Saturday, August 28, 2021

Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad About Desire English

Excerpted from Swami Madhavaananda's translation of Adi Sankara Bhaashyam

This was but the self in the beginning, before marriage. 'Self' here means a natural, ignorant man of the upper three castes identified with the body and organs (i.e. a student). There was nothing different from that self that could be desired, such as a wife, and the self was the only entity in existence, possessed of ignorance which is the root of the desire for a wife and so forth. Being tinged by the impressions of ignorance that are natural to one and consist in a superimposition on the Self of ideas of action, its factors such as the agent, and its results, he desired. How? Let me, the agent, have a wife who will qualify me for the rites. Without her I am not qualified for them. Hence let me have a wife, to confer on me this right. So that I myself may be born, as the child. And let me have wealth such as cattle, which are the means of performing the rites, so that I may perform rites that will give me prosperity and liberation, in order that I may perform rites that will wipe out my indebtedness and help me to attain the worlds of the gods and others, as well as rites that have material ends, such as those leading to the birth of a son, wealth and heaven. This much indeed, i.e. limited to these things only, is desire. Desirable objects are only these-the things comprised by the desire for means, viz. wife, son, wealth and rites. The three worlds, viz. those of men, the Manes and the gods, are but the results of the above. For the desire for means, viz. wife, son, wealth and rites, is for securing these. Therefore the desire for the worlds is the same as the previous one. That one and the same desire assumes a twofold aspect according to ends and means. Hence it will be asserted later on, 'For both these are but desires'.

Since all undertakings are for the sake of results, the desire for the worlds, being implied by the former desire, is taken as mentioned ; hence the assertion, 'This much indeed is desire.' When eating has been mentioned, the resulting satisfaction has not to be separately mentioned, for eating is meant for that. The regular and occasional rites.

These two hankerings after the ends and means are the desire, prompted by which an ignorant man helplessly enmeshes himself like a silkworm, and through absorption in the path of rituals becomes outgoing in his tendencies and does not know his own world, the Self. As the Taittiriya Brahmana says, 'Being infatuated with rites performed with the help of fire, and choked by smoke, they do not know their own world, the Self'

One may ask, how are desires asserted to be so many, for they are infinite? This is being explained: Because even if one wishes, one cannot get more than this, which consists of the results and means. There is nothing in life besides these results and means, either visible or invisible, that can be acquired. Desire is concerning things to be acquired, and since these extend no farther than the above, it is but proper to say, 'This much indeed is desire.' The idea is this : Desire consists of the two hankerings after the ends and means, visible or invisible, which are the special sphere of an ignorant man. Hence the wise man should renounce them.

In ancient times an ignorant man possessed of desire wished like this, and others before him had also done the same. Such is the way of the world. This creation of Viraj has been like this. It has been said that he was afraid on account of his ignorance ; then, prompted by desire, he was unhappy in being alone, and to remove that boredom he wished for a wife ; and he was united with her, which led to this creation. Because it was like this, therefore to this day, in his creation, a man being single, before marriage, desires, 'Let me have a wife, so that I may be born. let me have wealth, so that I may perform rites: This has already been explained. Desiring like this and trying to secure a wife and so forth, until he obtains each one of these, the wife and the rest, he considers himself incomplete. As a corollary to this, we understand that he is complete when he secures all of these things. But when he fails to attain this completeness, the Sruti suggests a method to bring this about: His completeness, the completeness of this man who considers himself incomplete, is this-Comes about in this way. How?

This body with organs etc. is being divided. Since the rest of them follow the mind, it, being their chief, is like the self, hence it is his self. As the head of a family is the self, as it were, of the wife and the rest, for these four follow him, so here also the mind is conceived of as the self of this man for his completeness. Similarly speech is his wife, for speech follows the mind as a wife does her husband. 'Speech' here means words conveying an injunction or prohibition, which the mind receives through the ear, understands and uses. Hence speech is like a wife to the mind. These, speech and mind, standing for wife and husband, produce the vital force for performing rites. Hence the vital force is like a child. These rites, which represent the activity of the vital force etc., are performed with the help of wealth that is visible to the eye. Hence the eye is human wealth. Wealth is of two kinds, human and other than human; hence the qualifying word 'human' to keep out the other kind. Human wealth such as cattle, which is used in ceremonies, is seen by the eye. Hence the eye stands for it. Because of this relationship with it, the eye is called human wealth. For he obtains it, the human wealth, through the eye, i.e. sees cows etc.

What is the other kind of wealth? The ear is divine wealth, for since meditation is concerning the gods, it is called divine wealth, and here the ear corresponds to that. How? For he hears of it, the divine wealth, or meditation, through the ear. Hence, meditation being dependent on the ear, the latter is called divine wealth. Now in this matter of resemblances what is the rite that is performed by these beginning with the self and ending with wealth? This is being answered: The body is his rite. 'Atman' (self) here means the body. How does the body stand for the rite? Because it is the cause of 'the rite. How? For he performs rites through the body. For the man who considers himself incomplete, completeness can be attained in this way through imagination, just as externally it can be brought about by having a wife and so on. Therefore this sacrifice has five factors, and is accomplished only through meditation even by one who does not perform rites. But how can it be called a sacrifice by merely conceived as having five factors? Because the external sacrifice too is performed through animals and men, and both these have five factors, being connected with the five things described above, such as the mind. This is expressed by the text: The animals such as cows, have five factors, and the men have five factors. Although men also are animals, yet being qualified for rites, they are distinguished from the others, hence they are separately mentioned. In short, all this, the means and the results of rites, that exists has five factors. He who knows it as such, imagines himself to be the sacrifice consisting of five factors, attains all this universe as his own self.

Bruhadaaranya Upanishat Telugu About Desire

స్వామి మాధవానంద ఆది శంకరుల భాష్యము ఆంగ్లములోకి అనువదించిన బృహదారణ్యక ఉపనిషత్తు ఆధారముగా ఈ క్రింది తెలుగు అనువాదము చేయబడినది

Go To English Version

ఆదిలో నేను అనే స్పురణ ఉండును. అంటే సాధారణమైన, అవివేకముతో కూడిన , శరీరముతో మమేకమైన పురుషుడు . వాని ఆత్మ అజ్ఞానముతో పేరుకుపోయి ఉండును. శరీరమును ఆత్మగా తలచును. తన ఆలోచనలు మరియు కర్మలు శరీరముపై ఆరోపింపబడునవి అని తలంచును .

అట్టి పురుషుడు భార్య కావలెనని కోరును. ఏల అనగా తాను ఒంటరినని భయపడి తోడును కాంక్షించును. అట్లే తాను మరణించిన పిదప ఒక స్త్రీ గర్భములో ప్రవేశించి మరల జన్మించవలెనని ఎరిగి సంతానమును కోరుకొనును.దానిని నెరవేర్చుకొనుటకై యజ్ఞయాగాదులు చేయ నిశ్చయించుకొనును. మరియు ఒక వైదిక కర్మ చేయవారు దంపతులై ఉండవలెను . పిదప అతడు ధనమును కోరును. ఎందుకనగా ధనము లేనిదే యజ్ఞయాగాదులు చేయుటకు వీలు కాదు . తదుపరి యజ్ఞయాగాదుల వలన స్వర్గము లేదా ఉన్నత లోకాల ప్రాప్తిని కాంక్షిoచును.

సాధారణముగా పురుషుడు కోరుకొను వస్తువులు : భార్య, సంతానము , ధనము మరియు వైదిక కర్మల ఆచారణము. కోరికలు తీర్చుకొనుటకు ఒక లక్ష్యము దానిని సాధించు మార్గము ఏర్పరచుకొని అజ్ఞాని కనబడు లేదా కనబడని దారులు త్రొక్కును.

కానీ నిజముగ పురుషుడు ఈవిధముగా చెప్పకనే స్వర్గలోక ప్రాప్తిని కాంక్షిoచును. ఎట్లనగా మనము ఒక పదార్థము భుజించిన అది ఆకలి తీర్చుకొనుటకే కాక సంతృప్తి పొందుటకు కూడా.

అట్టి పురుషుడు పట్టు పురుగువలె తనంతట తానే బంధములను ఏర్పరుచుకుని కర్మలను ఆచరించుచూ యుండును.

ఒక ప్రశ్న కలుగవచ్చు: కోరికలు లెక్కపెట్టలేనన్ని. వానిలో పురుషుడు ఏ కోర్కెలను కోరును? శృతి సమాధానము : పరిమితమైన కోర్కెలు మాత్రమే కోరి తృప్తి నొందవలెను. మరియు కోరికలను తీర్చికొనుటకు ఒక గమ్యముండ వలెను. ఆ లక్ష్యమును చేరుటకు ఒక ప్రణాళిక అవసరము. చివరకు మనుజుడు అందుబాటులో యున్న వస్తువులను కోరును. ఏలనగా గొంతెమ్మ కోరికలవలన నిరుత్సాహము తప్పదని తెలిసికొనును.

అట్టి పురుషుడు అజ్ఞానముతో కొట్టుమిట్టాడుచు ఉండును. అతడు వైదిక కర్మలు, వానినుండి పొందిన ఫలములే జీవితమని తలంచును . "అగ్నితో చేసే వైదిక కర్మలతో (యజ్ఞ యాగాదులతో) మమేకమై, పొగలో ఉక్కిరిబిక్కిరయి మనిషి తనయందు ఉండెడి ఆత్మను తెలియలేకున్నాడు" అని తైత్తరీయ ఉపనిషత్తు చెప్పి యున్నది.

ఇంతవరకు చెప్పిన వర్ణన ప్రజాపతికి కూడా వర్తించును . ఎవ్వడైతే ఉన్నదానితో సంతృప్తిపడడో వానికి ముప్పు తప్పదు . మొదట కాంత , తదుపరి కనకము , పిమ్మట సంతానము , ఆ తదుపరి యజ్ఞము , దాని వలన కలుగు స్వర్గ ప్రాప్తి అను 5 బంధనములను అజ్ఞానముతో పురుషుడు ఏర్పరచుకొని జీవనము సాగించును .

పురుషుడు కాంత, కనకము, సంతానము లేకున్న జీవితము వ్యర్థమని తలుచును. అవి లేకున్న ఏదో వెలితిగా తలచును. తాను ఒక అసంపూర్ణ జీవిగా భావించును. అట్టివానికి ఒక జంతువుకి తేడా లేదు.

ఆత్మజ్ఞానమును పొందుటకు ఇప్పటిరకు వర్ణించిన కోరికలు వానిని తీర్చుకొను సాధనములు (యజ్ఞయాగాదులు) విసర్జించవలెను.

జ్ఞాని అట్టి వానికి భిన్నముగా ఉండును. జ్ఞానికి మనస్సు అన్ని అవయవాలకన్న ముఖ్యమని తెలుసును. వాక్కు జ్ఞానికి భార్య. ఈ రెండింటి సహాయముతో, ముఖ్య ప్రాణముతో కర్మలను ఆచరించును . ఆ ముఖ్యప్రాణము జ్ఞానికి సంతానము వంటిది. కర్మలను ఆచరించు జ్ఞాని యొక్క కళ్ళు ధనము వంటివి . ఎందుకనగా కర్మలను ఆచరించువానికి కళ్ళు చాలా ముఖ్యము. మరియు సంపదనలను చూడవలెనన్న కళ్ళు అవసరము. జ్ఞాని తన చెవులను ధ్యానము ద్వారా పారమార్థమును తెలుసుకొనుటకై ఉపయోగించును.

మరి జ్ఞాని చేయు కర్మ మేమిటి? వాని శరీరమే. ఎందుకనగా శరీరముతోనే యజ్ఞయాగాదులు చేయుట సాధ్యము కనుక.

Sunday, August 15, 2021

Mahabharat Dynasty --This is the Creative Work of my daughter Sreya. I am introducing her thoughtful projection of Mahabharat Dynasty

Tree Example

Click on the circle to collapse the tree


Saturday, August 14, 2021

For the sake of Bharat Maata Let Us Pray For the Wellness of Her Enemies

Scripture says mOksha as the ultimate freedom from the shackles of life and rebirth-death cycle. It is not easily obtained and is not a commodity to buy or trade even though many swamijis and babas promise it to increase their flock. One on-line swamiji said, "My disciples ask me frequently if they are ready to receive mOksha."

The scripture says there are two kinds of mOksha:

  • vidEha mukti
  • krama mukti

In vidEha mukti one attains mOksha while still alive. It has been said that one's sanchita karma and aagaami karma will be nullified. One lives for as long as the praarabda karma lasts. Great ones like Tyaagaraja -- a revered soul in the carnatic music -- waited for the vidEha mukti for decades. The movies have dramatized their ascendance to para loka -- heaven, vaikuntha, kailaasa, etc. -- while still alive. The great Adi Sankara was said to belong to this eclectic group as well. vidEha mukti happens while one is still embodied and having functioning faculties. It is not clear from scripture what happens to vidEha mukta's body. One can infer that it will merge with that of whichever divinity the mukta is praying. Tyaagaraaja could have merged with Lord Rama, the bard Annamayya could have merged with Lord Venkateswara, etc.

In krama mukti one's sookshma sareera (subtle body), after death of the sthoola sareera (gross body), is supposed to travel to Brahma lOka where the denizens receive him fondly. They then teach him how to pray for nirguna Brahman (attributeless creator). With daily prayers they receive the blessing of Brahman and will be merged with Brahman.

The story isn't over yet. It has been stated that one who merges with Brahman will never be born again. He is free from janana-marana (birth-death) cycle. Even the creation of another universe after dissolution will not affect them. We can say they will forever remain in avyakta (unmanifest). It is not known what activities they carry out there as it is avaykta. One can draw inferences from science that they will be in the dark matter or within a black hole where information will be lost forever. Only astrophysicists can tell us in the future how to retrieve the information from black holes. Some speculate the invisible side of the blackhole reconstructs the information. I digress.

Given all this, we have to be careful in what we wish for our enemies. Some people like Kauravas of Mahabharata wanted total annihilation of their enemies or Pandavas in this case. For common people, it means the destruction of their physical bodies. The enemies/pandavas can still have rebirth based on their sanchita karma. How can total annhilation be possible with rebirth waiting in the wings?

The answer is mOksha. If Kauravas wished mOksha for Pandavas with prayers and austerities, then their wishes would have come true. Because Pandavas safely in unmanifest, Kauravas will never encounter them in the visible universe. There is no better way to honor an enemy than praying for his/her mOksha. One should not assume that the enemy will be ending his/her life the moment the prayer is made, however sincerely. Because the enemy has to burn all of his praarabda karma before attaining mOksha.

Imagine how much blood shed could have been prevented if people prayed for the mOksha of their enemies. The world would have been peacful and pious. The Brahman has to worry how the creation will end when all of its creatures attain mOksha. Brahman might reconsider how the denizens of unmanifest universe carry on their karma. Since there is complete loss of information in the unmanifest universe, Brahman might never be able to create a manifest world. Check-mate.

Some people don't like the idea of mOksha for several reasons. The world is an interesting place to enjoy life; the heaven or swarga is full of entertaining distractions; being reborn as a rich person is tempting; etc. Such people are the perfect children of Brahman as Brahman likes to see that the creation carries out unendingly albeit in cycles of birth and death.

Why doesn't scripture tell us to pray for the mOksha of our enemies? I think it is because of the intent. Scripture says our papa/punya (sins) are decided based on the intent of our thoughts and actions. One can push a person away from a speeding bus and cause a minor injury for that person. Still it is an act of punya because the person would have been crushed by the bus were it not for you. Somewhere in the universe that information will be recorded and used to determine the next life. It is entirely possible that one praying for the mOksha of the enemies ends up in naraka (hell) despite leading a pious life. But he will be reborn.

So when is "Rama" a bad word? It depends on the context. If you call a truant "Rama" then the parents will take it wrongly. When Vaamana put his foot on Bali's head he was supposed to have sent Bali to rasaatala. We can only infer that he went to a place to never return. Certainly rasaatala sounds ominous. If you tell your enemy, " You will end up in rasaatala", most likely, he would laugh at you. But if you say, "I wish you moksha", then he might reconsider his attitude towards you.

Now to the question of cultural relativism. All of this mOksha business applies to Hindus. How about non-hindus? For example, westerners don't know anything about these intricate terms. Their piety means entering heaven behind the golden gates or paradise whatever that means. In their case, we can still pray for their mOksha without explaining to them lest you should be mistaken as a missionary.

So mOksha is the "secret" password for the hindus. Given the history, hindus never waged wars on outsiders and always accepted the occupation of others. We have truly understood the word mOksha and wished that for our enemies as well as friends albeit with different intent. That's why Bharatmaata is an epitome of forbearance and tolerance. She will be around until Brahman decides otherwise. So let us not wish for Bharatmaata's mOksha any time soon.

Sunday, August 8, 2021

Vedantin Humor

A Vendantin is traveling in a bus. A person comes nearby and asks: "Is the seat taken?". The Vedantin replies: "It is taken by the omni-present Brahman." After a while the same person seated behind him asks: "Can I have your newspaper for a few minutes?" The Vedantin replies: "It is being used by the omni-scient Brahman." A few minutes pass and the person asks the Vedantin:"Do you have something to munch on?" The irritated Vedantin yells: "Who are you and why are you bothering me like this?" The person calmly replies: "I am the omni-potent Brahman."

A Vedantin goes to a temple. As he is doing circum-ambulation (pradikshana) of the temple a person bumps into him and says he is sorry. The vedantin replies, "Never mind, I don't think the deity appreciates my circum-ambulation anyway." He then goes into the sanctum of the temple and waits for the priest to do archana (offering). The preist approaches him and asks for name and nakshatra (birth star). The vedantin says "Brahman". The priest is not a bit surprised and moves on. The puzzled vedantin asks him, "Why aren't you surprised?" The priest replies, "Because the temple is under construction there is no deity yet. You are the first one to claim it"

A Vedantin gets a phone call. The caller says: "We are looking for volunteers in our temple." The vedantin replies, "I don't believe in temple mumbo-jumbo. Besides I am already volunteering in a charity hospital." The caller says, "The hospital is funded by the temple. So I am glad that you have acquiesced to my request." The Vedantin replies, "Your temple god is the patient here to whom I am serving." The unfazed caller says, "I know he is checked in to the hospital and his bed pan is clean as a whistle. Thanks to you" The vEdantin replies calmly, "Your god is not eating any solid food or drinking any fluid and those are the precise reasons why he was hospitalized by your temple."

A Vedantin goes to a hotel and orders a dosa. The waiter says the restaurant policy is pre-pay. The vEdantin says, "That is very unusual. Since when have you instituted this policy?" The waiter replies, "Ever since vedantins have been eating and telling us the whole creation is owned by the Brahman for our enjoyment and walking away without paying."

A Vedantin goes to a movie and chooses a corner seat with no one around. An elderly man does the same but takes a seat in an aisle ahead of the Vedantin's. As his head is obstructing the view of the Vedantin he whispers to him, "Please lie low. Your head is in the way." The man turns back and says, "Didn't you see the name of the movie?" "What is it?", says the Vedantin. "Don't Be Low Lives" says the elderly man.

A Vedantin decides to try para-kaaya-pravesa (transmigrating from one body to another). He chooses a nice garden and walks upto the shade of a big tree. The garden has plenty of birds. The Vedantin decides to fly as a bird and waits patiently for a bird to die by lighting up a fire as it was cold.. Unbeknowst to him two pigeons are living on that tree and the female pigeon tells the male: "We have a guest. He seems to be tired and hungry. I will fall into the fire and offer myself as the meal." The male pigeon says, "Do as you wish" As the bird falls to its death in the fire, the Vedantin curses the stars for giving him a bird that is charred beyond recognition. The male pigeon says, "Don't worry she is doing para-kaaya-pravesa (transmigration)." To which the Vedantin says, "Then who are you?" The pigeon says, "I am a Vedantin trying to transmigrate into another Vedantin."

Cow is a sacred animal in Hindu culture. A Vedantin tries to buy a cow in the market. The owner says, "Knowing that you are a Vedantin, I will give my cow to you free if you can answer my question." The Vedantin agrees. The owner says, "Is the cow sacred to a Vedantin? For that matter is anything sacred to you?" The Vedantin says, "Those are two questions." The owner retorts, "Precisely because I want to sell you the bull for a price that comes with a free cow."

A Vedantin tries to emulate a sanyasi (one who renounces everything) and goes out for begging. By the end of the day, not being lucky, he walks up to the village tree and finds a sanyasi who was eating from his bowl. The Vedantin walks up to him and says, "I tried all day begging like you and still ended up with nothing. What is your secret?" The sanyasi replies, "I went to the temple and asked for prasad (sacrament)." The Vedantin thinks aloud, "Why didn't I think about that?". The sanyasi replies, "I went to the temple as a last resort after following in your foot steps."

A Vedantin plans on a vacation to Kanya Kumari (at the tip of Cape Camaroon). As he alights the bus on which he traveled, he kisses the ground. A passer by seems amused and says to him, "Are you a first time visitor?" The Vedantin replies, "Yes and I show my respect to mother Earth only." The passer by says, "But the great Swami Vivekanand is the major reason we all come here, don't we?" The Vedantin says, "They say the sun sets and rises in the same place here. I am here to verify." The stranger replies, "The great Swami did the same and look how he ended up." The Vedantin unfazed says, "If you are telling me he is worshipped with augur and camphor, then I have no interest in him." The stranger replies, "Not really! Watch out, a bird is pooping on you and you will need perfume to get over it" and walks away.

A Vedantin is flying on a plane for the first time. He resolves to not fall asleep to savor every bit of the journey. He refuses all food and drinks to avoid going to the toilet as he heard toilets in airplanes can be messy. The passenger sitting next to him says, "Excuse me, can you let me pass?" The Vedantin says, "You are free to go wherever you want except the toilet." The passenger says, "Idiot, you are blocking my way to the aisle and I have to relieve myself very urgently." The Vedantin retorts, "I will be way ahead of you" and runs towards the toilet.