscient Brahman”).  So it has to be known in the space of the heart and mind pervades this space. Brahman is to be realised as the Consciousness in one’s mind as one’s Real Self. This true Self of one is hidden by Maya, the first level of Brahman’s Upadhis. Maya with its veiling power, avarana sakthi, covers Brahman and through its projecting power, vikshepa sakthi, projects the upadhis of body-mind complex as one’s self.  When through the process of Jnana Yoga under the guidance of a competent Guru, one realises the identity of one’s True Self as Brahman, the limitless Existence, Consciousness, one feels one with the Mahavakhya “Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman)”.  Now he, after realization of his essential identity with Brahman, declares like Asvalayana rishi in Kaivalya Upanishad (Mantra19);

Mayyeva sakalam jatam, mayi sarvam pratishthitam I

Mayi sarvam layam yati, tad brahmadvayamasmyaham II 19 II

Everything is born in me alone; everything is based on me alone; everything resolves into me alone. I am that non-dual Brahman.

With this knowledge he feels totally fulfilled and as he is everything, which amounts to his having everything and no wants or desires for anything.  This feeling of total fulfillment as Brahman is stated in the end part of the Mantra as realising all his desires along with the Omniscient Brahman. 

(adapted from a talk of Swami Sarvapriyananda)

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