This is a sequel to my earlier blog story plus about a dream I had last night.
My brother Narasimhan made a brilliant observation yesterday that experiencing bliss of those "Adhu Ennathuda" moments (my previous blogs) are ones which are simply "slipping away of all expectations in total saranaagathy" moments. This reminded me of the full import of Geetha vakhyams like Mamekam Sharanam Vraja, kind of saranaagathy. There can be no saranaagathy with any kind of expectation.
It is also similar to Krishna's use of the term "Sarva sankalpa sanyaasi" which to my is mind nothing but total slipping away of of all expectations. When there is no expectation, even the "mamopaattha" kind of sankalpam ceases to have any meaning; one simply goes into yoga & merges with Him.
Though very appealing, this however begs a lot of questions. But I will reserve those for later. Instead let me first talk about my unusual dream last night. The earlier parts of this dream are a bit of hazy- and not important - but the final portion before I wake up - a surprise - is clear. Here is how it goes.....
I am discussing something (hugely spiritual) with a few friends & there are some decisions to be taken which appear "forced" to me & am in a dilemma. A sage appears at this stage & says that my decision has got to be without a trace of doubt. He says in Tamil "Thannichhai yoda, theermanam pannanum. Ambaaludaya peyare "Lalitha" Idarku enna artham theriyumo? Lalitha nna "Thannichhai" Inda, Shrishti avaludaya thannichhai yala panninathu.....
I wake up. & I am writing this.... What is the real meaning of Lalitha? Well that's for later, after I do some research. May be someone can comment.
Now coming to my doubts. The "Lords Creation" is a kind of a dream; for a few it is a wonderful one, for a whole lot it is a nightmare. A few of the latter group, are therefore desirous of waking up & realize the "truth". Out of this few a minuscule percentage is able to get there & merge.
I am imagining a bus full of people, and its about to skid into disaster. A few know this but are not sure what can be done, many are blissfully ignorant, and one wise guy says "arre baiya, this bus, this journey, where we are going etc., are all just illusions. Realize yourself as to who you really are & merge with Him, that's the only Truth.
I am further imagining that a few who are actually able to understand this are so fascinated, that they make sincere efforts to "transcend". May be a further few from this "few" attain "moksha". But then do they have no care at all for the other fellow passengers many of whom are in misery though admittedly there are many who are in ignorant bliss?
I have to "realize" myself, So does every single individual. & even as I realize and am able to see His creation as a dream, will I or rather should I, not be uneasy -- at least during the course of my evolution-- that my fellow human being is in misery & my release from bondage without him is meaningless/utterly selfish, devoid of compassion? And if I am indeed Him, can I derive any pleasure seeing all this elaborate dream play itself out endlessly regardless of the fact that all my attempts to wean away the guy who is enjoying the dream will laugh at me, and the guy for whom it is a nightmare, is just unable to rid himself from this bondage without a huge dose of succor?
What kind of creation is this? Worse what kind of "realization" is this? And how can He or the "I" ever be in bliss so long as even one guy is un-liberated whether in a dream or in a nightmare? Gita Upadesa is for all but delivered to Arjun it is said. It appears to me that it is only for Arjun BTW.
"Just live the moment without a care for any one, or anything save my own release". Is this then the message for "moksha" ? If it is, can there be peace even in liberation?
Ekalavya alias Vichu .
My brother Narasimhan made a brilliant observation yesterday that experiencing bliss of those "Adhu Ennathuda" moments (my previous blogs) are ones which are simply "slipping away of all expectations in total saranaagathy" moments. This reminded me of the full import of Geetha vakhyams like Mamekam Sharanam Vraja, kind of saranaagathy. There can be no saranaagathy with any kind of expectation.
It is also similar to Krishna's use of the term "Sarva sankalpa sanyaasi" which to my is mind nothing but total slipping away of of all expectations. When there is no expectation, even the "mamopaattha" kind of sankalpam ceases to have any meaning; one simply goes into yoga & merges with Him.
Though very appealing, this however begs a lot of questions. But I will reserve those for later. Instead let me first talk about my unusual dream last night. The earlier parts of this dream are a bit of hazy- and not important - but the final portion before I wake up - a surprise - is clear. Here is how it goes.....
I am discussing something (hugely spiritual) with a few friends & there are some decisions to be taken which appear "forced" to me & am in a dilemma. A sage appears at this stage & says that my decision has got to be without a trace of doubt. He says in Tamil "Thannichhai yoda, theermanam pannanum. Ambaaludaya peyare "Lalitha" Idarku enna artham theriyumo? Lalitha nna "Thannichhai" Inda, Shrishti avaludaya thannichhai yala panninathu.....
I wake up. & I am writing this.... What is the real meaning of Lalitha? Well that's for later, after I do some research. May be someone can comment.
Now coming to my doubts. The "Lords Creation" is a kind of a dream; for a few it is a wonderful one, for a whole lot it is a nightmare. A few of the latter group, are therefore desirous of waking up & realize the "truth". Out of this few a minuscule percentage is able to get there & merge.
I am imagining a bus full of people, and its about to skid into disaster. A few know this but are not sure what can be done, many are blissfully ignorant, and one wise guy says "arre baiya, this bus, this journey, where we are going etc., are all just illusions. Realize yourself as to who you really are & merge with Him, that's the only Truth.
I am further imagining that a few who are actually able to understand this are so fascinated, that they make sincere efforts to "transcend". May be a further few from this "few" attain "moksha". But then do they have no care at all for the other fellow passengers many of whom are in misery though admittedly there are many who are in ignorant bliss?
I have to "realize" myself, So does every single individual. & even as I realize and am able to see His creation as a dream, will I or rather should I, not be uneasy -- at least during the course of my evolution-- that my fellow human being is in misery & my release from bondage without him is meaningless/utterly selfish, devoid of compassion? And if I am indeed Him, can I derive any pleasure seeing all this elaborate dream play itself out endlessly regardless of the fact that all my attempts to wean away the guy who is enjoying the dream will laugh at me, and the guy for whom it is a nightmare, is just unable to rid himself from this bondage without a huge dose of succor?
What kind of creation is this? Worse what kind of "realization" is this? And how can He or the "I" ever be in bliss so long as even one guy is un-liberated whether in a dream or in a nightmare? Gita Upadesa is for all but delivered to Arjun it is said. It appears to me that it is only for Arjun BTW.
"Just live the moment without a care for any one, or anything save my own release". Is this then the message for "moksha" ? If it is, can there be peace even in liberation?
Ekalavya alias Vichu .
ReplyDeleteComments from Narasimhan in 2/3 parts
Vichu,
Lalitha I suppose is related to, if not derived from, leela which means sport or game playing. Creation is Ambaal's sport at its wildest with a grand game being played between Knowledge and Ignorance or between Reality and Illusion or between Joy and Misery. Knowledge is Her Essence or Being while Ignorance is Her Illusory Creation and being Her creation, the illusion is insurmountable until Reality decides to end the illusion It imposed on Itself.
The desire for liberation is however ingrained within this illusion and need not be looked upon as either enlightened or "selfish". It is just there as the underlying and irrepressible impulse in all created beings. The few fortunate seekers as well as bhaktas down the ages have consciously surrendered to this impulse and flowed with it without being assailed by doubts about the "lack of compassion" in such a course. Every living being is driven by this impulse, else animals will never evolve into higher states of awareness. The impulse though, exists in such varying degrees in the individual souls that those at lower levels of illusion would appear to have succumbed completely to the power of illusion.
l.
Contd.......
Contd...
ReplyDeleteRising above the illusion, which again is part of the grand illusion, is a wholly individual journey that has to be undertaken all alone. Within all this however as the seeker rises to higher levels of self realisation he or she feels deeply drawn to help others too rise above the illusion. This sentiment flows from a clear conviction " without a trace of doubt " that realisation should be for everyone of us, life's only purpose but without any clouding of clarity that the pursuit is wholly individual.
Yet the seeker is plagued by guilt, that of "callous selfishness" in respect of his fellow beings and is enchanted into emulating Yudhishthira's example where he turned down his welcome into heaven when the loyal dog that accompanied him was denied entry. It may be difficult to turn away from the morality contained in that story yet at times like this we may only pray to the power within us for fresh insights into Truth or the Ultimate Reality that reconciles with compassion, selflessness and such virtues which we believe are Godly qualities.
Contd.....
Contd......
ReplyDeleteWe might want to reflect that the Vasishthas of Puranic times, the Aachaaryaas and bhaktas down several centuries, and contemporary spiritual masters; they all taught and preached on Truth while at the same time being embodiments of compassion and selflessness.. Hmmm, yyeaah,but.......Who ever said realisation was a walk over?
God bless us all.
Gulpa