फूल नहीं धधकता अंगार हूँ

Sanjeev Newar

-

November 5, 2010

फूल नहीं धधकता अंगार हूँ मैं।
थके स्वाभिमान को झकझोरती ललकार हूँ मैं।
सो‍ई भारत की वर्षों से अन्तरात्मा
नवजागरण की पुकार हूँ मैं।
ग़ुलामी बस चु्की है ख़ून में
पर क्रांति की टंकार हूँ मैं।
सर अब हमारा कभी न झुकेगा
विजयमाला का शृंगार हूँ मैं।
भस्म होगी सब दासता मानस की
सच्चे स्वाधीनता की चिंगार हूँ मैं।
बुझेगा न ये दीपक चाहे कितना ज़ोर लगा लो
हर आँधी तूफ़ान की बेबस हार हूँ मैं।
अग्निमय हूँ अग्निरूप हूँ अग्नि का उपासक हूँ
अग्नि मेरी आत्मा सत्याग्नि का ही विस्तार हूँ मैं।
अग्निवीर

[mybooktable book=”agnisankalp” display=”summary” buybutton_shadowbox=”false”]

आर्यों को सन्देश

Agniveer

-

November 5, 2010

1

आर्य! उठफिरभाग्यकीउगतीउषाकेरंगहैं
एककौतुकहैकिजिससेदेवदानवदंगहैं II
शीशपरतेरेसजानेकोसुनहराताजहै
होरहेअभिषेककेतेरेसजीलेसाजहैं II
दिग्विजयकागीतगानेकोदिशाएंहैंअधीर
कीर्तिकाकालखउड़ानेकोहवाएंहैंअधीर II
सभ्यताडायनबनीहै, राज्यहैरावणबना
क्रूरकौतुकहैकिकृष्णा–कान्तदुशासनबना II
क्लीवक्योंअर्जुन! खड़ाहै? घोररणचंडीजगा
शत्रुदलकेदिलहिलें, टंकारकरगांडीवका II
क्रूरतापरकंसकीफिरकृष्णबनकरवारकर
शीशरावणकाउड़ा, बेड़ासियाकापारकर II
आजक्योंलंकाअधिकप्यारीसियासेहैतुझे?
देखताक्याहै? पवनसुत! पापकागढ़फूँकदे II
रामबननाहैतुझे, घरसेनिकलवनवासले
ले! अभीलंकाविजयहोतीतुझेहैरासले II
हैडराजातावृथाक्यों? सिंहकेसरपरदहाड़
बाघकीमूछेंपकड़, दुष्यंतसुत! हिंसकपछाड़ II
गर्जसेतेरीहृदयसंसारकेजाएँदहल
प्रेमकीतानेंउड़ा, पाषाणतकजाएँपिघल II
गर्जसेगंभीरसागरकीउमड़तीठाठहो
प्रेमकाफिरसेझकोरोंमेंपवनकेपाठहो II
– पंडितचमूपति

शांति पाठ

Agniveer

-

November 5, 2010

2

ये सारे द्युतिमान पिंड जो भ्रमण गगन में करते हैं।
इन से शांति मिले प्रभु हमको विनय यही हम करते हैं॥
अंतरिक्ष दे हमें शांति को पृथिवी पर हम पाएं शांति ।
जल से हमको शांति मिले प्रभु ओषधियाँ दे हमको शांति॥
शांति दान दे वनस्पति सब मानव हित सुखदायक हों ।
देव गणों की कृपा रहे प्रभु शुभ सुख शांति प्रदायक हों ॥
अखिल विश्व में व्याप्त ब्रह्म भी हमको शांति सदा ही दे।
ये सब हों कल्याण प्रदाता इन से सबको शांति मिले ॥
शांति शांति ही शांति मिले प्रभु सारे जीव शांति पाएं ।
भौतिक दुःख से छूट जाएं सब प्राणिमात्र सुख को पाएं ॥
दैविक दुःख का शमन करो प्रभु दैहिक दुःख सब होवें शांति।
सबका मंगल सबका शुभ हो शांति शांति हो शांतिः शांति ॥
रचयिता – श्री चिंता मणि वर्मा (साहित्य रत्न ,B.Sc(Phys.))
संरक्षक
आर्य सत्संग मंडल ,मांडले ,म्यांमा (बर्मा)
email: [email protected]

Om Therapy – The greatest treasure of humanity (in Urdu)

Sanjeev Newar

-

November 4, 2010

5

Om Therapy – The greatest treasure of humanity (in Urdu)

پرشن: مانوتا کے شبدکوش میں سبسے مُولیوان شبد کؤن سا ہے؟

اُتّر: او3م (ॐ)۔

پرشن: اَچّھا! ہِندُاوں کا پوِتر نام؟

اُتّر: اِس نام میں ہِندُو، مُسلِم، یا اِسائی جیسی کوئی بات نہیں ہے۔ بلکِ او3م تو کِسی نا کِسی رُوپ میں سبھی مُکھے ّسںسکرتِیوں کا پرمُکھ بھاگ ہے۔ یہ تو اَچّھائی، شکتِ، اِیشور بھکتِ اؤر آدر کا پرتیک ہے۔ اُداہرن کے لِئے اَگر ہِندُو اَپنے سب منتروں اؤر بھجنوں میں اِسکو شامِل کرتے ہیں تو اِیسائی اؤر یہُودی بھی اِسکے جیسے ہی ایک شبد “آمین” کا پریوگ دھارمِک سہمتِ دِکھانے کے لِئے کرتے ہیں۔ ہمارے مُسلِم دوست اِسکو “آمین” کہ کر یاد کرتے ہیں۔ بؤدّھ اِسے “اوں منِپدمے ہُوں” کہ کر پریوگ کرتے ہیں۔ سِکھ مت بھی “اِک اوںکار” اَرتھات “ایک او3م” کے گُن گاتا ہے۔

اَںگریجی کا شبد “omni”، جِسکے اَرتھ اَنںت اؤر کبھی ختم ن ہونے والے تتّوّں پر لگائے جاتے ہیں (جیسے omnipresent، omnipotent)، بھی واستو میں اِس او3م شبد سے ہی بنا ہے۔ اِتنے سے یہ سِدّھ ہے کِ او3م کِسی مت، مجہب یا سمپرداے سے ن ہوکر پُوری اِںسانِیت کا ہے۔ ٹھیک اُسی ترہ جیسے کِ ہوا، پانی، سُورے، اِیشور، وید آدِ سب پُوری اِںسانِیت کے لِئے ہیں ن کِ کیول کِسی ایک سمپرداے کے لِئے۔

پرشن: او3م وید میں کہاں مِلتا ہے؟

اُتّر: یجُروید [2/13، 40/15،17]، ऋگوید [1/3/7] آدِ ستھانوں پر۔ اِسکے اَلاوا گیتا اؤر اُپنِشدوں میں او3م کا بہُت گُنگان ہُآ ہے۔ ماںڈُوکے اُپنِشد تو اِسکی مہِما کو ہی سمرپِت ہے۔

پرشن: او3م کا اَرتھ کیا ہے؟

اُتّر: ویدِک ساہِتے اِس بات پر ایکمت ہے کِ او3م اِیشور کا مُکھے نام ہے۔ یوگ درشن [1/27،28] میں یہ سپشٹ ہے۔ یہ او3م شبد تین اَکشروں سے مِلکر بنا ہے- اَ، اُ، م۔ پرتیّک اَکشر اِیشور کے اَلگ اَلگ ناموں کو اَپنے میں سمیٹے ہُئے ہے۔ جیسے “اَ” سے ویاپک، سرودیشیے، اؤر اُپاسنا کرنے یوگے ہے۔ “اُ” سے بُدّھِمان، سُوکشم، سب اَچّھائیّوں کا مُول، اؤر نِیم کرنے والا ہے۔ “م” سے اَنںت، اَمر، جنانوان، اؤر پالن کرنے والا ہے۔ یے تو بہُت تھوڑے سے اُداہرن ہیں جو او3م کے پرتیّک اَکشر سے سمجھے جا سکتے ہیں۔ واستو میں اَنںت اِیشور کے اَنگِنت نام کیول اِس او3م شبد میں ہی آ سکتے ہیں، اؤر کِسی میں نہیں۔

پرشن: بھلا کبھی اَکشر بھی کوئی اَرتھ دے سکتے ہیں؟ اِس ترہ ہر ایک اَکشر کے منمانے اَرتھ کرنا بُدّھِمانوں کا کام نہیں۔

اُتّر: جو آپ “شبد-اَرتھ” سمبندھ کو وِچارتے تو ایسا کبھی نہیں کہتے۔ واستو میں ہریک دھونِ ہمارے من میں کُچھ بھاو اُتپنن کرتی ہے۔ سرشٹِ کی شُرُآت میں جب اِیشور نے ऋشِیوں کے ہردیوں میں وید پرکاشِت کِیے تو ہریک شبد سے سمبںدھِت اُنکے نِشچِت اَرتھ ऋشِیوں نے دھیان اَوستھا میں پراپت کِیے۔ ऋشِیوں کے اَنُسار او3م شبد کے تین اَکشروں سے بھِنن بھِنن اَرتھ نِکلتے ہیں، جِنمیں سے کُچھ اُوپر دِئے گئے ہیں۔

ایک آوشیک نِویدن:

اُوپر دِئے گئے شبد-اَرتھ سمبندھ کا جنان ہی واستو میں وید منتروں کے اَرتھ میں سہایک ہوتا ہے اؤر اِس جنان کے لِئے منُشے کو یوگی اَرتھات اِیشور کو جانّے اؤر اَنُبھو کرنے والا ہونا چاہِئے۔ پرنتُ دُربھاگے سے وید پر اَدھِکتر اُن لوگوں نے کلم چلائی ہے جو یوگ تو دُور، یم نِیموں کی پرِبھاشا بھی نہیں جانتے تھے۔ سب پشچِمی وید بھاشیکار اِسی شرینی میں آتے ہیں۔ تو اَب پرشن یہ ہے کِ جب تک ساکشات اِیشور کا پرتیکش نا ہو تب تک وید کیسے سمجھیں؟ تو اِسکا اُتّر ہے کِ ऋشِیوں کے لیکھ اؤر اَپنی بُدّھِ سے ستے اَستے کا نِرنے کرنا ہی سب بُدّھِمانوں کو اَتیںت اُچِت ہے۔ ऋشِیوں کے گرنتھ جیسے اُپنِشد، درشن، براہمن گرنتھ، نِرُکت، نِگھںٹُ، ستیارتھ پرکاش، بھاشے بھُومِکا، اِتیادِ کی سہایتا سے وید منتروں پر وِچار کرکے اَپنے سِدّھاںت بنانے چاہِیّں۔ اؤر اِسمیں یہ بھی ہے کِ پڈھنے کے ساتھ ساتھ یم نِیموں کا کڑائی سے پالن بہُت جرُوری ہے۔ واستو میں ویدوں کا سچّا سورُپ تو سمادھِ اَوستھا میں ہی سپشٹ ہوتا ہے، جو کِ یم نِیموں کے اَبھیاس سے آتی ہے۔

ویاکرن ماتر پڈھنے سے ویدوں کے اَرتھ کوئی بھی نہیں کر سکتا۔ وید سمجھنے کے لِئے آتما کی شُدّھتا سبسے آوشیک ہے۔ اُداہرن کے لِئے سںسکرت میں “گو” شبد کا واستوِک اَرتھ ہے “گتِمان”۔ اِسّے اِس شبد کے بہُت سے اَرتھ جیسے پرتھوی، نکشتر آدِ دیکھنے میں آتے ہیں۔ پرنتُ مُورکھ اؤر ہٹھی لوگ ہر ستھان پر اِسکا اَرتھ گاے ہی کرتے ہیں اؤر مںتر کے واستوِک اَرتھ سے دُور ہو جاتے ہیں۔ واستو میں کِسی شبد کے واستوِک اَرتھ کے لِئے اُسکے مُول کو جانّا جرُوری ہے، اؤر مُول وِنا سمادھِ کے جانا نہیں جا سکتا۔ پرنتُ اِسکا یہ اَرتھ نہیں کِ ہم وید کا اَبھیاس ہی ن کریں۔ کِنتُ اَپنے سرو سامرتھے سے کرموں میں شُدّھتا سے آتما میں شُدّھتا دھارن کرکے وید کا اَبھیاس کرنا سبکو کرتّوے ہے۔

پرشن: او3م کے پرتیّک اَکشر سے اَلگ اَلگ اَرتھ کی کلپنا ہمکو ٹھیک نہیں جان پڑتی۔ کِسی اُداہرن سے اِسکو اؤر سپشٹ کیجِیے۔

اُتّر: یہ شبد اَرتھ سمبندھ یوگابھیاس سے سپشٹ ہوتا جاتا ہے۔ پرنتُ کُچھ اُداہرن تو پرتیکش ہی ہیں۔ جیسے “م” سے اِیشور کے پالن آدِ گُن پرکاشِت ہوتے ہیں۔ پالن آدِ گُن مُکھے رُوپ سے ماتا سے ہی پہچانے جاتے ہیں۔ اَب وِچارنا چاہِئے کِ سب سںسکرتِیوں میں ماتا کے لِئے کیا شبد پریوگ ہوتے ہیں۔ سںسکرت میں ماتا، ہِںدی میں ماں، اُردُو میں اَمّی، ّاَںگریجی میں مدر، ممّی، مام آدِ، فارسی میں مادر، چینی بھاشا میں ماکُن اِتیادِ۔ سو اِتنے سے ہی سپشٹ ہو جاتا ہے کِ پالن کرنے والے ماترتو گُن سے “م” کا اؤر سبھی سںسکرتِیوں سے وید کا کِتنا اَدھِک سمبندھ ہے۔ ایک چھوٹا بچّا بھی سبسے پہلے اِس “م” کو ہی سیکھتا ہے اؤر اِسی سے اَپنے بھاو ویکت کرتا ہے۔ اِسی سے پتا چلتا ہے کِ اِیشور کی سرشٹِ اؤر اُسکی وِدیا وید میں کِتنا گہرا سمبندھ ہے۔

پرشن: اَچّھا! مانا کِ او3م کا اَرتھ بہُت اَچّھا ہے، کِنتُ اِسکا اُچّارن کیوں کرنا؟

اُتّر: اِسکے کئی شاریرِک، مانسِک، اؤر آتمِک لابھ ہیں۔ یہاں تک کِ یدِ آپکو اَرتھ بھی مالُوم نہیں تو بھی اِسکے اُچّارن سے شاریرِک لابھ تو ہوگا ہی۔ یہ سوچنا کِ او3م کِسی ایک دھرم کِ نِشانی ہے، ٹھیک بات نہیں۔ اَپِتُ یہ تو تب سے چلا آتا ہے جب کوئی اَلگ دھرم ہی نہیں بنا تھا! او3م کو جھُٹھلانا اؤر اِسکا پریوگ ن کرنا تو ایسا ہی ہے جیسے کوئی یہ کہکر ہوا، پانی، کھانا آدِ لینا چھوڑ دے کِ یے تو اُسکے مجہب کے آنے سے پہلے بھی ہوتے تھے! سو یہ بات ٹھیک نہیں۔ او3م کے اَندر ایسی کوئی بات نہیں ہے کِ کِسی کے بھگوان/اَلّاہ کا اَنادر ہو جایے۔ اِسّے اِسکے اُچّارن کرنے میں کوئی دِکّت نہیں۔

او3م اِس برہمانڈ میں اُسی ترہ بھر رہا ہے کِ جیسے آکاش۔ او3م کا اُچّارن کرنے سے جو آنںد اؤر شانتِ اَنُبھو ہوتی ہے، ویسی شانتِ کِسی اؤر شبد کے اُچّارن سے نہیں آتی۔ یہی کارن ہے کِ سب جگہ بہُت لوکپرِے ہونے والی آسن پرانایام کی ککشاّوں میں او3م کے اُچّارن کا بہُت مہتّو ہے۔ بہُت مانسِک تناو اؤر اَوساد سے گرسِت لوگوں پر کُچھ ہی دِنوں میں اِسکا جادُو سا پربھاو ہوتا ہے۔ یہی کارن ہے کِ آجکل ڈاکٹر آدِ بھی اَپنے مریجوں کو آسن پرانایام کی شِکشا دیتے ہیں۔

پرشن: او3م کے اُچّارن کے شاریرِک لابھ کیا ہیں؟

اُتّر: کُچھ لابھ نیچے دِئے جاتے ہیں

1۔ اَنیک بار او3م کا اُچّارن کرنے سے پُورا شریر تناورہِت ہو جاتا ہے۔

2۔ اَگر آپکو گھبراہٹ یا اَدھیرتا ہوتی ہے تو او3م کے اُچّارن سے اُتّم کُچھ بھی نہیں!

3۔ یہ شریر کے وِشیلے تتّوّں کو دُور کرتا ہے، اَرتھات تناو کے کارن پیدا ہونے والے درویوں پر نِیںترن کرتا ہے۔

4۔ یہ ہردے اؤر کھُون کے پرواہ کو سںتُلِت رکھتا ہے۔

5۔ اِسّے پاچن شکتِ تیج ہوتی ہے۔

6۔ اِسّے شریر میں پھِر سے یُواوستھا والی سپھُورتِ کا سںچار ہوتا ہے۔

7۔ تھکان سے بچانے کے لِئے اِسّے اُتّم اُپاے کُچھ اؤر نہیں۔

8۔ نیںد ن آنے کی سمسیا اِسّے کُچھ ہی سمے میں دُور ہو جاتی ہے۔ رات کو سوتے سمے نیںد آنے تک من میں اِسکو کرنے سے نِشچِت نیںد آایگی۔

9 کُچھ وِشیش پرانایام کے ساتھ اِسے کرنے سے پھیپھڑوں میں مجبُوتی آتی ہے۔

اِتیادِ اِتیادِ!

پرشن: او3م کے اُچّارن سے مانسِک لابھ کیا ہیں؟

اُتّر: او3م کے اُچّارن کا اَبھیاس جیون بدل ڈالتا ہے

1۔ جیون جینے کی شکتِ اؤر دُنِیا کی چُنؤتِیوں کا سامنا کرنے کا اَپُورو ساہس مِلتا ہے۔

2۔ اِسے کرنے والے نِراشا اؤر گُسّے کو جانتے ہی نہیں!

3۔ پرکرتِ کے ساتھ بیہتر تالمیل اؤر نِیںترن ہوتا ہے۔ پرِستھِتِیوں کو پہلے ہی بھاںپنے کی شکتِ اُتپنن ہوتی ہے۔

4۔ آپکے اُتّم ویوہار سے دُوسروں کے ساتھ سمبندھ اُتّم ہوتے ہیں۔ شترُ بھی مِتر ہو جاتے ہیں۔

5۔ جیون جینے کا اُدّیشے پتا چلتا ہے جو کِ اَدھِکاںش لوگوں سے اوجھل رہتا ہے۔

6۔ اِسے کرنے والا ویکتِ جوش کے ساتھ جیون بِتاتا ہے اؤر مرتیُ کو بھی اِیشور کی ویوستھا سمجھ کر ہںس کر سویکار کرتا ہے۔

7۔ جیون میں پھِر کِسی بات کا ڈر ہی نہیں رہتا۔

8۔ آتمہتیا جیسے کایرتا کے وِچار آس پاس بھی نہیں پھٹکتے۔ بلکِ جو آتمہتیا کرنا چاہتے ہیں، وے ایک بار او3م کے اُچّارن کا اَبھیاس 4 دِن تک کر لیں۔ اُسکے باد کھُد نِرنے کر لیں کِ جیون جینے کے لِئے ہے کِ چھوڑنے کے لِئے!

پرشن: او3م کے اُچّارن کے آدھیاتمِک (رُوہانی) لابھ کیا ہیں؟

اُتّر: او3م کے سورُپ میں دھیان لگانا سبسے بڑا کام ہے۔ اِسّے اَدھِک لابھ کرنے والا کام تو سںسار میں دُوسرا ہے ہی نہیں!

1۔ اِسے کرنے سے اِیشور/اَلّاہ سے سمبندھ جُڑتا ہے اؤر لمبے سمے تک اَبھیاس کرنے سے اِیشور/اَلّاہ کو اَنُبھو (مہسُوس) کرنے کی تاکت پیدا ہوتی ہے۔

2۔ اِسّے جیون کے اُدّیشے سپشٹ ہوتے ہیں اؤر یہ پتا چلتا ہے کِ کیسے اِیشور سدا ہمارے ساتھ بیٹھا ہمیں پریرِت کر رہا ہے۔

3۔ اِس دُنِیا کی اَںدھی دؤڑ میں کھو چُکے کھُد کو پھِر سے پہچان مِلتی ہے۔ اِسے جانّے کے باد آدمی دُنِیا میں دؤڑنے کے لِئے نہیں دؤڑتا کِنتُ اَپنے لکشے کے پانے کے لِئے دؤڑتا ہے۔

4۔ اِسکے اَبھیاس سے دُنِیا کا کوئی ڈر آسپاس بھی نہیں پھٹک سکتا۔ مرتیُ کا ڈر بھی ایسے ویکتِ سے ڈرتا ہے کیوںکِ کال کا بھی کال جو اِیشور ہے، وو سب کالوں میں میری رکشا میرے کرمانُسار کر رہا ہے، ایسا سوچ کر ویکتِ ڈر سے سدا کے لِئے دُور ہو جاتا ہے۔ جیسے مہایوگی شریکرشن مہابھارت کے یُدّھ کے واتاورن میں بھی نِیمپُوروک اِیشور کا دھیان کِیا کرتے تھے۔ یہ بل و نِڈرتا اِیشور سے اُنکی نِکٹتا کا ہی پرمان ہے۔

5۔ اِسکے اَبھیاس سے وہ کرم پھل ویوستھا سپشٹ ہو جاتی ہے کِ جِسکو اِیشور نے ہمارے بھلے کے لِئے ہی دھارن کر رکھا ہے۔ جب پوِتر او3م کے اُچّارن سے ہردے نِرمل ہوتا ہے تب یہ پتا چلتا ہے کِ ہمیں مِلنے والا سُکھ اَگر ہمارے لِئے بھوجن کے سمان سُکھدایی ہے تو دُہکھ کڑوا ہوتے ہُئے بھی اؤشدھِ کے سمان سُکھدایی ہے جو آتما کے روگوں کو نشٹ کر دوبارا اِسے سوستھ کر دیتا ہے۔ اِس ترہ اِیشور کے دںڈ میں بھی اُسکی دیا کا جب بودھ جب ہوتا ہے تو اُس پرم دیالُ جگت ماتا کو دیکھنے اؤر پانے کی اِچّھا پربل ہو جاتی ہے اؤر پھِر آدمی اُسے پائے بِنا چین سے نہیں بیٹھ سکتا۔ اِس ترہ ویکتِ مُکتِ کے راستوں پر پہلا کدم دھرتا ہے!

پرشن: اُوپر دِئے لابھ پانے کے لِئے ہمیں کرنا چاہِئے؟

اُتّر: یم نِیموں کا اَبھیاس اِسکا سبسے بڑا سادھن ہے۔ یم و نِیم سںکشیپ سے نیچے دِئے جاتے ہیں

یم

1۔ اَہِںسا (کِسی سجّن اؤر بیگُناہ کو من، وچن یا کرم سے دُہکھ ن دینا)

2۔ ستے (جو من میں سوچا ہو وہی وانی سے بولنا اؤر وہی اَپنے کرم میں کرنا)

3۔ اَستیے (کِسی کی کوئی چیج وِنا پُوچھے ن لینا)

4۔ برہمچرے (اَپنی اِچّھاّوں پر نِیںترن رکھنا وِشیشکر اَپنی یؤن اِچّھاّوں پر پُورن نِیںترن)

5۔ اَپرِگرہ (ساںسارِک وستُ بھوگ و دھن آدِ میں لِپت ن ہونا)

نِیم

1۔ شؤچ (من، وانی و شریر کی شُدّھتا)

2۔ سںتوش (پُورے پریاس کرتے ہُئے سدا پرسنن رہنا، وِپریت پرِستھِتِیوں سے دُکھی ن ہونا)

3۔ تپ (سُکھ، دُہکھ، ہانِ، لابھ، سردی، گرمی، بھُوکھ، پیاس، ڈر آدِ کی وجہ سے کبھی بھی دھرم کو ن چھوڑنا)

4۔ سوادھیاے (اَچّھے جنان، وِجنان کی پراپتِ کے لِئے پریاس کرنا)

5۔ اِیشور پرنِدھان (اَپنے سب کام ایسے کرنا جیسے کِ اِیشور سدا دیکھ رہا ہے اؤر پھِر کام کرکے اُسکے پھل کی چِںتا اِیشور پر ہی چھوڑ دینا)

پرشن: کیا یم نِیم کے پالن کرنے کے اَلاوا سُبہ شام دھیان کرنا چاہِئے اؤر اُسکی کیا وِدھِ ہے؟

اُتّر: جرُور۔ یم نِیم تو آتما رُپی برتن کی سپھائی کے لِئے ہے تاکِ اُسمیں اِیشور اَپنے پریم کا بھوجن دے سکے۔ وہ بھوجن سُبہ شام ایکاگر من کے ساتھ اِیشور سے ماںگنا چاہِئے۔ او3م کا اُچّارن اِسی بھوجن ماںگنے کی پرکرِیا ہے۔ اَب کیا کرنا چاہِئے وہ نیچے لِکھتے ہیں

1۔ کِسی جگہ جہاں شُدّھ ہوا ہو، وہاں اَچّھی جگہ پر کمر سیدھی کر کے بیٹھ جاّیں۔ آںکھ بںد کرکے تھوڑی دیر گہرے ساںس دھیرے دھیرے لیجِیے اؤر چھوڑِیے جِسّے شریر میں کوئی تناو ن رہے۔

2۔ دِن میں 4 بار او3م کا اُچّارن بہُت اُپیوگی ہے۔ پہلا سُبہ سوکر اُٹھتے ہی، دُوسرا شؤچ و سنان کے باد، تیسرا سُوریاست کے سمے شام کو اؤر چؤتھا رات سونے سے ایکدم پہلے۔ اِسکے اَلاوا جب کبھی کھالی بیٹھے کِسی کی پرتیکشا یا یاترا کر رہے ہوں تو بھی اِسے کر سکتے ہیں۔

3۔ دھیرے دھیرے اُچّارن کی لمبائی بڑھا سکتے ہیں، پر اُتنی ہی جِتنی اَپنے سامرتھے میں ہو۔

4۔ کم سے کم ایک سمے میں 5 بار جرُور اُچّارن کریں۔ مُںہ سے بولنے کے بجاے من میں بھی اُچّارن کر سکتے ہیں۔

5۔ اَپنے ہر بار کے اُچّارن میں اِیشور کو پانے کی اِچّھا اؤر اُسکے لِئے پریاس کرنے کا وادا من ہی من اِیشور سے کرنا چاہِئے۔

6۔ ہر بار اُٹھنے سے پہلے یہ پرتِجنا کرنی کِ اَگلی بار بیٹھُوںگا تو اِس بار سے شریشٹھ چرِتر کا ویکتِ ہوکر بیٹھُوںگا۔ اَرتھات ہر بار اُٹھنے کے باد اَپنے جیون کا ہر کام اَپنی اِس پرتِجنا کو پُورا کرتے ہُئے کرنا۔ کبھی اِیشور کو دی ہُئی پرتِجنا نہیں توڑنا۔

جرُوری بات: اِیشور ہی سبکا پالک، ماتا اؤر پِتا ہے۔ اِسلِئے کوئی آدمی اِیشور کا دھیان کرتے ہُئے کِسی گُرُ، پیر، بابا آدِ کا دھیان ن کرے۔ کیوںکِ سب بابا، گُرُ، پیر آدِ اَپنے بھکتوں کا ہی اُدّھار کرتے ہُئے دیکھتے ہیں اؤروں کا نہیں، اؤر اِسی سے وے سب پکشپاتی سِدّھ ہوتے ہیں۔ کِنتُ اِیشور سبکا پالک ہونے سے پکشپات آدِ دوشوں سے دُور ہے اؤر اِسلِئے کیول وہی دھیان کرنے اؤر بھجنے یوگے ہے، اؤر کوئی نہیں۔

پرشن: میں ایک مُسلمان ہُوں اؤر تُم تو ہمسے وِرودھ کرتے ہو۔ پھِر میں تُمہاری بات کیوں سُنُوں؟

اُتّر:

1۔ جیسے ہم پہلے لِکھ چُکے ہیں کِ او3م میں ہِندُو مُسلمان جیسی کوئی بات نہیں۔ کیا کوئی مُسلمان بھائی/بہن کیول اِسلِئے آم کھانے سے اِنکار کر سکتا/سکتی ہے کِ کُرآن میں اِسکا ورنن نہیں یا یہ اَرب دیش میں نہیں مِلتا؟ او3م تو ایک اِیشور/اَلّاہ کے گُنوں کو اَپنے میں سمیٹے ہُئے ہے تو پھِر دِکّت کیا ہے؟

2۔ ہم کئی بات میں مُسلمانوں سے اؤر وے کئی بات میں ہمسے سے اِکتلاپھ (وِرودھ) کر سکتے ہیں۔ لیکِن پھلسپھے پر اَلگ راے ہونا کوئی گلت بات تو نہیں۔ کیا آپ اَپنی اَمّی کے ہاتھ کی روٹی کیول اِسلِئے کھانی بںد کر دیتے ہو کِ وو کِسی ماملے میں آپسے جُدا راے رکھتی ہیں؟ یدِ نہیں تو اَپنے اؤر بھائیّوں کے سوالوں یا اِکتلاپھ سے آپ اُنہیں دُشمن کیوں سمجھتے ہو؟

3۔ جِس ترہ بیٹھ کر آپ نماج پڑھتے ہو، وہ تریکا ہمارے یوگ کی کِتابوں میں وجراسن نام سے لِکھا ہے۔ تو کیا آپ نماج بھی پڈھنا چھوڑ دیںگے؟ نہیں، جب ایسی بات نہیں تو پھِر او3م میں وِرودھ کیوں؟

4۔ چلو اَگر مان بھی لِیا کِ آپ ہمسے نپھرت کرتے ہیں تو بھی او3م سے نپھرت کیوں؟ کیا آپ ہوائی جہاج، ریلگاڑی، کار، کںپیُوٹر، ریشم، فون آدِ کا پریوگ نہیں کرتے جو اِیسائیّوں، ہِندُاوں، اؤر یہُودِیوں نے بنایی ہیں؟ یدِ ہاں تو او3م کا وِرودھ کیوں؟

5۔ اؤر ویسے بھی، باتچیت اؤر سوال جواب تو اَلّاہ/اِیشور کو اؤر اُس کی اِس کاینات کو سمجھنے کا جرِیا ہیں۔ اَگر ایسا نہیں ہوتا تو اَلّاہ ہمارے اَندر یے کُوّت (شکتِ) ہی نہیں دیتا کِ ہم سوال کر سکیں۔ تو اِسلِئے یہ سمجھنا چاہِئے کِ بھائیّوں کا آپس میں سوال جواب کرنا تو اَلّاہ کی اِبادت کرنے جیسا ہی ہے کیوںکِ ایسا کرنا ہکپرستی (ستے کی کھوج) کی راہوں پر کدم بڈھانے جیسا ہے۔

6۔ تو کُچھ بھی ہو، گُسّا بھی کرو، ہم پر سوال بھی کرو، لیکِن جو سبکے پھایدے کی چیج ہے، اُس پر اَمل جرُور کرو۔ یہی کامیاب جِںدگی کا راج ہے۔

7۔ نماج کے باد تین بار او3م کا جاپ اُسکے متلب کے ساتھ کرکے دیکھیں اؤر 4 دِن باد کھُد پھیسلا کر لیں کِ جِندگی میں کُچھ بدلاو ہُآ کِ نہیں۔ اِسے آپ من میں بھی اِبادت کرتے وقت یاد کر سکتے ہیں کیوںکِ یہ تو اَلّاہ کا ہی نام ہے۔

پرشن: اَبھی بھی ایک سوال ہے۔ اِس بھاگدؤڑ بھری جِندگی میں کیول ایک شبد کا اُچّارن کرکے کیا ہو جاّیگا؟ بلکِ ایسا لگتا ہے کِ یہ تو جِندگی کی چُنؤتِیوں سے بھاگنے کا ایک تریکا ہے!

اُتّر: نہیں۔ ایسا تب ہوتا جب اِسے کرنے کے لِئے جںگل جانے کی شرت ہوتی! پر ایسا نہیں ہے۔ یُدّھ کے میدان میں تلوار کو نِرںتر دھار لگانی پڑتی ہے نہیں تو اِسکی مار کم ہو جاتی ہے۔ ٹھیک اِسی ترہ، اَگر ایک گھںٹے دھار لگا کر پُورے دِن کے شترُاوں پر وِجے پایی جائے تو یہ کوئی گھاٹے کا سؤدا تو نہیں! اؤر یہی تو سمے ہوتا ہے کِ جب ویکتِ اِیشور کو دِئے وادوں پر سوچ وِچار کرتا ہے اؤر توڑے گئے اَپنے وادوں پر کشما یاچنا کرکے آگے سے اُنہیں نا توڑنے کا درڈھ سںکلپ کرتا ہے۔ پُورے دِن وِپریت پرِستھِتِیوں سے جُوجھتا ہُآ اَگر لکشے سے تھوڈا بھٹک گیا ہو تو اِسی سمے پھِر سے وہ کھُد کو لکشے کی اور کیندرِت کرتا ہے اؤر پھِر اَگلے دِن اُسکی اور بڑھنے کے لِئے گھماسان کرتا ہے۔ اَتہ بھاوناپُورن ڈھںگ سے اِیشور کا دھیان سب چُنؤتِیوں کو پار کروانے والا سِدّھ ہوتا ہے۔

پرشن: اَبھی بھی کُچھ سںدیہ نہیں مِٹ رہے، کیا کرُوں؟

اُتّر: جِس ترہ ہوا کو دیکھنے کے بجاے سپرش سے پہچانا جاتا ہے اُسی ترہ کرنے یوگے بات کو بولکر اَدھِک سمجھایا نہیں جا سکتا۔ تو سویں کُچھ دِن اِسکا اَبھیاس کریں اؤر پھیسلا کر لیں!

ओ३म् (ॐ) : मानवता का सबसे बड़ा धन

Sanjeev Newar

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November 4, 2010

33

This article is also available in English at http://agniveer.com/2513/om-hinduism/

प्रश्न: मानवता के शब्दकोष में सबसे मूल्यवान शब्द कौन सा है?

उत्तर: ओ३म् (ॐ). (इसके उच्चारण के लिए नीचे दिए संगीत को सुनिए)

प्रश्न: अच्छा! हिन्दुओं का पवित्र नाम?

उत्तर: इस नाम में हिन्दू, मुस्लिम, या इसाई जैसी कोई बात नहीं है. बल्कि ओ३म् तो किसी ना किसी रूप में सभी मुख्य संस्कृतियों का प्रमुख भाग है. यह तो अच्छाई, शक्ति, ईश्वर भक्ति और आदर का प्रतीक है. उदाहरण के लिए अगर हिन्दू अपने सब मन्त्रों और भजनों में इसको शामिल करते हैं तो ईसाई और यहूदी भी इसके जैसे ही एक शब्द “आमेन” का प्रयोग धार्मिक सहमति दिखाने के लिए करते हैं. हमारे मुस्लिम दोस्त इसको “आमीन” कह कर याद करते हैं. बौद्ध इसे “ओं मणिपद्मे हूं” कह कर प्रयोग करते हैं. सिख मत भी “इक ओंकार” अर्थात “एक ओ३म” के गुण गाता है.
अंग्रेजी का शब्द “omni”, जिसके अर्थ अनंत और कभी ख़त्म न होने वाले तत्त्वों पर लगाए जाते हैं (जैसे omnipresent, omnipotent), भी वास्तव में इस ओ३म् शब्द से ही बना है. इतने से यह सिद्ध है कि ओ३म् किसी मत, मजहब या सम्प्रदाय से न होकर पूरी इंसानियत का है. ठीक उसी तरह जैसे कि हवा, पानी, सूर्य, ईश्वर, वेद आदि सब पूरी इंसानियत के लिए हैं न कि केवल किसी एक सम्प्रदाय के लिए.

प्रश्न: ओ३म् वेद में कहाँ मिलता है?

उत्तर: यजुर्वेद [२/१३, ४०/१५,१७], ऋग्वेद [१/३/७] आदि स्थानों पर. इसके अलावा गीता और उपनिषदों में ओ३म् का बहुत गुणगान हुआ है. मांडूक्य उपनिषद तो इसकी महिमा को ही समर्पित है.

प्रश्न: ओ३म् का अर्थ क्या है?

उत्तर: वैदिक साहित्य इस बात पर एकमत है कि ओ३म् ईश्वर का मुख्य नाम है. योग दर्शन [१/२७,२८] में यह स्पष्ट है. यह ओ३म् शब्द तीन अक्षरों से मिलकर बना है- अ, उ, म. प्रत्येक अक्षर ईश्वर के अलग अलग नामों को अपने में समेटे हुए है. जैसे “अ” से व्यापक, सर्वदेशीय, और उपासना करने योग्य है. “उ” से बुद्धिमान, सूक्ष्म, सब अच्छाइयों का मूल, और नियम करने वाला है. “म” से अनंत, अमर, ज्ञानवान, और पालन करने वाला है. ये तो बहुत थोड़े से उदाहरण हैं जो ओ३म् के प्रत्येक अक्षर से समझे जा सकते हैं. वास्तव में अनंत ईश्वर के अनगिनत नाम केवल इस ओ३म् शब्द में ही आ सकते हैं, और किसी में नहीं.

प्रश्न: भला कभी अक्षर भी कोई अर्थ दे सकते हैं? इस तरह हर एक अक्षर के मनमाने अर्थ करना बुद्धिमानों का काम नहीं.

उत्तर: जो आप “शब्द-अर्थ” सम्बन्ध को विचारते तो ऐसा कभी नहीं कहते. वास्तव में हरेक ध्वनि हमारे मन में कुछ भाव उत्पन्न करती है. सृष्टि की शुरुआत में जब ईश्वर ने ऋषियों के हृदयों में वेद प्रकाशित किये तो हरेक शब्द से सम्बंधित उनके निश्चित अर्थ ऋषियों ने ध्यान अवस्था में प्राप्त किये. ऋषियों के अनुसार ओ३म् शब्द के तीन अक्षरों से भिन्न भिन्न अर्थ निकलते हैं, जिनमें से कुछ ऊपर दिए गए हैं.
एक आवश्यक निवेदन:
ऊपर दिए गए शब्द-अर्थ सम्बन्ध का ज्ञान ही वास्तव में वेद मन्त्रों के अर्थ में सहायक होता है और इस ज्ञान के लिए मनुष्य को योगी अर्थात ईश्वर को जानने और अनुभव करने वाला होना चाहिए. परन्तु दुर्भाग्य से वेद पर अधिकतर उन लोगों ने कलम चलाई है जो योग तो दूर, यम नियमों की परिभाषा भी नहीं जानते थे. सब पश्चिमी वेद भाष्यकार इसी श्रेणी में आते हैं. तो अब प्रश्न यह है कि जब तक साक्षात ईश्वर का प्रत्यक्ष ना हो तब तक वेद कैसे समझें? तो इसका उत्तर है कि ऋषियों के लेख और अपनी बुद्धि से सत्य असत्य का निर्णय करना ही सब बुद्धिमानों को अत्यंत उचित है. ऋषियों के ग्रन्थ जैसे उपनिषद्, दर्शन, ब्राह्मण ग्रन्थ, निरुक्त, निघंटु, सत्यार्थ प्रकाश, भाष्य भूमिका, इत्यादि की सहायता से वेद मन्त्रों पर विचार करके अपने सिद्धांत बनाने चाहियें. और इसमें यह भी है कि पढने के साथ साथ यम नियमों का कड़ाई से पालन बहुत जरूरी है. वास्तव में वेदों का सच्चा स्वरुप तो समाधि अवस्था में ही स्पष्ट होता है, जो कि यम नियमों के अभ्यास से आती है.
व्याकरण मात्र पढने से वेदों के अर्थ कोई भी नहीं कर सकता. वेद समझने के लिए आत्मा की शुद्धता सबसे आवश्यक है. उदाहरण के लिए संस्कृत में “गो” शब्द का वास्तविक अर्थ है “गतिमान”. इससे इस शब्द के बहुत से अर्थ जैसे पृथ्वी, नक्षत्र आदि दीखने में आते हैं. परन्तु मूर्ख और हठी लोग हर स्थान पर इसका अर्थ गाय ही करते हैं और मंत्र के वास्तविक अर्थ से दूर हो जाते हैं. वास्तव में किसी शब्द के वास्तविक अर्थ के लिए उसके मूल को जानना जरूरी है, और मूल विना समाधि के जाना नहीं जा सकता. परन्तु इसका यह अर्थ नहीं कि हम वेद का अभ्यास ही न करें. किन्तु अपने सर्व सामर्थ्य से कर्मों में शुद्धता से आत्मा में शुद्धता धारण करके वेद का अभ्यास करना सबको कर्त्तव्य है.

प्रश्न: ओ३म् के प्रत्येक अक्षर से अलग अलग अर्थ की कल्पना हमको ठीक नहीं जान पड़ती. किसी उदाहरण से इसको और स्पष्ट कीजिये.

उत्तर: यह शब्द अर्थ सम्बन्ध योगाभ्यास से स्पष्ट होता जाता है. परन्तु कुछ उदाहरण तो प्रत्यक्ष ही हैं. जैसे “म” से ईश्वर के पालन आदि गुण प्रकाशित होते हैं. पालन आदि गुण मुख्य रूप से माता से ही पहचाने जाते हैं. अब विचारना चाहिए कि सब संस्कृतियों में माता के लिए क्या शब्द प्रयोग होते हैं. संस्कृत में माता, हिंदी में माँ, उर्दू में अम्मी, अंग्रेजी में मदर, मम्मी, मॉम आदि, फ़ारसी में मादर, चीनी भाषा में माकुन इत्यादि. सो इतने से ही स्पष्ट हो जाता है कि पालन करने वाले मातृत्व गुण से “म” का और सभी संस्कृतियों से वेद का कितना अधिक सम्बन्ध है. एक छोटा बच्चा भी सबसे पहले इस “म” को ही सीखता है और इसी से अपने भाव व्यक्त करता है. इसी से पता चलता है कि ईश्वर की सृष्टि और उसकी विद्या वेद में कितना गहरा सम्बन्ध है.

प्रश्न: अच्छा! माना कि ओ३म् का अर्थ बहुत अच्छा है, किन्तु इसका उच्चारण क्यों करना?

उत्तर: इसके कई शारीरिक, मानसिक, और आत्मिक लाभ हैं. यहाँ तक कि यदि आपको अर्थ भी मालूम नहीं तो भी इसके उच्चारण से शारीरिक लाभ तो होगा ही. यह सोचना कि ओ३म् किसी एक धर्म कि निशानी है, ठीक बात नहीं. अपितु यह तो तब से चला आता है जब कोई अलग धर्म ही नहीं बना था! ओ३म् को झुठलाना और इसका प्रयोग न करना तो ऐसा ही है जैसे कोई यह कहकर हवा, पानी, खाना आदि लेना छोड़ दे कि ये तो उसके मजहब के आने से पहले भी होते थे! सो यह बात ठीक नहीं. ओ३म् के अन्दर ऐसी कोई बात नहीं है कि किसी के भगवान्/अल्लाह का अनादर हो जाये. इससे इसके उच्चारण करने में कोई दिक्कत नहीं.
ओ३म् इस ब्रह्माण्ड में उसी तरह भर रहा है कि जैसे आकाश. ओ३म् का उच्चारण करने से जो आनंद और शान्ति अनुभव होती है, वैसी शान्ति किसी और शब्द के उच्चारण से नहीं आती. यही कारण है कि सब जगह बहुत लोकप्रिय होने वाली आसन प्राणायाम की कक्षाओं में ओ३म के उच्चारण का बहुत महत्त्व है. बहुत मानसिक तनाव और अवसाद से ग्रसित लोगों पर कुछ ही दिनों में इसका जादू सा प्रभाव होता है. यही कारण है कि आजकल डॉक्टर आदि भी अपने मरीजों को आसन प्राणायाम की शिक्षा देते हैं.

प्रश्न: ओ३म् के उच्चारण के शारीरिक लाभ क्या हैं?

उत्तर: कुछ लाभ नीचे दिए जाते हैं
१. अनेक बार ओ३म् का उच्चारण करने से पूरा शरीर तनावरहित हो जाता है.
२. अगर आपको घबराहट या अधीरता होती है तो ओ३म् के उच्चारण से उत्तम कुछ भी नहीं!
३. यह शरीर के विषैले तत्त्वों को दूर करता है, अर्थात तनाव के कारण पैदा होने वाले द्रव्यों पर नियंत्रण करता है.
४. यह हृदय और खून के प्रवाह को संतुलित रखता है.
५. इससे पाचन शक्ति तेज होती है.
६. इससे शरीर में फिर से युवावस्था वाली स्फूर्ति का संचार होता है.
७. थकान से बचाने के लिए इससे उत्तम उपाय कुछ और नहीं.
८. नींद न आने की समस्या इससे कुछ ही समय में दूर हो जाती है. रात को सोते समय नींद आने तक मन में इसको करने से निश्चित नींद आएगी.
९ कुछ विशेष प्राणायाम के साथ इसे करने से फेफड़ों में मजबूती आती है.
इत्यादि इत्यादि!

प्रश्न: ओ३म् के उच्चारण से मानसिक लाभ क्या हैं?

उत्तर: ओ३म् के उच्चारण का अभ्यास जीवन बदल डालता है
१. जीवन जीने की शक्ति और दुनिया की चुनौतियों का सामना करने का अपूर्व साहस मिलता है.
२. इसे करने वाले निराशा और गुस्से को जानते ही नहीं!
३. प्रकृति के साथ बेहतर तालमेल और नियंत्रण होता है. परिस्थितियों को पहले ही भांपने की शक्ति उत्पन्न होती है.
४. आपके उत्तम व्यवहार से दूसरों के साथ सम्बन्ध उत्तम होते हैं. शत्रु भी मित्र हो जाते हैं.
५. जीवन जीने का उद्देश्य पता चलता है जो कि अधिकाँश लोगों से ओझल रहता है.
६. इसे करने वाला व्यक्ति जोश के साथ जीवन बिताता है और मृत्यु को भी ईश्वर की व्यवस्था समझ कर हँस कर स्वीकार करता है.
७. जीवन में फिर किसी बात का डर ही नहीं रहता.
८. आत्महत्या जैसे कायरता के विचार आस पास भी नहीं फटकते. बल्कि जो आत्महत्या करना चाहते हैं, वे एक बार ओ३म् के उच्चारण का अभ्यास ४ दिन तक कर लें. उसके बाद खुद निर्णय कर लें कि जीवन जीने के लिए है कि छोड़ने के लिए!

प्रश्न: ओ३म् के उच्चारण के आध्यात्मिक (रूहानी) लाभ क्या हैं?

उत्तर: ओ३म् के स्वरुप में ध्यान लगाना सबसे बड़ा काम है. इससे अधिक लाभ करने वाला काम तो संसार में दूसरा है ही नहीं!
१. इसे करने से ईश्वर/अल्लाह से सम्बन्ध जुड़ता है और लम्बे समय तक अभ्यास करने से ईश्वर/अल्लाह को अनुभव (महसूस) करने की ताकत पैदा होती है.
२. इससे जीवन के उद्देश्य स्पष्ट होते हैं और यह पता चलता है कि कैसे ईश्वर सदा हमारे साथ बैठा हमें प्रेरित कर रहा है.
३. इस दुनिया की अंधी दौड़ में खो चुके खुद को फिर से पहचान मिलती है. इसे जानने के बाद आदमी दुनिया में दौड़ने के लिए नहीं दौड़ता किन्तु अपने लक्ष्य के पाने के लिए दौड़ता है.
४. इसके अभ्यास से दुनिया का कोई डर आसपास भी नहीं फटक सकता. मृत्यु का डर भी ऐसे व्यक्ति से डरता है क्योंकि काल का भी काल जो ईश्वर है, वो सब कालों में मेरी रक्षा मेरे कर्मानुसार कर रहा है, ऐसा सोच कर व्यक्ति डर से सदा के लिए दूर हो जाता है. जैसे महायोगी श्रीकृष्ण महाभारत के युद्ध के वातावरण में भी नियमपूर्वक ईश्वर का ध्यान किया करते थे. यह बल व निडरता ईश्वर से उनकी निकटता का ही प्रमाण है.
५. इसके अभ्यास से वह कर्म फल व्यवस्था स्पष्ट हो जाती है कि जिसको ईश्वर ने हमारे भले के लिए ही धारण कर रखा है. जब पवित्र ओ३म् के उच्चारण से हृदय निर्मल होता है तब यह पता चलता है कि हमें मिलने वाला सुख अगर हमारे लिए भोजन के समान सुखदायी है तो दुःख कड़वा होते हुए भी औषधि के समान सुखदायी है जो आत्मा के रोगों को नष्ट कर दोबारा इसे स्वस्थ कर देता है. इस तरह ईश्वर के दंड में भी उसकी दया का जब बोध जब होता है तो उस परम दयालु जगत माता को देखने और पाने की इच्छा प्रबल हो जाती है और फिर आदमी उसे पाए बिना चैन से नहीं बैठ सकता. इस तरह व्यक्ति मुक्ति के रास्तों पर पहला कदम धरता है!

प्रश्न: ऊपर दिए लाभ पाने के लिए हमें करना चाहिए?

उत्तर: यम नियमों का अभ्यास इसका सबसे बड़ा साधन है. यम व नियम संक्षेप से नीचे दिए जाते हैं
यम
१. अहिंसा (किसी सज्जन और बेगुनाह को मन, वचन या कर्म से दुःख न देना)
२. सत्य (जो मन में सोचा हो वही वाणी से बोलना और वही अपने कर्म में करना)
३. अस्तेय (किसी की कोई चीज विना पूछे न लेना)
४. ब्रह्मचर्य (अपनी इच्छाओं पर नियंत्रण रखना विशेषकर अपनी यौन इच्छाओं पर पूर्ण नियंत्रण)
५. अपरिग्रह (सांसारिक वस्तु भोग व धन आदि में लिप्त न होना)
नियम
१. शौच (मन, वाणी व शरीर की शुद्धता)
२. संतोष (पूरे प्रयास करते हुए सदा प्रसन्न रहना, विपरीत परिस्थितियों से दुखी न होना)
३. तप (सुख, दुःख, हानि, लाभ, सर्दी, गर्मी, भूख, प्यास, डर आदि की वजह से कभी भी धर्म को न छोड़ना)
४. स्वाध्याय (अच्छे ज्ञान, विज्ञान की प्राप्ति के लिए प्रयास करना)
५. ईश्वर प्रणिधान (अपने सब काम ऐसे करना जैसे कि ईश्वर सदा देख रहा है और फिर काम करके उसके फल की चिंता ईश्वर पर ही छोड़ देना)

प्रश्न: क्या यम नियम के पालन करने के अलावा सुबह शाम ध्यान करना चाहिए और उसकी क्या विधि है?

उत्तर: जरूर. यम नियम तो आत्मा रुपी बर्तन की सफाई के लिए है ताकि उसमें ईश्वर अपने प्रेम का भोजन दे सके. वह भोजन सुबह शाम एकाग्र मन के साथ ईश्वर से माँगना चाहिए. ओ३म् का उच्चारण इसी भोजन मांगने की प्रक्रिया है. अब क्या करना चाहिए वह नीचे लिखते हैं
१. किसी जगह जहाँ शुद्ध हवा हो, वहां अच्छी जगह पर कमर सीधी कर के बैठ जाएँ. आँख बंद करके थोड़ी देर गहरे सांस धीरे धीरे लीजिये और छोड़िये जिससे शरीर में कोई तनाव न रहे.
२. दिन में ४ बार ओ३म् का उच्चारण बहुत उपयोगी है. पहला सुबह सोकर उठते ही, दूसरा शौच व स्नान के बाद, तीसरा सूर्यास्त के समय शाम को और चौथा रात सोने से एकदम पहले. इसके अलावा जब कभी खाली बैठे किसी की प्रतीक्षा या यात्रा कर रहे हों तो भी इसे कर सकते हैं.
३. धीरे धीरे उच्चारण की लम्बाई बढ़ा सकते हैं, पर उतनी ही जितनी अपने सामर्थ्य में हो.
४. कम से कम एक समय में ५ बार जरूर उच्चारण करें. मुंह से बोलने के बजाय मन में भी उच्चारण कर सकते हैं.
५. अपने हर बार के उच्चारण में ईश्वर को पाने की इच्छा और उसके लिए प्रयास करने का वादा मन ही मन ईश्वर से करना चाहिए.
६. हर बार उठने से पहले यह प्रतिज्ञा करनी कि अगली बार बैठूँगा तो इस बार से श्रेष्ठ चरित्र का व्यक्ति होकर बैठूँगा. अर्थात हर बार उठने के बाद अपने जीवन का हर काम अपनी इस प्रतिज्ञा को पूरा करते हुए करना. कभी ईश्वर को दी हुई प्रतिज्ञा नहीं तोड़ना.
जरूरी बात: ईश्वर ही सबका पालक, माता और पिता है. इसलिए कोई आदमी ईश्वर का ध्यान करते हुए किसी गुरु, पीर, बाबा आदि का ध्यान न करे. क्योंकि सब बाबा, गुरु, पीर आदि अपने भक्तों का ही उद्धार करते हुए दीखते हैं औरों का नहीं, और इसी से वे सब पक्षपाती सिद्ध होते हैं. किन्तु ईश्वर सबका पालक होने से पक्षपात आदि दोषों से दूर है और इसलिए केवल वही ध्यान करने और भजने योग्य है, और कोई नहीं.

प्रश्न: मैं एक मुसलमान हूँ और तुम तो हमसे विरोध करते हो. फिर मैं तुम्हारी बात क्यों सुनूँ?

उत्तर:
१. जैसे हम पहले लिख चुके हैं कि ओ३म् में हिन्दू मुसलमान जैसी कोई बात नहीं. क्या कोई मुसलमान भाई/बहन केवल इसलिए आम खाने से इनकार कर सकता/सकती है कि कुरआन में इसका वर्णन नहीं या यह अरब देश में नहीं मिलता? ओ३म् तो एक ईश्वर/अल्लाह के गुणों को अपने में समेटे हुए है तो फिर दिक्कत क्या है?
२. हम कई बात में मुसलमानों से और वे कई बात में हमसे से इक्तलाफ (विरोध) कर सकते हैं. लेकिन फलसफे पर अलग राय होना कोई गलत बात तो नहीं. क्या आप अपनी अम्मी के हाथ की रोटी केवल इसलिए खानी बंद कर देते हो कि वो किसी मामले में आपसे जुदा राय रखती हैं? यदि नहीं तो अपने और भाइयों के सवालों या इक्तलाफ से आप उन्हें दुश्मन क्यों समझते हो?
३. जिस तरह बैठ कर आप नमाज पढ़ते हो, वह तरीका हमारे योग की किताबों में वज्रासन नाम से लिखा है. तो क्या आप नमाज भी पढना छोड़ देंगे? नहीं, जब ऐसी बात नहीं तो फिर ओ३म् में विरोध क्यों?
४. चलो अगर मान भी लिया कि आप हमसे नफरत करते हैं तो भी ओ३म् से नफरत क्यों? क्या आप हवाई जहाज, रेलगाड़ी, कार, कंप्यूटर, रेशम, फ़ोन आदि का प्रयोग नहीं करते जो ईसाइयों, हिन्दुओं, और यहूदियों ने बनायी हैं? यदि हाँ तो ओ३म् का विरोध क्यों?
५. और वैसे भी, बातचीत और सवाल जवाब तो अल्लाह/ईश्वर को और उस की इस कायनात को समझने का जरिया हैं. अगर ऐसा नहीं होता तो अल्लाह हमारे अन्दर ये कुव्वत (शक्ति) ही नहीं देता कि हम सवाल कर सकें. तो इसलिए यह समझना चाहिए कि भाइयों का आपस में सवाल जवाब करना तो अल्लाह की इबादत करने जैसा ही है क्योंकि ऐसा करना हकपरस्ती (सत्य की खोज) की राहों पर कदम बढाने जैसा है.
६. तो मेरे अज़ीज़ भाई, कुछ भी हो, गुस्सा भी करो, हम पर सवाल भी करो, लेकिन जो सबके फायदे की चीज है, उस पर अमल जरूर करो. यही कामयाब जिंदगी का राज है.
७. नमाज के बाद तीन बार ओ३म् का जाप उसके मतलब के साथ करके देखें और ४ दिन बाद खुद फैसला कर लें कि जिन्दगी में कुछ बदलाव हुआ कि नहीं. इसे आप मन में भी इबादत करते वक़्त याद कर सकते हैं क्योंकि यह तो अल्लाह का ही नाम है.

प्रश्न: अभी भी एक सवाल है. इस भागदौड़ भरी जिन्दगी में केवल एक शब्द का उच्चारण करके क्या हो जाएगा? बल्कि ऐसा लगता है कि यह तो जिन्दगी की चुनौतियों से भागने का एक तरीका है!

उत्तर: नहीं. ऐसा तब होता जब इसे करने के लिए जंगल जाने की शर्त होती! पर ऐसा नहीं है. युद्ध के मैदान में तलवार को निरंतर धार लगानी पड़ती है नहीं तो इसकी मार कम हो जाती है. ठीक इसी तरह, अगर एक घंटे धार लगा कर पूरे दिन के शत्रुओं पर विजय पायी जाए तो यह कोई घाटे का सौदा तो नहीं! और यही तो समय होता है कि जब व्यक्ति ईश्वर को दिए वादों पर सोच विचार करता है और तोड़े गए अपने वादों पर क्षमा याचना करके आगे से उन्हें ना तोड़ने का दृढ संकल्प करता है. पूरे दिन विपरीत परिस्थितियों से जूझता हुआ अगर लक्ष्य से थोडा भटक गया हो तो इसी समय फिर से वह खुद को लक्ष्य की ओर केन्द्रित करता है और फिर अगले दिन उसकी ओर बढ़ने के लिए घमासान करता है. अतः भावनापूर्ण ढंग से ईश्वर का ध्यान सब चुनौतियों को पार करवाने वाला सिद्ध होता है.

प्रश्न: अभी भी कुछ संदेह नहीं मिट रहे, क्या करूँ?

उत्तर: जिस तरह हवा को देखने के बजाय स्पर्श से पहचाना जाता है उसी तरह करने योग्य बात को बोलकर अधिक समझाया नहीं जा सकता. तो स्वयं कुछ दिन इसका अभ्यास करें और फैसला कर लें!

This article is also available in English at http://agniveer.com/2513/om-hinduism/

Extreme happiness through Vedas and Hinduism

Sanjeev Newar

-

November 4, 2010

59

Extreme happiness through Vedas and Hinduism

This entry is part 7 of 7 in the series Vedic Lessons

In this article, we shall discuss proven techniques to obtain extreme happiness. The happiness we are referring to is not the petty enjoyments we try to seek from worldly toys. We are discussing the happiness of salvation or mukti or moksha.

Q: But Mukti will happen after ages and we will have to suffer so much till then. I do not have that patience. What do I do?

This happiness of Mukti shall NOT come after lots of grief and pains in the process. No, not at all! We don’t want you to lure you in imaginations of a fancy paradise that shall come to you after all the painful activities you indulge into for ages and then die.
The techniques listed here would, on contrary, provide you privileged access to more and more from reservoir of happiness, independent of what happens in the world right from now. We are talking about true unconditional happiness that keeps increasing rapidly every moment till you achieve the full access to the reservoir in form of Mukti. So your paradise is going to be with you right from NOW and as long as you continue!
We are talking about full enjoyment, happiness, fun, masti, dhamaal or whatever you may call, ALL THE WAY from now to then!
This is going to be amazing fun to begin the process, even more fun during the process and ultimate fun after the process! A level of fun that no other activity or object in the world can provide you! Vedas put it beautifully in Yajurveda 31.18: “There is simply no other way than this to have total fun!”
In fact one of the greatest misconceptions about spirituality or goodness in general is that you get the results only after lots of tortures and failures. And nobody remains alive to see anyone obtaining those results!
Nothing can be farther from truth.
In fact this is a test of any spiritual ideology or person. If it brags about facing pains and miseries, it is defective. Simply reject it and run away as far as you can from this crap!
Ishwar’s justice is instantaneous and ongoing. There is no lag time. When you do the right things, you get the results immediately in form of happiness. You simply pursue this happiness further and reach upto salvation or Mukti.
Yajurveda 19.30 puts it marvelously: “When you make the resolve, you become eligible immediately. When you maintain your eligibility through your deeds, you get the positive results in terms of happiness, achievements, satisfaction etc. When you see the positive results, your faith increases further and you enhance your deeds even more. When the faith becomes unflinching, you achieve the ultimate truth or bliss.”

Q: Then why do we see people pursuing Mukti or saints or freedom-fighters or great people to suffer so much?

1. What actually happens is that as and as much one starts practicing the techniques of Mukti, he or she starts getting independent from adverse effects of the world. Thus he or she is no more troubled by those petty issues that cause nervous breakdown in other people. She starts accessing the reservoir of happiness within her and thus no more remains a beggar in the world to get that.
2. Because she has become much robust and powerful, she can now explore more ambitious challenges to speed up her progress to Mukti. This look amazing to rest of the world. Because she is defining her own path that need not be in line with trends of the world. People and situations try to create problems and obstacles for her. But this only acts as a feeder for her, in same way that fire keeps growing when it gets more substances to burn.
3. Finally her time to quit this world and continue the journey elsewhere comes. People foolishly think that she had to face troubles and agonies in her life. But smart ones know that she was laughing all the way to her success and was no way affected by these petty situations which were only fruits of past actions for her that need not be taken seriously.
4. Thus, the yogi made the best out of each situation that kind Ishwar presented to her, had fun all the way and continued her journey ahead setting examples for us.
It is not true that Mukti-aspirants always suffer and suffer more than rest of the people. It is just that they are capable of handling bigger challenges which amaze us. They, in fact, enjoy each moment thousand times more than rest of us do. It is this enjoyment that keeps them propelling.
A small baby would cry ‘Uan Uan’ when stung with a mosquito. But as grown ups with powerful bodies, many of us would enjoy facing punches and kicks during martial arts practice.
Practice of Mukti transforms you from the little baby who weeps on every petty thing to a powerful wrestler who wins the Gold in the arena of the world!

Q: Sounds exciting! What do I need to do to become the champion!
A: Nothing painful! If you have taken the resolve, you have already started the process. Rest is simple.
Basic Principle
Basic Principle is simplest – Accept truth and reject falsehood proactively.
Because falsehood is cause of grief and truth is cause of bliss. Sinful activities (Adharma or Paapa) cause grief and Virtuous activities (Dharma or Punya) cause bliss.
For details refer to Vedic Religion in Brief and Vedic Worship (Upasana Section)

Q: How do I decide what is truth and what is falsehood?

There are some simple pointers:
– It should not be self-contradictory. (For example, if someone says Ishwar tests and also says that Ishwar knows everything, it is contradictory.)
– It should follow the logical process of cause-effect. (For example, if someone says a woman was born from rib of a man, it is illogical.)
– It should follow the principle of generalization. (If something hurts me, then it should hurt others also. Hence I should not do such a thing.)
– It should be as per examples set by role models and great people. (However even to decide if someone is worth being role model, one should not go by popularity, but by testing the deeds of the person on basis of other criteria of truth.)
– It should be as per inner-conscience or inner-voice. (If one feels a sense of shame or guilt doing something, that should not be done.)
– It should be tested on merits of evidence, logic, comparison etc.
Similarly other criteria can also be deduced. We would evaluate them sometime later. But the key is that something should not be accepted blindly out of peer pressure, popularity, habit etc. Neither should one be skeptic of every other thing regardless of having any valid reason to do so.
If one is genuine to best of his or her intentions, the capability of discerning truth from falsehood keeps improving and progress happens.

Q: OK, I got an idea about how to detect and follow truth. What next?

A: Simply follow the truth now in thoughts, words and actions. Get closer to truth through enhanced knowledge, practice and contemplation.
For example, if you came to understand that
– it is less than one in zillions probability that this world is a random event,
– you know well that you are not controlling it,
– you understand that if there is supreme power guiding us, it should provide its guidance from inception
– you know that Vedas are devoid of interpolations due to the manner they were preserved and are the oldest texts
– you know that your own intelligence is not sufficient to further your progress
then you should try to explore and learn what the Vedas teach.
You also know that Ishwar should be equally blessing on people away from Vedas due to geography. Hence the way to understand Vedas cannot be merely mugging up. It has to be more practice-oriented and the mugged-up or read knowledge should assist in enhancing those practices instead of being sufficient in themselves.
So now you got a blueprint for fast progress. On one side you should follow your inner voice to adopt truth in practice. On other side, you should work upon to imbibe concepts of Vedas, bring them in sync with inner-voice and further strengthen the inner-voice and hence progress ahead through practice. And when both these approaches would merge, you would have achieved your mission.
If you cannot have access to Vedas or your current duties prevent you from exploring them in full depth, don’t worry, simply follow inner-voice and move ahead. Ishwar would work out best opportunities for you. But if you have opportunities to imbibe Vedas in your current set of duties, don’t be skeptic, lazy or unnecessarily critical. Simply move ahead and grab the opportunity.
This habit of grabbing the opportunity should become your integral part. We shall discuss this further soon.
Once we agree on this fundamental, the rest of the framework becomes extremely intuitive:

Q: What is this framework for achieving Moksha or Mukti or extreme happiness from right now?

A: There are 4 components to it:
1. Viveka or Understanding of Concepts. Lets call it Intelligence.
2. Vairagya or Detachment
3. Shatak Sampatti or 6-Fold Formula
4. Mumukshutva or Desire for Mukti
Note that this is another way of looking at the points already discussed in Vedic Religion in Brief and Vedic Worship (Upasana Section). But this is extremely helpful for better understanding and implementation.

Q: What is Viveka or Intelligence?

A: We have already discussed it. The ability to discern truth from falsehood is Viveka. If you recall discussion on Vidya in Vedic Concept of Salvation, then you can understand it as the ability to possess Vidya.
With Viveka, one should put efforts to understand and analyze Self through contemplation. Sages have provided the following pointers to help this (Don’t worry if they appear complex. They are supposed to be realized naturally through practice and not mugged up):

Pancha Kosh (Five layers over soul)

There are 5 layers over soul that is ‘I’ which are DIFFERENT from us.
Annamaya Kosh – The external body made of skin, flesh and bones.
Pranamaya Kosh – The system which ensures transportation of vital air. These include 10 kinds of Prana. We shall skip the complex discussions.
Manomaya Kosh – Mind (Mana), Ego, Inherent powers of actions like speech, locomotion, grasping, excretion and reproduction.
Vijnanamaya Kosh – Intellect (Buddhi), Memory (Chitta), Inherent powers of sensing like hearing, touch, smell, see and taste.
Anandmaya Kosh – Sense of pleasure, affection, more or less pleasure.
One should try to understand how soul is different from all these 5 layers and how Ishwar has integrated the soul with these layers so that it can seamlessly and effectively carry out all its activities. One should understand how to use these as tools to achieve our objective – Ultimate bliss!

Three States

Alert (Jagrit), Dream (Swapna) and Sleep (Sushupti)

Four bodies

1. Gross Body (Sthula Sharir) that we observe
2. Subtle Body (Sukshma Sharir) consisting of 5 Vital Forces (Prana), 5 Sensing Powers, 5 subtle forms of Nature (Sukshma Bhoot), Mind (Mana) and Intellect (Buddhi). This stays with soul even after death and continues into next life. Soul uses this to continue its journey of progress towards ultimate bliss in next life right from where death stopped it in previous birth.
This subtle body comprises the portion made by Prakriti and the portion that is innate property of soul. During salvation, the portion made by Prakriti also detaches from soul and only innate properties remain. Thus soul is able to conduct its actions merely through Sankalpa or Will. This is most efficient system to possess for a soul.
3. Causal Body (Kaarana Sharir) that causes deep sleep. This is derived from Prakriti or Nature and is same for all souls.
4. Superior Body (Tureeya Sharir) that forms the connection with Ishwar and brings us access to His reservoir of infinite happiness. This stays with soul during Mukti also and enables it to enjoy bliss of Ishwar in utmost capacity.
ALL THESE ARE INERT (JADA) AND DIFFERENT FROM SOUL.
They come into action only when enjoined with soul by Ishwar. Through Viveka one should clearly understand his or her identity BEYOND these lifeless tools. One should learn not to blame or praise these but the soul who alone is their driver.
One who understands it, starts understanding the guidance of Ishwar through inner-voice. Whenever the soul uses these tools, as described above, to conduct any action, this inner-voice guides it. If its a good action, one feels happiness, fearlessness, enthusiasm etc. If its a bad action, one feels fear, doubt and shame. This is the constant mentoring by Ishwar. One who is able to follow it, obtains extreme happiness upto Mukti right from now. One who does not follow it, obtains bondage and grief accordingly.
THIS MAY BE GETTING REPETITIOUS. BUT THIS IS THE KEY BEHIND EVERY OTHER TECHNIQUE OF EXTREME HAPPINESS AND HENCE WORTH THE REPITITION.
Similarly one should use Viveka or Intellect to understand Soul (Atma), Nature (Prakriti), Ishwar and relationship among the three and act accordingly. One should introspect, study, explore practice in actions and meditate to firm this Intellect. This forms the first component of Mukti framework.

Q: What is Vairagya or Detachment?

A: To reject the desire to achieve whatever is temporary, impure, inanimate and cause of sorrow and replace them with enthused resolve to achieve the permanent, pure, animate and cause of eternal bliss, after due application of Viveka or Intellect is called Vairagya.

Q: What is Shatak Sampatti or 6-Fold Formula?

A: After Viveka and Vairagya, one should focus on doing actions based on following 6 principles. This is the greatest treasure one can have. In fact, one who possess these 6 jewels is the richest person, and one who is devoid of these but boasts of petty stones that would go away with death in few decades is the most unfortunate. So just grab these 6 jewels right now!
1. Shama or developing the tendency to constantly keep our self (our soul) and mind away from Adharma ( bogus actions that do not lead to Mukti) to Dharma (virtuous deeds).
2. Dama or developing the tendency to refuse conducting any bad deed (that does not lead to Mukti – lechery, fraud, cheating, hatred, lust, adultery, ruthlessness, frustration etc) through our sense and work organs and indulge in virtuous actions like self control, peace, compassion etc.
3. Uparati or staying away from people who are wicked, fraudulent or immoral.
4. Titiksha or staying resolved in pursuit of ways and means of Mukti regardless of insults, praises, losses, gains in the mundane world.
5. Shraddha or having full faith on our inner-voice, wisdom of Vedas and other truthful texts and people, after having evaluated through Viveka. Shraddha does not mean blind faith in the imaginary, but full passion in pursuit of what has been understood to be true. Doubt or unnecessary skepticism is the recipe for destruction. Even if there is vagueness with regards to understanding of the ultimate goal, one should not have doubt over actions and methods to reach there, because these actions and methods are beneficial and best treasures to possess regardless of clarity on goal. One does not doubt studying sincerely in primary school merely because he is not clear about what a good career after post-graduation means!
6. Samadhan or practicing control of mind. The Eight-Fold Path of Patanjali Yoga focuses on this.

Q: What is Mumukshutva or Desire for Mukti?

A: All other desires are bogus for a person who has used his Viveka or intellect even a bit. But a desperate desire for Mukti should persist. This acts as the fuel that charges every other action or thought that a Mukti-aspirant undertakes. Thus one should have that level of desire for Mukti that a person who is hungry or thirsty in host summer for days together has for food or water.
Suppose one submerges his head in water for sometime. The way one gets desperate for a breath of air and does not find anything else in the world worth being achieved, if one can inculcate that level of passion for Mukti, he or she is sure to be the winner! The reservoirs of bliss from Ishwar start opening for Him immediately.
This Mumukshutva brings a strength of character in a soul that can amaze mundane people. Unlike hunger or thirst or suffocation that creates pain for soul, Mumukshutva brings a level of happiness that one cannot imagine otherwise. Mumukshutva itself is the most wonderful state to have in this world. And its destination is even more wonderful!
This is what we described as “habit of grabbing the opportunity” earlier.

Q: Can you summarize the framework for my ease?

A: If we were to redraft the Mukti framework in form of a corporate statement, it would look something like this:
Vision: To have direct access to infinite bliss of Ishwar who is source of all happiness.
Mission: To get rid of all miseries and obtain ultimate happiness, and start getting that happiness right from now.
Eligibility: One who has access to 4 components of Viveka, Vairagya, Shatak Sampatti and Mumukshutva as described above.
Strategy: To understand and conduct actions accordingly after study of Mukti techniques as described in Vedas and Vedic texts in most diligent manner.

Q: How do I properly understand the concepts necessary for this subtle topic?

A: This demands use of a foolproof method of Shravan Chatushtaya or 4-fold technique for proper understanding. This can be applied to anything one studies but is more relevant for Mukti which is the most subtle subject due to its inherent intuitiveness.
– Shravana or carefully listen or read the subject without distractions. Put full focus into it.
– Manana or analysis of whatever has been imbibed through Shravana. If there are doubts, they should be clarified. Shravana and Manana should go hand in hand. One should only listen or read as much that can then be analyzed properly. Otherwise people tend to take things for granted.
– Nididhyasan or contemplation on what has been studied and analyzed in meditative stage. This demands mind-control which becomes easy when the 4 components described above are practiced. This develops a ‘feel’ or more subtle understanding of the subject.
– Sakshatkar or thorough understanding through above three as well as conducting the practice.

Q: Any other useful tips on pursuit of Mukti?

1. Study Patanjal Yoga (not exercises and breathing methods taught wrongly in name of Yoga) to understand and practice the concepts described above from another perspective. We shall discuss this later in another series.
2. Stay away from Tamoguna (anger, polluted thoughts, laziness, inactivity etc), Rajoguna (jealousy, lust, false ego, hatred) and indulge in Satvaguna (peace, friendliness, purity, fearlessness, intellectuality, action-orientation).
3. Have feeling of friendship with happy people, show pity and help those in distress, feel happy on pious noble people and have neither hatred nor affection on wicked ones. Simply work to eradicate their wickedness.
4. The powers of mind-control are amazing and normal people don’t even scratch 1% of it. For Mukti, one should ideally meditate for at least 2 hours daily so that Viveka described above becomes clear and one gains tremendous will-power and other miraculous powers of mind. Refer to Patanjal Yoga and “Lets learn Vedic Worship” for details on meditation. (Note: if 2 hours seem too daunting, don’t worry. Start with what is comfortable with you (at least 15 minutes) and let it grow organically. Practice makes perfect. But meditation cannot be forced mechanically. So focus on quality and not quantity.)

5. Mukti happens in unity with world around. Efforts for Mukti in isolation is foolish. So use the techniques above while you work proactively to transform our society and world. Take these challenges to practice your Mukti-skills. Fight against injustice, fight against crimes, fight against impotency in the society, fight against enemies of country and humanity and carry these fights proactively.
6. Do not limit yourself and keep stretching beyond for greater and greater challenges that face our world. But choose your battles smartly. A smart Mukti-aspirant does not keep doing everything, but chooses his domain that is best fit for his nature, tendencies and capabilities with the demands of the situations and then keeps working on stretching the challenges by stretching the capabilities and mastering his nature and tendencies through mind-control and practice. Ultimately he prays:”Krinvanto Vishwamaryam!” – lets make the entire humanity noble! And he works his way smartly to this goal.
To conclude, understand that we, as souls, are eternally conscious. We are separate from mind, intellect, senses, action organs and everything else that surrounds us. Our only eternal relationship is with Ishwar. He alone is source of all happiness. When we start realizing this true identity of ours and start acting accordingly, we immediately start getting more and more of confidence, happiness, bliss, satisfaction, enthusiasm, achievements and are able to perform wonders that dazzle the world. And then we use challenges facing the world and society to continue increasing the dazzle more and more. And have more of fun in process!
The process begins from the moment we start our journey. So what are you waiting for! There is nothing more worthwhile than this in world which guarantees peerless bliss right now and after!
This made legends out of Rama and Krishna. Bring out that legend from within you RIGHT NOW! And reclaim you happiness in the process.

There is no other way!
This post is also available in Gujarati at http://agniveer.com/6583/happiness-hinduism-vedas-gu/
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Vedic Concept of Salvation

Sanjeev Newar

-

November 1, 2010

101

This entry is part 6 of 7 in the series Vedic Lessons

In this lesson, we shall understand the concept of salvation or Mukti or Moksha. Please refer articles on Vedic God, Soul and Worship for fuller understanding.

(Read completely to know why we have image of a brave Maharana Pratap on a spiritual article on Moksha.)

Q: What is Mukti or Moksha?

A: Mukti means Freedom.

Q: What kind of freedom?

A: Mukti means the freedom that all souls desire for. In other words, freedom from sorrow and miseries.

Q: What happens after this freedom?

A: After this freedom, the soul experiences ultimate bliss and lives under inspiration of Ishwar. This is the most satisfying and enjoyable state one can have. Also note that contrary to what many wrongly believe in, Mukti is not state similar to sleep or Sushupti. It is the OPPOSITE of sleep – a state of highest possible level of consciousness.

Q: But Ishwar is already within us. So we are already living under inspiration of Ishwar. Then what is so special about Mukti?

A: If you recall the discussions on Ishwar and soul, we concluded that soul has a freedom of ‘will’ and has limited knowledge. As and when the soul dispels ignorance through right use of ‘will‘, it gains more and more bliss and acts in harmony with the purpose of creation. That is why it is recommended for soul to emulate Ishwar in whatever way it can, and also work in a manner that cooperates with the overall purpose of creation.
The purpose of life is to enable the soul to conduct such actions that help it get in harmony with purpose of creation. When the harmony reaches a threshold level, there remains no further reason why a soul should take birth. It thus gets freedom from cycle of birth and death, sorrow and happiness and obtains ultimate bliss.
Thus, Mukti means conducting all actions in sync or harmony with purpose of creation. Ishwar is always inspiring us and is all around us and within us as well. But when we realize this and act accordingly, we obtain Mukti.

Q: What is preventing us from Mukti at this very moment? Why Ishwar does not grant us Mukti right now?

A: Answering the second question first: Ishwar does only what is best. It does not act arbitrarily.
Our nature is such that the only way we can obtain Mukti is by dispelling ignorance. And the only way to dispel ignorance is by conducting actions. The only way we can keep practicing doing the right actions is by having an opportunity to take birth and obtain an environment which is best suited to our current level of competence. And Ishwar keeps doing so until we gain mastery and reach Mukti. So He is acting in best possible manner for us to obtain Mukti asap.
Coming to first question, let us review the properties of soul compared to Ishwar and Prakriti (Nature).
Prakriti is Sat – it exists
Soul is Sat and Chit – it exists and it is conscious (living, animate etc)
Ishwar is Sat, Chit and Anand – it exists, is conscious as well as possess bliss.
Now soul DOES NOT possess Anand or bliss intrinsically. It has to move towards bliss through efforts. Since Ishwar has bliss, it implies that it has to move towards Ishwar.
Now let us come to another foundation of Vedic philosophy, “Knowledge = Bliss”.
Since Ishwar has infinite knowledge, it has infinite bliss.
But soul has LIMITED potential and LIMITED knowledge. This LIMIT keeps varying as per its deeds as per the Law of Karma managed by Ishwar.
Thus the ONLY way soul can possess Bliss is by increasing its knowledge through right acts that remove the limits.
The modus operandi of this process is as follows:
1. Actions create Sanskaars (tendencies or habits) and Sanskaars determine Limits of potential of soul. The catch is that the moment you conduct an action, it creates a Sanskaar. Sanskaar implies that the probability of you conducting the same action in similar situation increases.
Thus, if you do wrong acts – like cheating, hating etc – the probability of you doing the same again and again increases. This reduces the limits of your potentials and hence you have reduced knowledge resulting in reduced bliss. Thus you get a step away from Mukti.
But when you do good acts – like compassion, analyzing and accepting only truth, high character etc – the probability of you doing more of such good acts also increases. This leads to greater potential of seeking knowledge and hence bliss. Thus you get a step closer to Mukti.
2. Now EACH AND EVERY ACTION (including thoughts and feelings) count in this process. Also remember that even if you do something even once, its probability of happening again and making you dumber or intelligent increases.
3. A typical soul keeps oscillating between good and bad deeds every moment, going few steps back and few steps forth like a drunkard, resulting in the delay in Mukti.
4. But a yogi uses his will-power to refuse to conduct bad actions and proactively conducts noble actions. This gradually weakens the Sanskaars of old bad actions and replaces them with good Sanskaars. Gradually the seeds of all bad sanskaars are destroyed by a yogi. This results in a situation that bad actions are not repeated under any circumstance by the yogi. He thus has burnt the seeds of bad Sanskaars (dagdhbeej) or has got free of the trap of bad Sanskaars forcing bad actions. He moves straight towards Mukti like an armyman without stepping back.
He surrenders completely to Ishwar’s will and achieves ultimate bliss of Ishwar.
This process of destruction of seeds of sanskaars demands constant practice with full enthusiasm, confidence and faith on Ishwar for a period of time.
THE ONLY CONTROLLING BUTTON WE HAVE IN THIS PROCESS IS OUR WILL-POWER.
Majority of people ignore to use this WILL-POWER in right direction and hence basically act as puppets responding to strings of situations. They thus themselves stifle their progress. Yogis act in opposite manner.
That is why Geeta says that what is day for the world is night for Yogi and vice verse.
The more powerfully you use your WILL-POWER, faster you reach Mukti.

Q: You say Mukti demands knowledge. Does it mean I need to know everything about everything possible in world to achieve Mukti?
A: Even if you desire, you cannot know everything. Because you are not Ishwar.
The knowledge here refers to realization and not mundane knowledge. Thus we are referring to concepts that lead to intrinsic knowledge and not mugging up of anything.
Mugging up is also useful and helpful, but ONLY when it helps improve concepts.
Yajurveda 40.14 summarizes this beautifully: One who clearly understands the concept the Vidya (Knowledge) as well as Avidya, guides himself accordingly through actions from bondage of death to ultimate bliss of Mukti.

Q: Then what do you mean by knowledge and ignorance?

A: Yoga Darshan 2.5 explains this concept in most beautiful manner.
It defines 4 concepts to be Avidya or Ignorance:
a. To consider temporary to be permanent and vice verse.
For example, to consider that this body and manifest world will remain forever, and disregard the soul and Ishwar which are permanent. Most of us act accordingly and hence are entrenched in Avidya.
b. To consider impure as pure and vice verse.
For example, to consider that this body full of blood, excretion, urine etc to be pure and have lust towards physical body, sensuality and glamor, and disregard traits like truth, morality, Brahmacharya, self-control, compassion as impure.
c. To consider sorrow as happiness and vice versa.
For example, to conduct one as per dirty vices like lust, anger, greed, delusion, crush, grief, regret, jealousy, hatred, laziness, arrogance etc in false hope that they will provide happiness. And rejecting self-control, compassion, peace, diligence, sincerity, simplicity etc as source of sorrow.
d. To consider inert as conscious as vice verse.
For example, to consider that this body and mind are living. And disregard soul and Ishwar who are conscious entities.
THE OPPOSITE OF AVIDYA IS VIDYA OR KNOWLEDGE
When this Vidya or Knowledge is clearly established, there remains no more any purpose of being bonded in cycle of death and birth. The soul then gets free and obtains Mukti or eternal bliss.

Q: What do you mean by sorrow or miseries?

A: Again Yoga Darshan 2.3-9 explain sorrow most succinctly through their causes.
It says that there are 5 kinds of Klesha or Sorrows.
1. Avidya (Ignorance) which has been described above. This is considered mother of all sorrows and foundation of all other sorrows.
2. Asmita (Ego): To consider this mind, intellect, body to be the self and have false pride, superiority or inferiority complex. This must be destroyed through practice (Abhyas), intellect (Viveka) and renunciation (Vairagya).
3. Raga (Attachment): To have sanskaars or tendencies of feeling bliss through sensory inputs and having greed for more of them.
4. Dwesha (Repulsion): To have hatred against situations or things that caused us sensory grief in past.
5. Abhinivesh (Fear of Death): To have a desire to never die and remain alive always. All living beings – from an ant to most intelligent scholar – fear death and prevent themselves from facing death to extent possible. This itself is greatest evidence of rebirth. When one understands that only body dies but soul remains protected forever under Ishwar’s blessings, this is eradicated.

Q: So how can we obtain Mukti or salvation?

A: We have explained the principles and essence of this earlier. To put in a slightly more mundane form, Mukti happens through:
– Following the guidance of Ishwar as per ‘inner-voice’ and our best understanding of truth devoid of ego.
– Staying away from bad tendencies like sins, crimes, anger, frustration, regret, bad company, bad habits, intoxication, addiction etc.
– Proactively seeking truth, compassion, welfare of entire world, discipline, maintenance of health, worship of Ishwar, practice of meditation and putting best efforts.
– To be honest, sincere and without bias.
– To NOT RUN AWAY from duties as ordained by Ishwar for society and world.
We shall discuss this in more specific details later. But the wise can understand the future roadmap from discussion so far itself.

Q: What happens to soul in Mukti? Does it lose its identity like a drop of water in ocean?

A: If soul were to lose identity forever, it would already have done so and we would not have been interacting with each other. Because time has no beginning. So infinite time has passed since we have NOT lost our identity. Thus the probability of us losing this identity in future also is a perfect ZERO.
What happens is that soul maintains its identity in same manner as a ball of iron becomes in hot fire. It has its identity but is totally immersed in and out in bliss of Ishwar. Thus it loses its identity in same sense as we lose our identity when we get engrossed in some enjoyable task. But this is NOT absolute loss of identity.

Q: Where does the soul live in Mukti?

A: The soul lives within omnipresent Ishwar. Being completely under guidance of the One with perfect knowledge, it has no restrictions on its movements and locations.

Q: Does soul have a physical body during Mukti?

A: No. Physical body is no more relevant for it. Physical body is needed to practice moving towards Mukti and not after Mukti.

Q: Without a body, how does the soul enjoy bliss of Ishwar?

A: The basic powers of the soul that enable it to use the physical sense organs remain with the soul. It can hear, touch, see, taste, smell and think directly through use of will power. The limitations of physical body are no more required for the one who has broken all limitations to achieve Mukti.
Refer Vedanta 4.4.10-12, Kathopanishad 2.3.10 and Chhandogya Upanishad 8.7.1. 8.12.5-6. 8.12.1 for more on this.

Q: Is Mukti eternal or unending?

A: No. If that had been so, we would all have obtained Mukti by now and no soul would have remained in the world trying for Mukti (freedom from existing bondage). The whole purpose of creation would have turned irrelevant then. And if we have been unable to get Mukti so far, it is impossible to ever get Mukti in future.
Because soul is unborn and time has no beginning. Thus as per Vedas, Geeta, Upanishads and every scripture, we have been in existence for INFINITE time. If we cannot get Mukti in INFINITE time, there is no way we can get Mukti EVER.
THUS MUKTI IS NOT ETERNAL
Hence, after period of Mukti is over, soul comes back to world and starts its journey to Mukti again.
However, the duration of Mukti is very high compared to human life. As per Mundakopanishad, this duration is equivalent to time span of 36000 cycles of creation. Each creation cycle is equal to 43.2*200 million years.
So when scriptures say that Mukti is endless, they imply that before this complete term of Mukti is over, the soul will NOT come into cycle of death and life.

Q: Any evidence from Vedas on Mukti not being endless?

A: Refer Rigveda 1.24.1-2:
Question: Whom do we consider the most pure? Who is the most enlightened one in entire world. Who provides us mother and father again in the world after gifting us ultimate bliss or Mukti?
Answer: The self-enlightening, eternal, ever-free Ishwar alone is most pure. He alone provides us mother and father again in the world after gifting us ultimate bliss or Mukti.
Shankaracharya in his treatise on Chandogya Upanishad (8.15.1 and 4.15.1) states that soul stays in Brahmaloka or Mukti till his duration is not complete. In explanation of 6.2.15, he states that souls stay in Mukti for several Samvastara (years). In his explanation of Shatpath Brahman 14.6.1.18, he writes that “If souls do not come back after salvation, then the word “Iha” in the mantra becomes meaningless.”

Q: What are the fallacies of considering endless Mukti?

A:
1. It is against Vedas as per above reference.
2. Since soul is unborn and has existed for infinite time. Still it could not obtain Mukti. Thus Mukti automatically becomes impossible if it is eternal. OUR EXISTENCE IN NON-MUKTI STATE IS GREATEST PROOF OF MUKTI NOT BEING FOREVER.
3. Actions of a soul are limited. The fruits of limited actions CANNOT be unlimited.
4. If Mukti be eternal, the world shall come to end eventually after all souls obtain Mukti. Since souls are unborn, there cannot be possibility of new souls being created. And if souls are created, even their destruction becomes inevitable.
5. Unless Mukti is cyclical, even Mukti becomes a prison from where one cannot return.
6. Even the value of bliss reduces if it goes on for endless time. Note that soul is not Ishwar to be able to comprehend bliss in full. Its capacity to enjoy bliss is also limited. Thus only return of Mukti does best justice for the souls.

Q: If there is return from Mukti, then why put efforts for it? After all it is also temporary!

A: Soul has limited capacity and limited knowledge. Thus something that transcends its capacity to appreciate the length cannot be termed temporary.
On earth, we make great efforts to manage happiness for 1 hour, 1 day, few months, few years. We plan so much for a life of merely 100 years knowing fully well that it will end after that. We eat today and start planning for next meal tomorrow morning.
When one can make efforts for such short-term goals, why not make efforts for such a vast time-span of Mukti that is unimaginable for us?

Q: I see your arguments. But I believe in a different concept of Mukti. For example, I am still not convinced that Mukti is not eternal. I believe soul and Ishwar is One. I have other differences as well. What should I do?

A:
1. Many of these differences emerge only because of differences in terminology and metaphors used to explain such concepts which demand highest level of mind-control to realize.
2. What exactly Mukti looks like can be understood only after we reach there. But one thing is clear and unambiguous – that this world that we see is not everything. There is something beyond it and our existence lies beyond the current birth and death. Mukti is, thus, what everyone should strive for.
3. Further understanding beyond this can come only through our own efforts resulting in personal realization.
Thus, EVEN IF YOU DIFFER, don’t worry. Regardless of what you or we think about concept of Mukti, the current duties and responsibilities to achieve that state is EXACTLY THE SAME FOR US – PUTTING EFFORTS FOR REMOVAL OF IGNORANCE.
Thus the road ahead is same for us, regardless of what the destination is conceived to be by each of us.
Whatever it would be, it would be the BEST for us. So let us work together on the common path.

Q: Mukti happens in one birth or several births?

A: It takes several births. Because eradication of each Sanskaar takes its due time and efforts. However please note that we do not know how many births we have already taken for this. So one should put best efforts to achieve Mukti in this birth itself. After all intensity of efforts itself counts the most in this.

Q: If there are several births, why don’t we remember them?

A:
1. Soul has limited knowledge and hence cannot remember beyond what is stored in brain. Forget about previos birth, we don’t remember our stay in womb, our childhood, our dreams, our actions in last so many years etc. If I ask, what did you do or think twelve years after your birth on 4th month, 3rd day, 3 hour and 5 minutes? You simply cannot answer. In fact you cannot account for your thoughts even few hours ago. Does that mean you did not exist then?
2. We should thank Ishwar that we do not remember past lives and hence can work with freshness. We get frustrated by our deeds and thoughts and tragedies of this life itself and want to forget them. Imagine if all the miseries of past lives were also remembered by us. We would have died merely by remembering them!
Thus to know past lives is department of Ishwar. Our department is to use our will-power to remove ignorance through noble deeds.

Q: When we don’t even remember past deeds, why does Ishwar punish us for that?

A:
If you have fever, you go to doctor for treatment. You do not know the cause of fever or how you contracted it. But you very well admit that some mistake must have happened causing this fever.
Similarly, remembrance of past deeds is not necessary to understand Ishwar’s law of Karma. We see such varieties in world, different social status, health, species etc. And we can well ascertain that everything is happening in such a planned manner with so intricate details that despite all the greatest claims of ‘modern science’ we have not even scratched 1% of surface.
The variety and planning in world lead us to conclude that the great planner provides us variety of situations based on past actions.
Smart people who introspect can witness the immediate benefits of good deeds and harms of bad deeds in near term itself. Then why should it not be extended beyond this life.
So even if we do not remember past lives, the world itself is witness to fact that Ishwar provides us situations as per our deeds continuously even after this life ends and new birth happens.

Q: When there are so many lives and Ishwar will keep giving me life after life, why should I hurry for Mukti? I am enjoying my present as well. So let me stay the way I am.

A: This logic seems to come from a smart MBA grad fresh out of B School! But Ishwar is smarter.
In this world, either you progress or you deteriorate. Stability without progress is ALSO deterioration. Look at world itself, you enjoy playing with a small baby. It is so lovely and cute. But we enjoy its cuteness only for few months. Imagine, if after several years also, the baby remains a small cute baby, what would happen? We all would start getting worried and consider it to be a rare serious disease. We all pray that children grow in most healthy manner and that is also what Ishwar demands from us through His creation.
Even in business affairs, if a company shows same performance year after year without showing growth, its valuation goes down very significantly.
In same manner, if we DO NOT put proactive efforts for progress, we are actually reducing our valuation. And hence the next life would be worse off than current one. Even to justify our being human beings, we have to put certain proactive efforts.

Q: Can animals not get Mukti?

Yes, they can. Because the souls in all living beings are identical. But they can strive for Mukti only after taking birth as human beings.
Remember, human is the ONLY species that has the potential to use the WILL-POWER to achieve salvation. Rest of the species are like treatment centers where they can only face fruits of actions done earlier so that their deeply ingrained Sanskaars are wiped out.
Thus humans who are obsessed with certain kinds of addictions or habits take birth in appropriate animal species so that they get opportunity to release those Sanskaars. Once these are released beyond a threshold, they become eligible to take birth as humans and then put efforts.
Hence, all human beings should put utmost efforts to ensure that they take next births as humans again and can continue their journey. There is nothing more precious than human-birth and we should make best use of this golden opportunity.

Q: But even ignorance is bliss. A wealthy person sleeps on luxury bed but is not happy. And a laborer sleeps on hard stones but is blessed with sound sleep. Animals in jungle live so happily. And humans keep worrying. So instead of knowledge, ignorance is bliss.

A: This is childish logic.
1. Grant a wealthy the option to become a laborer and grant a laborer the option to become wealthy immediately. Wealthy will never agree and laborer will immediately grab the option. If both had equal bliss, no one would have desired to change from current situation.
2. No sensible human would desire to become an animal because humans can access higher levels of happiness that animals cannot.
3. The cause of grief for the wealthy is NOT wealth but his defective way of thinking. This defective way is his own Karma or actions.
4. Ignorance puts limits in bliss-acquisition. It is natural for souls to progress from less knowledge to higher knowledge. You don’t enjoy the games of 1 year old toddler because of higher knowledge. What people compare ignorance with to claim “ignorance is bliss” is defective knowledge or Avidya itself.
But if you seek Vidya, you get higher and higher bliss. There is no other way.

Q: What is meant by Swarg/ Narak or Heaven/Hell.

A: Swa means happiness. To obtain happiness is Swarg or Heaven.
To obtain miseries is Narak or Hell.
They DO NOT refer to any imaginary place or location. They refer to situations we create for ourselves RIGHT NOW through our efforts.
And when we get into habit of seeking Swarg every moment, all roots of ignorance are destroyed and we obtain ultimate bliss or Ishwar.
We earnestly request all that they should STOP living in illusion of any special place like Heaven or Hell after death. They should stop believing that those who disagree with them will go to Hell and others will go to Heaven forever. They should be tolerant to all faiths and all people so far they are not criminals or nuisance creators. Compassion to ALL souls is necessary for getting Heaven here itself and then blessings of Ishwar in Mukti or Moksha.

Q: OK. I understand about removing ignorance to achieve salvation. Is that why one should go to remote place to meditate and achieve salvation?

A: Vedic knowledge DOES NOT mean memorizing certain verses or understanding certain concepts intellectually. It means complete understanding that is exhibited in thoughts, words and actions – in knowledge, actions and contemplations.
This is like learning bicycle. Merely reading a book on bicycle and its design will not help. You need to practice. There is simply no other alternative.
Similarly, to achieve salvation you need to be in the world, live like a lotus here, detached from the mud around, and put efforts for cleansing the system. To run for meditation when your duties demand your involvement in the world, will not lead to Mukti but dumbness – the opposite of Mukti.
Isolation may be useful in short-term for specific purpose, but Mukti CANNOT come without cooperation with other souls. Vedas have innumerable Suktas only on cooperation and collaboration. Those who attempt to seek Mukti without this most fundamental requirement of Vedas are merely in doldrums.

Q: Then what about those Sanyasis and Munis who used to meditate in jungles. Were they escapists?

A: If you are talking about present day Sanyasis in jungles, if they are there temporarily to rejuvenate themselves or because due to old age, they are unable to work proactively in society, that is perfectly fine.
But if they are able bodied and yet seek permanent reclusion, then they are being escapist and treading the way of dumbness. Vairagya from attachment should happen and NOT from actions.
Such artificial reclusion is insult of Ishwar. If Ishwar would have thought that isolation is best for you, he would have given you birth on some solitary planet and not in midst of a society full of people and facing problems and challenges. Further, even the knowledge you receive is through interaction with world. If you stop interaction, you lose chance for further knowledge enhancement.
If you were born in an idealistic society where everyone is performing his or her duties reasonably well, then perhaps you would have had the liberty to explore the world within away from hustle-bustle of crowd.
But today, when there is so much corruption, intolerance, hatred, poverty, grief, immorality etc in society, only a psychopath or an impotent coward would seek running away from these challenges, that Ishwar wants us to face, work upon and thereby obtain Vairagya and dispel ignorance.
Its a pity that in name of spiritualism, a large work force of our action-oriented nation escape away from their duties towards nation and society. In the process, not only do they retard their own progress and run towards dumbness, but do great damage to society and nation. This is the most painful face of anti-nationalism facing us.
If we look down the history, all those false babas, gurus, siddhas who were busy seeking silence of mind in isolation or doing petty magic tricks in name of spiritualism during the most turbulent years of our history are the most wrong examples of spiritualism that one can have. Unfortunately we are flooded by such false role models. That is why despite having best of spiritual foundation, we still are the weakest and most shamelessly helpless societies of the world facing one slap after another for last 1000 years at least.
Our real role models of spiritualism should be legends who rose to the challenges of nation and society and burnt away their self to serve the larger cause. They were the true seekers of Mukti and exemplified the concepts of Vidya and Vairagya for us through concrete actions. They are the true saints for us. I am talking of legends like Rana Pratap, Shivaji, Bismil, Ashfaqullah, Netaji, Azad and Swami Dayanand among innumerable other heroes.
Swami Dayanand used to run several miles daily, perform squats and pushups, practice Mudgar and do rigorous training throughout his life. Because the concept of Mukti is only for the strong and effortful.
May we all seek such a powerful vigorous selfless mission towards Mukti that is not restricted only to I but society, nation and entire humanity! May Ishwar grant us that strength, enthusiasm and purity right now!
In next article, we shall review methods of Mukti in more detail.
This post is also available in Gujarati here http://agniveer.com/6521/salvation-hinduism-gu/
This post is also available in Telugu here http://agniveer.com/salvation-hinduism-telugu/
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Purpose of creation in Hinduism

Sanjeev Newar

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October 30, 2010

127

This entry is part 5 of 7 in the series Vedic Lessons

After having a glimpse of Ishwar, soul and our relationship, we shall now review how the world or universe is created and destroyed. This would be essential to understand our role and purpose better. We start with some mantras from Vedas:
Rigveda 10.129.7
O Humans! Ishwar creates, maintains and destroys the universe again and again. He is the master of the universe, He is present everywhere and He controls the world. Consider Him alone as worth being worshipped and none else.
Rigveda 10.129.3
Before this creation, everything was in dark like night and nothing was perceivable. Matter/ Energy or Nature was in its primordial or elementary form and restricted to a point compared to the infinite expanse of Ishwar. Then Ishwar created the impulse that transformed the Nature into the spatial world that we observe through His omnipotence.
Rigveda 10.121.1
The foundation of all the cosmic bodies that glow and all heavenly bodies that we observe is One and only One master of All, the beloved Ishwar. He existed even before the world existed and He then created the Sun, the earth and everything else. May we surrender and worship only that kind Ishwar alone and none else.
Yajurevda 31.2
He alone is the perfect and complete Purush (living entity), He is immortal and guardian of all souls and Nature. He is different from the inert (lifeless) Nature as well as the souls. He alone has created as well as will create the world in past, present and future. Thank you very much, Ishwar!

Q: Who created the world? Ishwar or someone else?

A: Ishwar created the world in same manner as an engineer creates a machine. He is thus the ‘engineer’ of the world. But like engineer, He used existing ‘raw material’ or Nature (matter/ energy approximately) to create the world.

Q: Did Ishwar not create Nature as well?

A: No, Nature or ‘raw material’ is eternal (beginningless and endless) like Ishwar. Being eternal, there is no cause for origin or destruction of Ishwar or Nature.

Q: What else is eternal apart from Ishwar and Nature?

A: Guess yourself! You know that very well. Because that is what stays with you all the time.
Its ‘you’ yourself!
The third eternal entity is the Soul or Atma or Jeeva.

Q: What is the evidence from Vedas on the three eternal entities?

A: This is most intuitive and logical. You know yourself that you exist (The Soul). You know the inanimate world that exists all around you but is not you. This includes matter and energy – both of which remain conserved and only change form (Nature). And you know that everything is being controlled by an entity different from you (Ishwar). So this concept of three eternal entities (lets call it Trinity) is most basic and known by all of us intrinsically. Other theories demand us to make deliberate assumptions and extrapolations.
In Vedas, there are huge number of mantras that discuss this Trinity. In fact, almost ALL mantras assume trinity as obvious fact – They worship Ishwar, address Souls and guide or pray for effective use of Nature.
But we present here two mantras that focus on this more specifically:
Rigveda 1.164.20
Two living entities – Ishwar and Soul – remain together like friends always. Similarly another entity (Nature) exists like a tree with branches. One of the living entities – the soul – tastes the fruits on the branches. The other entity – Ishwar – is completely away from this and hence never gets into worldly things.
This clearly shows that these are three eternal entities. It also shows that Ishwar never takes birth as humans or incarnations because that would trap it into nature.
Yajurveda 40.8
Ishwar gave his knowledge to its eternal subjects – souls – to utilize world (Nature) in best possible manner.
Similarly Shwetashwatar Upanishad 4.5 states that Nature, Soul and Ishwar are Eternal. These are the ultimate source or cause of world and there is no cause of these three causes. Soul gets entrapped by indulging in Nature. But Ishwar neither gets trapped nor ever indulges.
Q: What are the characteristics of Nature or Prakriti?
A: We have already discussed characteristics of Ishwar and Soul in earlier lessons. Let us briefly understand Nature here. We shall not get into complexities because this is a very deep subject. Putting broadly, the basic Nature is same and one. It remains so before creation begins. Then Ishwar segregates it into following:
Sattva – denoting purity or knowledge
Raja – denoting actions
Tama – denoting inactivity
The Sattva, Raja and Tama refer to impact it has on soul. These three, thus form the minutest components of the existing world. All objects, emotions, information etc have varying mixtures of these three. When we are in sleep, Tama is more prominent. When we seek actions, get angry etc, Raja is prominent. And when we are in peace, spiritual knowledge seeking mode, we are dominated by Sattva.
These components create Intellect, Ego, Mind, Sense Organs, Work Organs, 5 elements – Fire, Earth, Water, Air, Sky. All these then integrate perfectly with soul to create the world that we see, hear, feel, think, assess, evaluate and act upon.
Ishwar remains separate from this as an engineer – benevolent and detached.

Q: What are the requirements for creation?

A: Three.
1. The efficient cause (Nimitta Kaaran) whose activity makes something and whose inactivity does not make anything.
2. The material cause (Sadharan Kaaran) or the ‘raw material’ without which nothing can be made – Prakriti or Nature
3. The common cause (Upadan Kaaran) or the accessories helping in creation.
Efficient cause can be divided into two:
a. Major efficient cause or the engineer or the master architect who creates, manages and destroys – Ishwar
b. Minor efficient cause or the user of the creation – Souls. Without it, the creation is purposeless.
Material cause or Nature is inert non-living and hence incapable of being organized or disorganized itself in a planned manner. It needs an organizer or efficient cause for that.
Common cause includes the time and space.
This is true for any creation that happens in world – by Ishwar or by us.

Q: The way a spider creates a web from within itself, can’t Ishwar make the world from itself?

A: The example given is exactly what Ishwar does.But the conclusion is wrong.
Spider uses its body to create the web. The material for web creation is already present in its body. If its body was damaged, it would not have been able to make the web. Similarly, Ishwar creates world from Nature that already exists within Ishwar.

Q: But when Ishwar is all-powerful, can’t He make world from Himself? This world maybe illusionary form of Ishwar Himself.

A:
1. All-powerful does not mean Ishwar will do anything. He will do only what He should do and He can do it without anyone’s support. Even you can do anything, but would you tear your clothes and eat mud only to prove that you are all-powerful? Such persons are termed lunatics and put in asylums.
Similarly, Ishwar being most intelligent does only what is the BEST.
2. Ishwar helps get rid of illusions. So Ishwar will not create illusions. That is against His nature.
3. If world is created from Ishwar, it should also show properties of Ishwar. For example, if I create a statue of clay, the statue exhibits properties of the clay. But world is inert and Ishwar is living. World is dumb and Ishwar is supremely intelligent. Ishwar is all-pervading, objects in world are limited in space. Ishwar is unchangeable, worldly objects keep changing.
4. Thus Ishwar decides to create the world for benefit of souls and uses eternal Nature for it.

Q: What was the purpose of Ishwar in creating the world?

Counter-question : What could have been His purpose in NOT creating the world?

Answer: Had He not created the world, He would have remained in bliss. And even the souls would have stayed away from jhamela (complexities) of pain and pleasure.

Counter Answer:
1. Such views are held only by the lazy or those who do not want to take responsibilities of their actions. Not by those who enjoy putting efforts and possess guts. The sensible and responsible ones enjoy life through best efforts.
2. The bliss in world is many times more than pains. Had that not been so, everyone would have been keen to commit suicide. But only the mentally disturbed commit suicide and rest would go to farthest extent to safeguard their lives. This proves that life is dearest to them and they enjoy life the most.
3. Ishwar is not lazy but the most active. Further His qualities like compassion, care, knowledge, omnipotence etc would have been useless if the world was not created. Thus Ishwar justifies His existence through creation, management and destruction of world or universe. We should also justify our existence by doing deeds that justify our role in the creation – to achieve salvation or ultimate bliss.
4. Just as eyes fulfill the purpose of seeing and are useless without anything to see in world, in same manner, all properties of Ishwar, Soul as well as Nature would be useless without creation, maintenance and destruction of universe in a cyclical manner as managed by Ishwar.
5. Thus creation is natural trait of Ishwar. And we should follow our own natural traits!

Q: Why does He not stop further creation and provide bliss directly to all souls forever?

A: This question is already answered by the discussions in previous points. However following additional points can also be made:
If Ishwar were to stop the process of creation now, how would he be able to justly provide for right fruits of actions of souls that they conducted in previous creations and till now? Thus, if Ishwar stops the process of creation, it would make Him unjust. Some souls would achieve salvation without due efforts compared to others.
Thus there is no permanent Hell or Heaven in Vedic system after one-off creation that makes a mockery of the unchangeable trait of justice inherent in Ishwar. Ishwar’s rule is based on complete meritocracy and there are no subsidies or concessions or shortcuts. All such cults who try to show incentives of such concessions are basically misled and should be immediately rejected by the wise.

Q: When Ishwar is omnipotent, why can’t He create the other root causes – Soul and Nature also?

A:
1. We have already discussed several times that omnipotence does not mean Ishwar would act like a lunatic. Also it does not mean Ishwar can kill itself and create another Ishwar, become inert itself, become idiot, cry, weep, fight, criminal etc. Ishwar being most intelligent does only what is His natural Dharma or property and He does so in BEST possible manner because perfection is another Dharma or property of Ishwar. And He can conduct His acts WITHOUT support from any other entity. This is His omnipotence.
2. So Ishwar does not create Soul or Nature. They already exist. He manages them together so that the best interests of Soul be served. Further since Ishwar is already completely perfect, He can never bring a new thought or a new idea to create something new. Because there is nothing new for the all-intelligent. In other words, Ishwar does not evolve but stays perfect all the time. Some cults believe that suddenly Allah had a fit of inspiration and thought of a new creation implying that He has evolved suddenly from blankness. Such concepts are greatest insult to Ishwar who is always perfect. In other words, if Ishwar does something, it means He would do that always and has done that always.
3. Also, those who think that Souls are created by Ishwar actually transform Ishwar into a psychopathic drama lover who does useless things to entertain Himself. Further, if this happens, then whole creation becomes completely purposeless. Because He may tomorrow choose to destroy the souls as well.
4. Creation and other properties of Ishwar ONLY MAKE SENSE when Soul and Nature co-exist with Him always and then He helps the soul.
5. Just think of it. To be kind is a good virtue. But if there are no people in the world, on whom would you be kind? Now say you are being forced to live in isolation for a day. To show your kindness, would you create a doll and then show kindness to it? Indeed children do so. But if you do so as a mature person, people would suggest mental treatment for you. So just consider if the most intelligent person – Ishwar – can get into such psychiatric problem?
This is one of the greatest loopholes of superstitious cults like Islam and Christianity.

Q: Children of people with form also have form. If they were formless, even their children would have been formless. Since we have form, hence Ishwar must also have form.

A: He is ‘engineer’ of world and not ‘raw material’ of world. Alfred Nobel made Dynamite, that does not mean He looked like Dynamite!
‘Raw Material’ for world is Nature and that has property of form. Hence world has form.

Q: Can’t Ishwar act without a cause?

A: No. Because one that cannot exist cannot suddenly exist. For example, if someone says that I saw the marriage of child of a barren woman, you would say I am mad. Because if she has a child, she cannot be barren and if she is barren, she cannot have child. Similarly without a cause, no action or effect can happen. Every effect has to have a cause.
If someone says that I don’t exist but I came to meet you! There was no flower in the garden but the flower-garland was beautiful! I cannot speak, but I give spell-binding lectures! Such talks are meaningless!

Q: If everything has to have a cause, what is the cause of the cause?

A: The root cause can have no further cause. (Sankhya Darshan 1.67)
That is why it is called eternal cause.
Thus, three entities – Creator, Raw Material, Accessories and Purpose are essential for any sensible creation. Same is true for Creation of world and hence Ishwar, Soul and Nature are the three eternal root causes of this.

Q: It all started with Shunya or void (zero) and ultimately end in void (zero). Whatever exists was zero initially and become zero ultimately.

A: Shunya also refers to a point. If this meaning be taken, its correct. Because when entire world disintegrates and comes to elementary form, it is a point.
But if Shunya is to mean zero, this meaning is wrong. Because Shunya is inert and non-living. How can consciousness come in Shunya or zero.
Further, One who knows Shunya CANNOT be Shunya.
Thus those who give such void-logic are basically trying to run away from the realities of present that cannot be denied. Even extrapolation can happen only for events that exist. But such void-lovers deny whatever clearly exists and then extrapolate purely from their imaginations.
Such ostrich behavior of hiding the face from reality has caused severe damage to our society and world, if we glance in history. This has led to irresponsibility towards society. When invaders were attacking, believers of such ideologies refused to defend the nation by deluding themselves into thinking that it is all Shunya and hence they have no duties. ‘Shunyavaad’ is sure recipe for escapists and lazy ones. The dedicated ones would put their best efforts in any situation that they face.

Q: Something can come from nothingness also. For example, there is no tree in the seed. But after watering, tree comes from the seed.

A: Whatever comes out of seed was already in seed. Only it changed form after interacting with water etc. It does not come out from nothingness. People who have studied science will know that matter-energy is conserved and nothing can come out from nothingness. So this argument is wrong and unscientific.

Q: Nothing is permanent. Everything is temporary. Whatever exists will get destroyed. Hence Soul, Ishwar, Nature also will get ultimately destroyed.

A: If everything is temporary, even destruction must be temporary. If whatever exists will get destroyed, even this destruction should get destroyed.
In reality, only form of physical entities changes. Nothing is neither created nor destroyed. Those who have studied science can understand this better.

Q: There is no creator of the creation. It happened automatically through random combination of matter.

A: If creation happens automatically, then how does destruction happen? And if destruction happens automatically, then how does creation happen. If both happen automatically, then how is the cycle and planning of order of creation and destruction managed?
If you say that when certain conditions exist, creation happens and when certain other conditions exist, then destruction happens, then you admit that there are sets of external conditions that force creation or destruction. Thus you admit, in a different language, that something governs the conditions when creation or destruction happens. In other words, you agree that someone ensures management of the laws or conditions of creation or destruction. This is what we call ‘Ishwar’. So you are saying the same thing in a different language because you have ‘allergy’ to use of word Ishwar for whatever reason.
To make a simple bicycle, you need to plan out make hundreds of components, extract metal from ores, then plan and design the bicycle. So what is the objection when we say that a great planning has gone behind such a complex and highly optimized world that we see?
Can you cite one single example where something got created automatically without it being created by someone?
Without Ishwar being the guide, there would be no way for non-living atoms to know that they have to come together in such manner from these places, ignite chemical reactions, integrate and then make something as complex like a simple leaf or a body organ like hand. Forget about machines like human brain whose working is not understood at all! And then we claim it all happened automatically! This is childish talk and nothing else.

Q: Does Ishwar create the same world every time or puts some variations?

A: Rigveda 10. 190.3 states that Ishwar creates similar Sun, Moon, Heavenly bodies and the world in previous creations and would do so in future as well.
This is obvious. Since Ishwar is most-intelligent and hence creation is a completely optimized process, there is only one best creation for all cycles and that is what Ishwar creates. Ishwar does not have a learning curve because he already knows everything.
However there are variations in each Creation because different souls have different baggage of past actions or sanskaars or tendencies causing them to have different levels of freedoms to act. Thus the same history will not repeat each time.

Q: But why such a big universe with so much of empty space and billions of heavenly bodies for such a small earth? What is the use of all these stars and planets?

A: These are vast from our standpoint but not Ishwar. Also earth is not the only place to have life. There are innumerable earths in universe and souls keep moving from one to another as per their deeds.
All these stars, suns etc are necessary for sustenance of life and process of creation-maintenance-destruction. That is why they are called ‘Vasu’ or entities that help support stay of souls. Nothing is a waste in this universe.

Q: Summarize the creation and destruction process.

A: As per Vedas,
1. Entire Nature exists in elementary form before creation. All souls (except those who have reached Mukti or salvation) remain unconscious.
2. Then Ishwar performs Ikshan or motivates a change in the Nature. This causes Nature to change from its elementary form to something more gross.
3. Gradually grosser forms like various objects are created. These include Mind, Ego, Senses, Work tendencies, Planets, Stars, Galaxies etc etc. All this happens in a gradual process as per unchangeable laws of Ishwar.
4. Once creation is complete, and necessary conditions for souls are created, souls are given birth in various species (as per the deeds of previous creation cycle) on various earths on various points of time.
5. Finally, human species is given birth. Several humans take birth in both genders as per Vedas and not one Adam-Eve as wrongly believed. They have different genetic makeups and hence can inter-marry. Thus we do not have to blame Allah or God for promoting incest or marriage between brothers and sisters during beginning of human civilization.
6. The most exalted of humans are gifted with knowledge of Vedas.
7. They then train other humans in Vedic wisdom and hence process of civilization begins.
8. Depending on actions, souls keep taking birth and death on various earths in various species in various environments.
9. Those souls who get rid of ignorance beyond a threshold level no more need to take birth because the purpose of birth is fulfilled for them. They achieve Mukti or Moksha or Salvation and enjoy bliss of Ishwar continuously for a long time equalling several creation and destruction cycles. We shall discuss this aspect later.
10. During the entire process, universe is gradually changing and moving further to destruction phase.
11. Finally process of destruction happens. The souls are unconscious during this stage. The destruction phase continues for some time that is known only by Ishwar or Mukta souls who have achieved salvation.
12. Finally new creation begins. Again the same process is repeated. And souls take birth as per fruits of the actions in last cycle of creation. The process continues like this.
13. This creation and destruction has been happening continuously like day and night since beginninglessness and would continue forever. This is eternal.

Q: How does Ishwar train humans in Vedas?

A: Through inspiration in hearts of the most deserving during inception of civilization. They then train others and create mechanisms for securing Vedas from tampering. Further Vedas being inherently within all souls, are thus preserved within all of us.
For more on this aspect, please review:
Origin of Vedas and Eternity of Vedas

Q: If Ishwar has not created Soul and Nature and they co-exist with Him, why does He rule them? He should not have any rights over them. Is this not transgression of their personal rights?

A: Co-existence does not imply Ishwar should not rule them. Ruler and subject co-exist even in this world. Does that mean ruler should not rule them? Or should you refuse to use nature for your benefit because it existed even before you were born?
The objection should come only if Ishwar does it unjust manner like the God of Bible or Allah of Quran who are prone to moodiness, anger, fear, laziness, whims etc.
When the ruler is most perfect, and He ensures well-being of subject in most perfect manner and subject themselves have no capacity to rule, only a fool would prefer to turn a peaceful country into Somalia or Afghanistan.
But in the most just country of Ishwar, subject or souls have full freedom to do whatever they desire. And like in any meritocracy, they get the most deserving rewards or punishments for their actions, only for their own benefit. But unlike human rule where one has to wait for rewards to be announced, Ishwar does instant justice on ongoing basis. Also, in human rule, if someone harms someone else, punishment to criminal and compensation to victim happens after some time. This is also true for those superstitious cults who believe that Allah or God is simply testing us here like a mute idle spectator and then would do the justice later after destroying this world forever by sending us to some three-star Paradise or Hell. In Ishwar’s rule, there is no compensation because no one can harm anyone just like that. Further punishment starts being given right from moment of crime. Same goes for rewards.
Only fools would regret living in such a just and kind and prosperous and meritocratic kingdom of Ishwar!
Thank you Ishwar for everything! Kindly guide us so that we can put our best efforts to model our own country and the world in lines with your just kingdom. May we be able to throw away all forces of corruption, immorality and barbarism. May there be no impotent, cheater, corrupt, terrorist, thankless, anti-national in our country. And may we set the best examples of idealism depicting the virtues of character, compassion, justice, diligence, sincerity, commitment, confidence, unity and purposefulness that you exhibit!
Om Shantih Shantih Shantih Om!
This article is also available in Gujarati at http://agniveer.com/creation-hinduism-gu/
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Understanding Self in Hinduism

Sanjeev Newar

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October 28, 2010

82

This entry is part 4 of 7 in the series Vedic Lessons

We shall continue the Vedic lessons and touch upon the concept of Self and its relation with Ishwar. To understand Ishwar, please review first three articles of the series: Vedic Lessons.

Q: Who am I?

A: You are the soul or Atma or Jeeva. You are different from your mind and body. When body perishes, you do not perish because there is no entity in the universe that can destroy you.

Q: How do I know that I am different from body and mind? Am I not a chemical reaction?

A: Very simple! Your body and thoughts have changed since your birth, but you remain the same. Even on regular basis you find body and thoughts changing. Thus you are different from body and mind. The feeling of consciousness or ‘I’ is real you. This I is questioning right now and reading this article and knows that ‘I’ exists. This ‘I’ is the one who is currently keen to explore who this ‘I’ is. Even when you sleep without dreams, you wake up and say I had a good sleep. This ‘I’ enjoyed the peace of sleep as well. Read further and discover the ‘I’ further.
Some people say that consciousness is nothing but a chemical in brain and there is no soul. They say that all the emotions and feeling of pain and pleasure is simply chemical reaction. Nothing can be more foolish than this to claim as truth. Normally such views are held by people who have dumbed their intellect below a threshold by indulging in a variety of immoral activities. They are running away from their guilt feelings and ‘inner voice’ and hence indulge in such empty talks.
But just consider: when someone slaps you, reactions happen in body and neurons fire to give feeling of pain. But ‘who’ feels the pain? And when you are praised, agains neurons fire in a different manner and you feel happy. But again, ‘who’ felt happy? The very fact that something is felt implies someone is feeling. Obviously an electron, proton or neutron or a hydrogen atom or a water molecule or whatever cannot be ‘I’ that feels. This ‘I’ that feels and decides is the soul within our body – our true self. And since it is not a physical entity, it cannot be affected by physical things like fire, water etc. Thus it is indestructible. After all destruction means breakdown of various components. So how can something which has no further components be broken down. Also a gross thing cannot break a subtler thing like a sword cannot break an atom. Thus soul is indestructible as explained in almost all scriptures.
Further ask these childish ‘chemical intellectuals’ that if its all chemical reactions, then why they have a problem when we refute them? After even that is chemical reaction and so are they! Why they love, why they feel offended, why they take education and why they have urge to propagate their knowledge and counter ‘superstitions’? Also, why don’t they oppose laws against crime? Because if its all chemical reactions, why to punish a chemical reaction? Do you punish acid when someone throws that on someone’s face to damage it? Also if they are chemical reactions, why to take them seriously? All they speak or write or argue may just be a stupid random chemical reaction creating disturbance, like two acids mixing in chemical lab!
In summary, if its chemical reaction or non-eternal entity, the whole concept of law, order, love, emotions, education, character, crime, punishment, rewards, sports, entertainment, compassion etc become useless. Whole life becomes meaningless. So this theory is only for meaningless people with meaningless intellect who would not mind even being killed because even their life is meaningless and murder is also a chemical reaction!
Let us keep such meaningless arguments aside, and explore further the logical truth of we being ‘soul’ that is unborn and undying.

Q: Is Soul free to act or dependent on Ishwar?

A: It depends. When the universe is destroyed (Pralaya), soul (except souls that have reached salvation or Mukti or Moksha) remains unconscious without any free-will. During existence of universe, soul is imparted limited freedom to act when it is given a birth as per its deeds. However how much freedom the soul desires for itself is also based purely on the soul through its deeds.
For example, typically Indians decide to remain slaves of foreigners due to their celebrated slave-mentality. So they have limited freedom and face humiliations even in their own country. This limited freedom is not divinely provided but purely choice of our own society as a whole. Same happens at individual soul level.
In other words, depending upon the capability of the soul, Ishwar provides a domain of freedom to soul to act. And it keeps modifying this domain on an ongoing basis.
This is similar to the level of freedom we provide to our child. When its a baby, we restrict it to a small cot. As it starts walking on four legs, we ensure that we restrict its movement so that it does not fall down from a high bed. Gradually we provide him more and more freedom till he becomes a grown up man. If in the process, we find that it is cultivating bad habit of eating dirty things on floor, the mother finds some innovative way to prevent it from doing so. Its freedom is thus restricted. On contrary, if the child behaves like a good boy and obeys parents, does not do messy things, he obtains increased freedom quickly.
Ishwar, like our parents, keeps doing this on an ongoing basis like a continuous simulation of optimization algorithm. And he does so, like our parents, only for our own benefit.
In summary, soul is completely free in deciding how much freedom it wants for itself.
To state this in other words, Soul is free to decide its actions, but its dependent completely on Ishwar to face fruits of its actions.

Q: Could you explain what you mean by ‘free’ and ‘fruits of action’?
A: One whose ‘will’ rules over its body, senses and life-force is called free. If soul is not free, there would be no reason why it should face fruits of sinful or noble actions. Because if it acts only like a puppet of Ishwar, then Ishwar should face fruits of sinful or noble actions. Because if you kill someone with a sword, you get the punishment and not the sword.
That is why, those cults who believe that Ishwar has already written everyone’s future even before he created them, and kept in some book (like Lohe Mehfooz of Muslims under throne of Allah) are actually saying that God/ Allah should be punished for all wrong things happening in the world. All sensible people should reject such obviously self-contradictory theories.
As per Vedas, soul is completely free to act and govern its body, senses and life-force within the domain of limitations it has. And through its actions, it can choose to increase or decrease this domain of limitation. When the domain of limitation is completely broken away, the soul acts in sync with Ishwar’s inspiration and becomes completely free or Mukta.
To understand this from another example, consider the freedom a child has. Because he did not study he could not become a doctor. So he has no freedom to conduct surgeries. But if he would have studied and become an MS, he would gain the freedom to conduct surgeries. This freedom is his own choice. But unlike manmade laws, where one cannot become a doctor after a certain age, as per laws of Ishwar, each soul possesses the chance to transform itself and reach ultimate bliss and potential every moment.
The cumulative of all such choices that we have exercised each moment since Anaadi Kaal (beginninglessness) up to this moment across various lives and deaths decide our present ‘fruits of actions‘.
These ‘fruits of actions’ are such that they are the best possible fruits to have to reach complete bliss in MOST optimal and fastest manner. This department of optimization or deciding the ‘fruits of actions’ is managed by Ishwar and soul has no control over it.
Now ‘fruits of actions’ is a term used to define the aggregate of the ‘domain of limitation’ we possess at any point in time as well as feeling of pleasure or pain. Basically these emerge from one and same thing that we call ‘Sanskaars’ or our innate tendencies.
Thus, to put in very simple words:
Soul is free to act but is totally dependent on Ishwar to face the fruits of his actions.

Q: Had Ishwar not created the soul and given it the capability to act, soul could not have done anything. Hence it is Ishwar alone who dictates the souls.

A: Again a very pertinent question, but relevant only to those superstitious cults – like Islam and Christianity – that believe that Ishwar ‘creates’ the soul.
As per Vedas, soul is never created nor destroyed. Just as Ishwar is eternal, so is the soul. The root cause of material world – nature (Prakriti) is the third eternal entity. Ishwar creates neither the soul nor the Prakriti.
There was never a time when these three eternal entities did not exist nor would a time come when they would cease to exist.
The role of Ishwar is to integrate the inanimate or non-living nature with conscious soul in a manner that soul is able to perform actions, exercise choices and reach eternal bliss. Thus Ishwar is like an engineer who designs and works with existing items and NOT a creator in the sense that He creates lollypops and ‘lemon choos’ like Sathya Sai Baba or Allah from nothingness.
After integrating nature and soul, he passes on the the control of mind and body to soul as per the optimization algorithm discussed in previous section. Now it is soul who obtains the capability to act and hence faces the ‘fruits of actions’.
When someone murders another person with sword, punishment is accorded to the murderer and not to the maker of sword, the seller of sword or the miner who extracted iron from earth because only the murderer is responsible for the crime. Similarly, Ishwar does not face ‘fruits of actions’ nor can be held responsible for good or bad act of the soul.
Had Ishwar been forcing souls to act, no one would have been committing sins because Ishwar is beyond sins and the most pure. This is what happens with those exalted souls who burn all seeds of ignorance and act solely as per inspiration of Ishwar and then achieve salvation.

Q: What are the characteristics of Soul and Ishwar?

A: Both soul and Ishwar are conscious (Chetan) and basically pure. Both are immortal, unborn and undying.
But Ishwar has additional characteristics like creator of universe, manager of universe, destroyer of universe, infinite knowledge, infinite powers, infinite bliss etc as discussed in previous articles of the series.
The characteristics of soul as per Nyaya Sutra (1.1.10) are following:
1. Desire to obtain something (Ichha)
2. Repulsion from something (Dwesha)
3. Will to put efforts (Prayatna)
4. Feel happiness (Sukha)
5. Feel sorrow (Dukha)
6. Have knowledge (Jnana)
Vaisheshik Sutra (3.2.4) details characteristics of soul when it is in mortal body as:
1. Inhalation
2. Exhalation
3. Contraction
4. Relaxation
5. Mind and feeling of Self
6. Movement
7. Sense and work organs under control
8. Variations.
When soul is in a body, these characteristics are manifested. When it leaves the body, these characteristics are no more present. From these scholars deduce the existence of soul.

Q: What is the size of soul? Does it fill entire body?

A: Soul is like a point in space. Soul is point-like in size and limited in knowledge. Ishwar is even finer than soul and has infinite knowledge.
Thus Ishwar manages the entire functioning of the body and soul controls it like the CEO in its office.
Some people believe that soul of an elephant is bigger than soul of an ant. This is not true. All souls are completely equal in their potentials and dimensions. The only difference between the different souls is the ‘fruits of actions’ that they face as per their different deeds. So soul does not change size when it transmigrates from one species to another. Only its locus of control changes.

Q: So you say that Ishwar is both within and outside soul? But how can another object be where an object is already existing? Hence Ishwar cannot exist where soul exists. They may be close to each other but Ishwar cannot be within soul.

A: Two things cannot exist at same place only when they have same dimension like size. But just like electricity exists subtly within iron in same manner Ishwar resides within each soul and in fact each point in world. So Ishwar and soul have relation of pervader-pervaded, ruler-ruled, parent-child etc.

Q: Do soul and Ishwar ever unite as One or always stay separate?

A: Soul and Ishwar are never separate. Because as discussed earlier, Ishwar pervades within and outside soul. Thus soul can never ever separate from Ishwar.
But that does not mean soul becomes Ishwar ever. If that were so, it would have happened already. After all soul and Ishwar exist from beginninglessness.
However when soul burns all seeds of ignorance, it acts completely in sync with Ishwar. Now in such a situation, soul becomes completely Ishwar-oriented in same manner as a hot piece of iron becomes a ball of fire within a big fire. This is the state of ultimate bliss or Mukti.
For more details on this, refer More on Vedic God.

Q: Ok, I got it. I understand what is soul and what is its relation with Ishwar. But what do I need to do in this life? What is its purpose?

A: We shall discuss all this in details subsequently. However to put briefly, the purpose of this life is to achieve ultimate bliss or Mukti through right actions.

Q: How do I know what are right actions?

A: Right actions are those actions which are as per Dharma. Dharma is NOT religion. Dharma means natural traits. For example, to burn is natural trait or Dharma of fire. To wet is Dharma of water. Similarly there are natural traits or Dharma of souls. However due to ignorance, this understanding and acting according to Dharma fades in us. But if you notice, that inner voice always keeps guiding you. When you start following that inner-voice, rest of the things fall in line automatically.
You will find that it is unnatural for you to do fraud, to be cruel, to be characterless, to not be patriotic, to be lazy and so on. As and when we start getting natural, we feel the urge to do more and more natural things – to be disciplined, to put efforts, to be compassionate, to be truthful, to be patriotic, to seek knowledge of Vedas, model life accordingly and move fast towards ultimate bliss. All these are thus natural Dharma. This may take one life, two lives, several lives and Ishwar will ensure that the journey is never broken.
We shall discuss these in more details later. But keep one thing in mind – Vedic wisdom is completely intuitive. The knowledge already resides in you as Ishwar. So blind belief in completely out of question. This is applicable even to Vedas. However skepticism and needless criticism as shown by communists towards our culture, and doubting everything is also a recipe for regression (opposite of progress).
All those cults who demand blind faith in any book, prophet, angels, heaven, hell through fear or lure are for sure demanding you to follow the most wrong actions that one can. Stay away from them!

Q: Nice to know all the details. But I am still not convinced. How do you prove truth of these fancy hypothesis?

A:
1. We never promised that we would convince you. We simply presented knowledge of Vedas in most logical manner to best of our intent and capabilities. Conviction would come only through your own efforts and we can no way interfere in that process.
All we can recommend is to evaluate all the existing ideologies of the world, scrutinize them and think why should we believe in them. Include Atheism also. And assess why and how they are better than what Vedas – the oldest and most preserved texts of the world – offer. Also consider that if any one of them seems more appealing, why is another not appealing? Is it merely a personal choice or something more logical?
2. Whatever has been presented is most intuitive from observations in the world. We know we exist, we know that the whole world including our body is being managed in most ordered manner, we know that noble acts bring us bliss, we feel that natural urge to do something productive etc etc. As and when we get rid of bad sanskaars and control mind better, all this knowledge becomes more and more intuitive.
3. And finally there is no compulsion to believe arbitrarily and blindly. So simply accept truth and reject falsehood and steer ahead!
In next lessons, we shall discuss concepts of creation and then move to concept of salvation, how to achieve it and understand Law of Karma better in the process.
Before we end, an amazing message from Aitreya Brahman 7.15 of Rigveda for all the souls:
“One who does not put noble efforts tirelessly and relentlessly cannot achieve prosperity and glory. A lazy person who only thinks but does not do anything significant, gets destroyed due to this greatest sin. Ishwar helps only him who puts the best efforts. Hence keep walking, keep walking.
A laborious person makes his body strong and his soul becomes deserving of greatest fruits of actions. Efforts destroy all road-blocks. Hence keep walking, keep walking.
What is destiny? One who sits also makes his destiny seated. One who sleeps puts his destiny into slumber. One who walks forces his destiny also to move forth. Hence keep walking, keep walking.
When one sleeps, it is Kaliyug. When one wakes up, it is Dwapar. When he stands, it is Treta and once he gets into action, he creates Satyug. Hence keep walking, keep walking.
Only one who walks gets sweetness and bliss of honey. Only one who walks achieves sweet fruits of action. Look at sun, it never stops and keeps moving. Hence keep walking, keep walking.”
May my country and entire humanity start walking in right direction, dazzle like bright sun and bring Satyug immediately. O Ishwar! Please make us work to our best to fulfill this ambition very soon.
This article is also available in Gujarati at http://agniveer.com/5714/understanding-self-hinduism-gu/
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God of Vedas and Hinduism

Sanjeev Newar

-

October 27, 2010

134

This entry is part 3 of 7 in the series Vedic Lessons

Q: Some scholars say that Ishwar does not act and has no properties. He simply witnesses whatever happens and universe is managed through the laws He has designed.

A:
1. Ishwar on contrary is the most dynamic entity. And his properties are infinite. However his dynamism does not mean that He Himself changes but that He is source of all actions.
2. What we term as laws is actually Ishwar performing actions in most perfect manner. So perfect are these that we are able to see them being conducted accurately each time. Some of His actions thus can be translated into mathematical equations as well. And a repeatable perfect unexplained phenomenon witnessed by us is termed as ‘Law’ by us because we cannot go beyond it to know how it happens.
This is simply like a deaf-blind child being fed consistently by his mother since childhood whenever he weeps. And then the child claiming that its a ‘Law’ that whenever he cries, he gets food!
Unless there is a cause, there can be no effect. And Ishwar is the ultimate cause.
3. Shwetashwatar Upanishad 6.8 puts it as: Ishwar can conduct His duties without requiring external support. None is comparable or better than Him. He is the Supreme with infinite powers and infinite dynamism. Had Ishwar not been dynamic, it would have been impossible to create, manage and destroy the universe. He is animate, all-pervading and most active.
4. When he acts, he acts in most optimized manner depending upon the time and space for the particular action – neither less nor more. Afterall He is all perfect!

Q: Does Ishwar incarnate or not?

A: Depends on how you define incarnation. He does not incarnate or sends messengers in the way Prophet comes in Islam and son of God comes in Bible. Vedas clearly define Him as unborn, formless and unchangeable. On contrary Vedas state that He is able to perform ALL His duties at ALL times maintaining His unchangeable identity.
Refer Yajurveda 34.53 (He is unborn and maintaining One single identity always) and Yajurveda 40.8 (He is always uniform, without body, without nerves, without gaps and unchangeable).

Q: What about incarnations like Sri Krishna? He clearly asserts in Geeta 4.7 that whenever there is a decay of Dharma (virtues) and rise of Adharma (evil), I incarnate on this earth.

A: 1. There is NO mantra in Vedas to assert that Ishwar takes birth. Since Vedas alone is supreme evidence, Geeta has to be interpreted only in lines of Vedas.
2. Sri Krishna was a noble yogi. It is natural tendency of noble people to desire for protection of Dharma and destruction of Adharma. Selflessness is an innate trait of great people. Thus Sri Krishna wanted to take birth again and again to serve the cause of Dharma. We bow to such great thoughts of Sri Krishna and that is why He is our role model.
3. Some people say that Ishwar has to take incarnation to destroy evil people like Ravana and Kansa. However this is too petty a thing for Ishwar to demand His flouting of Vedic rules and take birth. When He can create, maintain, destroy entire universe and manage the Karma-cycle of each soul, why should He take birth for such minute tasks? Afterall He resides within bodies of Ravana and Kansa also and governs each act of theirs. He can easily destroy them whenever He believes is right opportunity.
4. And if someone says He needs to take birth to set right examples, this is also incorrect. Because He is already setting greater examples by maintaining us all so perfectly. Can there be greater example than management of entire universe! The devotees would understand His greatness by this itself.
He guides us all though ‘inner voice’ and exemplary role models inspired by Ishwar whose deeds further inspire us.
5. Further Ishwar is beyond restrictions of hunger, thirst, pain, pleasure, ignorance, mortal actions, results of actions, life, death. Refer Yoga Darshan 1.24. If you read stories of incarnations, you would find these alleged-incarnations to be affected by these tendencies that can affect ONLY souls and NOT Ishwar. To say that Ishwar gets subject to these mortal traits is insult of all-perfect Ishwar.
6. If someone says that Ishwar is not affected by these traits but only pretends to be affected by these to demonstrate humanness, this again is insult of Ishwar. Because Ishwar is truth Himself. He is not a drama artist and never pretends. He exhibits only what is truth alone. He leads us from pretense towards truth. (Refer Yajurveda 31.18)
7. Also if we consider that Rama or Krishna were Ishwar Himself, there is nothing great that they achieved in their lives. For Ishwar, who can create, manage and destroy entire universe, killing some petty people on a small planet earth, and that too after lots of tortures and failures, is actually a mockery of His capabilities.
8. But if we understand true meaning of Avatar, things become clear. There is Ishwar in each soul. In fact, soul is within Ishwar. When a soul removes all barriers of ignorance, it is now driven by Ishwar alone. Such a soul is practically Ishwar because it has no separate will apart from that of Ishwar. These souls are Avatars.
If we consider these people -Rama, Krishna etc – to be Ishwar-driven souls, what they achieved was amazing and among greatest examples for rest of us. They thus are benchmarks for us to model our own lives and character in lines with true worshippers of Ishwar.
9. Vedas have no place for stories of Biblical and Quranic incarnations. However if we adopt concept of incarnation as mentioned above, or even as that of Ishwar actually taking birth, it does not matter if we follow one thing. That while Bhakti of Ishwar is important, we will not shun our duties of fighting the evil in garb of worshipping the incarnation. The concept of Semitic incarnation is a very recent one. And since this concept emerged, we have got weaker and weaker. From being rulers of entire globe, we have brought ourselves down to a level where we have no proper rights in our own country. Let our Bhakti and belief in incarnation not become a roadblock to our Karma Yoga. Instead, let it become a stepping stone to even more Karma because we know Ishwar is helping.
And then, once we also become Mukta souls, the truth will automatically emerge.
10. Its a pity that we do not consolidate resources and energies to do true worship of Ishwar by following right examples of whom we worship as incarnations. That is why despite our best of noble intentions, genuine love for Supreme, we have stupid things like birth-based caste-system and gender discrimination, attacks by invaders like fanatic cults, christianization, corruption, immorality etc spread all around us.
11. True respect to Ram, Krishna, Hanuman etc would come by doing what they did – making our bodies strong, doing exercises to increase power, meditation, disciplined routine, high character, increasing knowledge, understanding our true Dharma or Vedas, fighting Ravans and Kansa all around, saving dignity of motherly-force (women) all around and establishing true Rama Rajya.
This is true worship of Ishwar and there are no shortcuts to this.
12. To those organizations and groups who vociferously defend concept of incarnation, our humble request is to set right examples by indulging in debates with Muslims and Christians, counter them actively, and spend a bulk of the billions of dollars they earn through donations at temples for defending the Dharma, working among so-called Dalits and untouchables, conversion movements, conducting massive Shuddhi programs and hence follow true examples of Ram and Krishna.
Adi Shankaracharya writes in his Paraa-Puja:
“How can we invoke or submerge (Ahwan and Visarjan) of the omnipresent Ishwar? What use is Asan or seat for One who is already holding us all? What use is water to clean feet and face of the Ishwar who is the most pure? How can we have him take bath? The entire universe is within Him, how can we put clothes on Him? How can we put Janeu or Yajnopaveet (Sacred Thread) over Him when He is beyond the division of Varnas or classes? How can we do physical worship of the one who is Unbroken, All-knowing, All-powerful, One and only One, Formless and Omnipresent?”

Q: I understand. So instead of incarnations, Ishwar/ God sends Prophets. Right?
A: The concept of Ishwar or God sending Prophets is the most silly concept to have. For example, Muslims consider that Allah is all-powerful yet believe in Prophets. Thus they imply that Allah is not capable enough to directly guide the living beings and hence has to use agents like Prophets and Angels to help Him out.
And look at the defective ways of God when he acts through Prophets. Jesus is supposed to be a Prophet and he could not help document the Bible properly. Whatever he did goes in vain because original Bible does not exist. Similarly Muhammad is alleged to be a Prophet of Allah but could not properly document Quran during his lifetime. He did not even know that his book will be called Quran. The Quran was later compiled only 20 years after his death, in most controversial manner. The oldest Quran available today is 300 years after Muhammad’s death and is said to be copy of the Quran compiled 20 years after his death. Such are the ways of those superstitious cults who believe in Prophets.
But Vedic Ishwar is truly all-Powerful and hence directly communicates with all souls instead of using agents. He revealed the Vedas at inception of humanity (refer Origin of Vedas ) and then continuously guides all living beings. He inspired us to secure Vedas – the oldest texts – in most rigorous manner. And what more, through His inner voice, He ensures that even if we do not have access to Vedas, we are still nurtured and guided by Him like a mother caring for her child.
Vedic Ishwar is within us and outside us. So He needs no third-party outsourcing agents to guide us. So ONLY such an omniscient omnipresent all-powerful caring and just Ishwar should be worshipped by us. All prophets are falsehoods and gravest insult to glory of Ishwar. Hence they should be immediately rejected by those who have any respect for Ishwar/ Allah or God.

Q: Does Ishwar not forgive sins of His devotees?

A:
1. Yes He does. But only sins of future. By being true worshippers of Ishwar, our mind gets purified and hence we do lesser and lesser sins in future. Ishwar ensures this purification process.
2. But the sins of past are never forgiven. Each act of ours, good or bad, must provide appropriate results. No record is deleted. However the results are such that they are meant only for our best benefits to progress towards ultimate bliss. This is due to His unconditional kindness.
3. Thus people who do special rituals, fastings, pilgrimage, baths in vain attempt to have their past records deleted are fooling themselves. You would thus see that fraud politicians, actors etc being bit too ‘close’ to Ishwar. Thus vulgar films start with picture of deity/ place of worship or a religious verse. Such people conduct massive religious events and visit temples, dargahs, mosques bit too often. Not only it acts as publicity stunt, they also do this as a balancing act to delete off the most disgusting sins they conduct on a regular basis.
4. But just as obesity is not cured merely by popping a pill or saying ‘Sorry’, the tendencies of sins do not get deleted instantaneously. It demands constant efforts and till that stage is reached, each sin committed would be accounted for without any deletions or account balancing.
5. In fact Ishwar does not wait to do justice. The moment we do any act- good or bad – He starts giving us the result. However tangible effects of these results are observed by us immediately or after some time depending upon the act and our own level of sensitivity. When there is a delay in sensing the results, we term it as results of a past deed. But in reality, the process was happening constantly right from the moment we conducted the deed. This is like diabetes happening continuously through each food we have eaten or exercise we have done or not or stress we took or not. But its effect may be manifested only after a period of time.
6. Further if Ishwar were to delete past records of sins, He can no more remain just. Because everyone would have tendency to conduct sins right now and then say sorry later like fraud people mentioned above. And if Ishwar listens to them, this would only motivate this foolishness of theirs even further. Even people who do not commit sins would be motivated to commit sins. Hence Ishwar being just and kind both, ensures that each and every act of ours are given the due fruits – neither less nor more but only for our benefit.
So ALL THOSE CULTS who attract people by luring them with forgiving of sins through Confession or Acceptance of Prophet (for example modern Islam and Christianity) are insulting Ishwar and fooling everyone including themselves. All sensible persons should immediately reject them.

Q: We hear that Ishwar knows whatever happend in past, is happening now and would happen in future. Thus whatever He knows, souls have to act accordingly. Hence soul is not free to act and merely is a puppet. Still soul is punished by Ishwar unjustly.

A:
This allegation is true for those cults who believe that God has written everyone’s destiny beforehand. For example many Muslims, based on fake Quran and Hadiths, believe that Allah has compiled every future event in Lohe Mehfooz already and keeps it under his throne. They thus make Allah a psychopathic dictator who created souls and then forces them to act as per His whims. He punishes some souls, lures others to do sins and illegitimately favor other souls. If such a book indeed exists, that is only insult to Almighty Ishwar. Refer God Must be Crazy!
Further when Allah knows all, why He is required to create a book (Lohe Mehfooz) that ONLY He can read? Does He fear that He will have loss of memory? Also, does the book also has written that Allah will write Lohe Mehfooz? Such a theory is childish and full of blatant loopholes.
But such imaginations are not relevant for Vedic Ishwar.
a. Past refers to what was there but is no more existing now. Future refers to what does not exist right now. But Ishwar’s knowledge is always same and uniform and true. In other words things which do not exist does not fall in domain of Ishwar’s knowledge.
Future and Past is only for souls not for Ishwar who is beyond such a limitation of time. With respect to actions of soul, one can say that Ishwar knows past, present and future, but not inherently. In other words, Ishwar knows what a soul does and what results He has to give rightfully. But neither Ishwar has to look back in past to know history nor He needs to look into future to discover what is going to happen. He is always in present and possesses true independent knowledge at all times of both actions as well as results.
We shall discuss properties of soul later, but note that soul is somewhat free in acting in present (subject to its past actions resulting in its present sanskaars or tendencies) but completely dependent on Ishwar for results of these actions. Now Ishwar ensures that these results are such that the sanskaars of soul are modified to help the soul use his limited independence in best possible manner in order to increase his limit of free will further and achieve bliss in most optimal manner. This keeps happening every moment in a continuous manner.
The entire field of Yoga is based on harnessing this law of Ishwar to best of our benefit.

Q: Is soul also Ishwar and becomes Ishwar after salvation or Moksha? If not, what is Advait?

A: We shall study nature of soul in greater detail in a later lesson. But to briefly answer, soul is not Ishwar. If souls were Ishwar, it is already Ishwar right now. Why are we then unable to manage the entire universe right now and one soul (Ishwar) keeps fighting against another soul (Ishwar) when they are one and same? If you say because of Maya or Ignorance, this means that Ishwar is also affected by Ignorance. Now this is against Vedas which clearly say that Ishwar is beyond limitations of ignorance and remains so always.
Further if I am Ishwar and unable to realize that I am Ishwar, then who is managing the universe right now? If you say that I am drop of the ocean-like ‘major Ishwar or Brahma’ who is managing the universe, then what is the guarantee that that ‘major Ishwar’ is also not affected by ignorance and sins and hence managing the universe wrongly in corrupt manner? After all that Ishwar is also me myself and I know I am ignorant right now!
This all will lead to fallacious logic which may sound good in poems and quotations, but cannot be termed logically sound.
Vedas nowhere give such a concept of soul being Ishwar and instead clearly state that soul and Ishwar are separate.
Advait refers to the Vedic concept of One and Only One Ishwar. It means that there is only One Ishwar and no more. He alone is to be worshipped.

Q: If that be so, why did Shankaracharya talk about Soul and Ishwar being same?

A: Shankaracharya was a Vedic scholar who lived during an era when atheism was getting prevalent. He countered Atheism by arguments that whatever can be proved by Atheism, can be proved even more convincingly by considering Soul to be Ishwar itself. Had he not done so, we would not have been able to safeguard Vedic wisdom. We are deeply indebted to Him for serving this great cause.
When Shankaracharya was born, already the traditions of deriving scientific knowledge from Vedas was almost non-existent. Vedas were being considered books of rituals alone. Thus even Shankaracharya did not dwell into Vedas and focussed on Vedanta, Geeta and Upanishads which were most popular during those times. He thus based his arguments on these great books and countered Atheism. He did this as per instructions of Nyaya Darshan which allow Vitanda or relatively better logic to counter a more dangerous convention in short-term. Note however that scope of Vitanda is restricted only to logical reasoning and NOT facts themselves.
Here is an example of Vitanda:
Initial Convention:
All apostates who reject Islam and propagate against it should be killed – Zakir Naik
Vitanda Logic:
From point of view of apostate, rest of the population has rejected his religion and are propagating Islam, hence they should be killed and not him.
Initial Convention:
But its a Muslim majority state. Hence its the apostate being against the entire state who should be killed and not rest of the people of the state. – Zakir Naik
Vitanda Logic:
By this logic, Muhammad must have been killed when he first propagated Islam. Because he was the only one knowing Islam and entire state did not believe in Islam.
Note that we do not imply that all people should be killed or Muhammad should have been killed. But we use these arguments ONLY to counter a stupid argument that is very prevalent among large number of ignorant people.
Same is the case with Advait arguments. Shankaracharya used these to establish existence of Ishwar and counter atheism. And after he had defeated all anti-vedic Atheist ideologies but before he could provide us more from his brilliant intellect, he died at a very young age of 32. So we wrongly consider him as believer of Soul=Ishwar.
In fact there are a large number of verses from his commentaries on Vedanta, Upanishads and Gita that hint at his being a believer of Ishwar and Soul being different. This would be a different research based discussion all together that we may take up once bulk of believers of foreign faiths of West have been brought back into the original Vedic fold in next few years.
But regardless of the intellectual debate, just imagine the wonders he could accomplish within such a short time! 25 years is the minimum time required to covered the very basics of gurukul education. And at age of 32, we have a great scholar who changed the future of our country and world! Let us all bow to his great brilliance and pray to Ishwar that He gifts us all with similar intellect.

Q: Is Ishwar Saguna or Nirguna?

A: We have explored this question in Understanding Vedic God and Lets learn Vedic Worship in detail. Please see there.

Q: Is Ishwar Raagi (full of passions and emotions) or Virakta (one who has renounced passions)

A: Ishwar is neither of them and beyond such tendencies. Because passion is for things which are not already part of us. And renunciation happens for things we possessed earlier. But Ishwar already possesses whatever is required and cannot renounce anything because He is always omnipresent.

Q: Does Ishwar have any desires?

A: Ishwar does not have the kind of desires that we see in souls. Souls desire for things they do not possess. So how can possessor of everything desire anything? And being completely blissful, He does not need to desire for even bliss. However He motivates the creation, maintenance and destruction of universe with the objective of providing happiness to souls. This is termed ‘Iskhana’ of Ishwar or purposefulness of His actions.
Those who consider that Ishwar desires worship from souls (like Zakir Naik) are actually insulting Ishwar as being self-indulging praise-loving dictator. Whatever worship we do is to improve ourselves and no way affects the Ishwar.
We shall discuss nature of our own Self subsequently.
Note: We have provided views directly from Vedas which may be different from what many of us may have been led to believe in for various reasons rising due to sidelining of Vedas. However for sake of unity we would not like to debate unnecessarily on these topics until we have addressed the foremost priority asevident from our prayers in Vedic Worship – strengthening of nation in rightful manner.
May Ishwar grant us all the wisdom to adopt the Dharma followed by our role models like Rama and Krishna. And specially encourage our own brothers and sisters who follow foreign cults full of superstitions and blind-faith to come back to their original home of Vedas. May we all unite together and make our nation the world-leader in benevolence for entire world. The only way for this is true worship of true Ishwar and may that happen very soon!
This article is an interpretation of works of Swami Dayanand Saraswati as available today.
This article is also available in Gujarati at http://agniveer.com/god-vedas-hinduism-gu/
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