what is a happy life

[Guest guest]

how do we know if this will be our last birth??

why are we here - how do I find out what is the pupose of my life??

[Guest guest]

Happiness is the goal of all. Sometimes, mistaking source of misery to be happiness, we invite misery. Knowledge opens the gate to eternal bliss and liberation.

 

Followings from the teachings of a sage may help.

 

The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi

 

HAPPINESS

 

All beings desire happiness always, happiness without a tinge of sorrow. At the same time everybody loves himself best. The cause for love is only happiness. So, that happiness must lie in one. Further that happiness is daily experienced by everyone in sleep, when there is no mind. To attain that natural happiness one must know oneself. For that, Self-Enquiry, 'Who am I?' is the chief means.

 

 

 

CONSCIOUSNESS

 

Existence or Consciousness is the only reality. Consciousness plus waking we call waking. Consciousness plus sleep we call sleep. Consciousness plus dream, we call dream. Consciousness is the screen on which all the pictures come and go. The screen is real, the pictures are mere shadows on it.

 

 

 

MIND

 

Mind is a wonderful force inherent in the Self.

 

That which arises in this body as 'I' is the mind.

 

When the subtle mind emerges through the brain and the senses, the gross names and forms are cognized. When it remains in the Heart names and forms disappear.... If the mind remains in the Heart, the 'I' or the ego which is the source of all thoughts will go, and the Self, the Real, Eternal 'I' alone will shine. Where there is not the slightest trace of the ego, there is the Self.

 

 

"WHO AM I?" - ENQUIRY

 

For all thoughts the source is the 'I' thought.

 

The mind will merge only by Self-enquiry 'Who am I?' The thought 'Who am l?' will destroy all other thoughts and finally kill itself also. If other thoughts arise, without trying to complete them, one must enquire to whom did this thought arise. What does it matter how many thoughts arise? As each thought arises one must be watchful and ask to whom is this thought occurring. The answer will be 'to me'. If you enquire 'Who am I?' the mind will return to its source (or where it issued from). The thought which arose will also submerge. As you practise like this more and more, the power of the mind to remain as its source is increased.

 

 

SURRENDER

 

There are two ways of achieving surrender. One is looking into the source of the 'I' and merging into that source. The other is feeling 'I am helpless myself God alone is all powerful and except throwing myself completely on Him, there is no other means of safety for me', and thus gradually developing the conviction that God alone exists and the ego does not count. Both methods lead to the same goal. Complete surrender is another name for jnana or liberation.

 

 

THE THREE STATES: WAKING,DREAM AND SLEEP

 

There is no difference between the dream and the waking state except that the dream is short and the waking long. Both are the result of the mind. Our real state is beyond the waking, dream and sleep states, called turiya.

 

 

GRACE AND GURU

 

I have not said that a Guru is not necessary. But a Guru need not always be in human form. First a person thinks that he is an inferior and that there is a superior, all-knowing, all powerful God who controls his own and the world's destiny and worships him or does Bhakti. When he reaches a certain stage and becomes fit for enlightenment, the same God whom he was worshipping comes as Guru and leads him on. That Guru comes only to tell him 'That God is within yourself. Dive within and realize'. God, Guru and the Self are the same.

 

 

SELF-REALIZATION

 

The state we call realization is simply being oneself, not knowing anything or becoming anything. If one has realized, he is that which alone is, and which alone has always been. He cannot describe that state. He can only be That. Of course we loosely talk of self-realization for want of a better term.

 

That which 'Is' is peace. All that we need do is to keep quiet. Peace is our real nature. We spoil it. What is required is that we cease to spoil it.

 

 

HEART

 

In the centre of the cavity of the Heart the sole Brahman shines by itself as the atman (Self) in the feeling of 'I'-'I'. Reach the Heart by diving within yourself, either with control of breath, or with thought concentrated on the quest of Self. You will thus get fixed in the Self.

 

 

RENUNCIATION

 

Asked 'How does a grihastha (householder) fare in the scheme of Moksha (liberation)?' Bhagavan said, 'Why do you think you are a grihastha? If you go out as sanyasi (ascetic), a similar thought that you are a sanyasi will haunt you. Whether you continue in the household or renounce it and go to the forest, your mind goes with you. The ego is the source of all thought. It creates the body and the world and makes you think you are a grihastha . If you renounce the world it will only substitute the thought sanyasi for grihastha and the environments in the forest for those of the household. But the mental obstacles will still be there. They even increase in the new surroundings. There is no help in change of environment. The obstacle is the mind. It must be got over whether at home or in the forest. If you can do it in the forest, why not at home? Therefore, why change your environment? Your efforts can be made even now - in whatever environment you are now. The environment will never change according to your desire'.

 

 

FATE AND FREEWILL

 

Freewill and destiny are ever existent. Destiny is the result of past action; it concerns the body. Let the body act as may suit it. Why are you concerned about it? Why do you pay attention to it. Freewill and destiny last as long as the body lasts. But jnana transcends both. The Self is beyond knowledge and ignorance. Whatever happens, happens as the result of one's past actions, of divine will and of other factors.

 

There are only two ways to conquer destiny or be independent of it. One is to enquire for whom is this destiny and discover that only the ego is bound by destiny and not the Self and that the ego is non-existent.

 

The other way is to kill the ego by completely surrendering to the Lord, by realizing one's helplessness and saying all the time, 'Not I, but Thou oh Lord' and giving up all sense of 'I' and mine, and leaving it to the Lord to do what he likes with you. Complete effacement of the ego is necessary to conquer destiny, whether you achieve this effacement through self-enquiry or bhakti marga (Path).

 

 

JNANI

 

A jnani has attained Liberation even while alive, here and now. It is immaterial to him as to how, where and when he leaves the body. Some jnanis may appear to suffer, others may be in samadhi; still others may disappear from sight before death. But that makes no difference to their jnana. Such suffering is apparent, seems real to the onlooker, but not felt by the jnani, for he has already transcended the mistaken identity of the Self with the body.

 

The jnani does not think he is the body. He does not even see the body. He sees only the Self in the body. If the body is not there, but only the Self, the question of its disappearing in any form does not arise.

 

 

 

In Arunachala Ashrama, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi remains the teacher and Guru. Lectures and discussions may have a place in an aspirant's life, but Arunachala Ashrama is maintained in a manner that allows visitors and residents to obsorb the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi through silence. His teachings are always being disseminated in Silence, and to hear them we must silence our mind. Lectures and discussions can obscurate his silent teachings to the Heart.

 

"Silence is the ocean in which all the rivers of all the religions discharge themselves." -Thayumanavar

 

 

THE GURU

 

Sri Maharshi did say that a Guru was necessary. He also said that the Guru may not be external, as in his case. Again, upon his physical demise he said that he was not leaving, as he was never identified with the body; meaning, he is present even now.

 

The truth is that no one can give us liberation. The way can be pointed out, directions can be given. Our intense earnestness and total dedication to the goal is the most essential factor. If we become obsessed with this one thing - realizing Truth-Truth, a physical Guru (if necessary) and all else will be drawn to us automatically. The Guru will come to us when we are ready. We simply need to attend to making ourselves ready and the rest is automatic. For those with faith in the Maharshi's living presence there are no doubts in this matter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Happiness is the goal of all. Sometimes, mistaking source of misery to be happiness, we invite misery. Knowledge opens the gate to eternal bliss and liberation.

 

Followings from the teachings of a sage may help.

 

The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi

 

HAPPINESS

 

All beings desire happiness always, happiness without a tinge of sorrow. At the same time everybody loves himself best. The cause for love is only happiness. So, that happiness must lie in one. Further that happiness is daily experienced by everyone in sleep, when there is no mind. To attain that natural happiness one must know oneself. For that, Self-Enquiry, 'Who am I?' is the chief means.

 

 

 

CONSCIOUSNESS

 

Existence or Consciousness is the only reality. Consciousness plus waking we call waking. Consciousness plus sleep we call sleep. Consciousness plus dream, we call dream. Consciousness is the screen on which all the pictures come and go. The screen is real, the pictures are mere shadows on it.

 

 

 

MIND

 

Mind is a wonderful force inherent in the Self.

 

That which arises in this body as 'I' is the mind.

 

When the subtle mind emerges through the brain and the senses, the gross names and forms are cognized. When it remains in the Heart names and forms disappear.... If the mind remains in the Heart, the 'I' or the ego which is the source of all thoughts will go, and the Self, the Real, Eternal 'I' alone will shine. Where there is not the slightest trace of the ego, there is the Self.

 

 

"WHO AM I?" - ENQUIRY

 

For all thoughts the source is the 'I' thought.

 

The mind will merge only by Self-enquiry 'Who am I?' The thought 'Who am l?' will destroy all other thoughts and finally kill itself also. If other thoughts arise, without trying to complete them, one must enquire to whom did this thought arise. What does it matter how many thoughts arise? As each thought arises one must be watchful and ask to whom is this thought occurring. The answer will be 'to me'. If you enquire 'Who am I?' the mind will return to its source (or where it issued from). The thought which arose will also submerge. As you practise like this more and more, the power of the mind to remain as its source is increased.

 

 

SURRENDER

 

There are two ways of achieving surrender. One is looking into the source of the 'I' and merging into that source. The other is feeling 'I am helpless myself God alone is all powerful and except throwing myself completely on Him, there is no other means of safety for me', and thus gradually developing the conviction that God alone exists and the ego does not count. Both methods lead to the same goal. Complete surrender is another name for jnana or liberation.

 

 

THE THREE STATES: WAKING,DREAM AND SLEEP

 

There is no difference between the dream and the waking state except that the dream is short and the waking long. Both are the result of the mind. Our real state is beyond the waking, dream and sleep states, called turiya.

 

 

GRACE AND GURU

 

I have not said that a Guru is not necessary. But a Guru need not always be in human form. First a person thinks that he is an inferior and that there is a superior, all-knowing, all powerful God who controls his own and the world's destiny and worships him or does Bhakti. When he reaches a certain stage and becomes fit for enlightenment, the same God whom he was worshipping comes as Guru and leads him on. That Guru comes only to tell him 'That God is within yourself. Dive within and realize'. God, Guru and the Self are the same.

 

 

SELF-REALIZATION

 

The state we call realization is simply being oneself, not knowing anything or becoming anything. If one has realized, he is that which alone is, and which alone has always been. He cannot describe that state. He can only be That. Of course we loosely talk of self-realization for want of a better term.

 

That which 'Is' is peace. All that we need do is to keep quiet. Peace is our real nature. We spoil it. What is required is that we cease to spoil it.

 

 

HEART

 

In the centre of the cavity of the Heart the sole Brahman shines by itself as the atman (Self) in the feeling of 'I'-'I'. Reach the Heart by diving within yourself, either with control of breath, or with thought concentrated on the quest of Self. You will thus get fixed in the Self.

 

 

RENUNCIATION

 

Asked 'How does a grihastha (householder) fare in the scheme of Moksha (liberation)?' Bhagavan said, 'Why do you think you are a grihastha? If you go out as sanyasi (ascetic), a similar thought that you are a sanyasi will haunt you. Whether you continue in the household or renounce it and go to the forest, your mind goes with you. The ego is the source of all thought. It creates the body and the world and makes you think you are a grihastha . If you renounce the world it will only substitute the thought sanyasi for grihastha and the environments in the forest for those of the household. But the mental obstacles will still be there. They even increase in the new surroundings. There is no help in change of environment. The obstacle is the mind. It must be got over whether at home or in the forest. If you can do it in the forest, why not at home? Therefore, why change your environment? Your efforts can be made even now - in whatever environment you are now. The environment will never change according to your desire'.

 

 

FATE AND FREEWILL

 

Freewill and destiny are ever existent. Destiny is the result of past action; it concerns the body. Let the body act as may suit it. Why are you concerned about it? Why do you pay attention to it. Freewill and destiny last as long as the body lasts. But jnana transcends both. The Self is beyond knowledge and ignorance. Whatever happens, happens as the result of one's past actions, of divine will and of other factors.

 

There are only two ways to conquer destiny or be independent of it. One is to enquire for whom is this destiny and discover that only the ego is bound by destiny and not the Self and that the ego is non-existent.

 

The other way is to kill the ego by completely surrendering to the Lord, by realizing one's helplessness and saying all the time, 'Not I, but Thou oh Lord' and giving up all sense of 'I' and mine, and leaving it to the Lord to do what he likes with you. Complete effacement of the ego is necessary to conquer destiny, whether you achieve this effacement through self-enquiry or bhakti marga (Path).

 

 

JNANI

 

A jnani has attained Liberation even while alive, here and now. It is immaterial to him as to how, where and when he leaves the body. Some jnanis may appear to suffer, others may be in samadhi; still others may disappear from sight before death. But that makes no difference to their jnana. Such suffering is apparent, seems real to the onlooker, but not felt by the jnani, for he has already transcended the mistaken identity of the Self with the body.

 

The jnani does not think he is the body. He does not even see the body. He sees only the Self in the body. If the body is not there, but only the Self, the question of its disappearing in any form does not arise.

 

 

 

In Arunachala Ashrama, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi remains the teacher and Guru. Lectures and discussions may have a place in an aspirant's life, but Arunachala Ashrama is maintained in a manner that allows visitors and residents to obsorb the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi through silence. His teachings are always being disseminated in Silence, and to hear them we must silence our mind. Lectures and discussions can obscurate his silent teachings to the Heart.

 

"Silence is the ocean in which all the rivers of all the religions discharge themselves." -Thayumanavar

 

 

THE GURU

 

Sri Maharshi did say that a Guru was necessary. He also said that the Guru may not be external, as in his case. Again, upon his physical demise he said that he was not leaving, as he was never identified with the body; meaning, he is present even now.

 

The truth is that no one can give us liberation. The way can be pointed out, directions can be given. Our intense earnestness and total dedication to the goal is the most essential factor. If we become obsessed with this one thing - realizing Truth-Truth, a physical Guru (if necessary) and all else will be drawn to us automatically. The Guru will come to us when we are ready. We simply need to attend to making ourselves ready and the rest is automatic. For those with faith in the Maharshi's living presence there are no doubts in this matter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

maharishi is not maha nor rishi.. mahafool maybe

[Guest guest]

**********maharishi is not maha nor rishi.. mahafool maybe**************************

 

May be. Since, the universe is as you are.

 

[maadhav 0]

<< what is a happy life >>

 

it depends how much conscious you are about what is miserable life. you can find it out by first experience life after life, or you an find it out by studying vedic shastras, or from a good guru.

 

<< how do we know if this will be our last birth??

 

when you can directly feel the presence of krishna dn all your work is in relation to him only.

 

<< why are we here - how do I find out what is the pupose of my life?? >>

 

because we chose it.

and forgot now why.

 

[barney 0]

A fortunate life is a happy life where all dreams are fulfilled. But on the contrary not all living beings go through such. A yogi may be happy at his achievment for sometime but he to wishes to go beyond the boundry but could not do so and he would not be happy with his in life. He would feel that he had failed some how in his duty and so finds himself being uncontented. When one is not contended in life he feels miserable and there would be no happiness in life. Only when one feels totaly contented with his life than one becomes happy in life. We do no know if this is our last lap in life coz our life is a ticketless travel destination unknown. You would only know when you reach your destination and this is called destiny of life. In short our life is basically based of our past karma and that secret is hidden from us so that we would not forget our creator. Suppose if we knew our past and future surely we can alter the ssituation to our desire but that is not how our life works. There are set of rules and we cal it Dharma. Abide by it and you will find happiness in life. The purpose of life is clearly stated in the Dharma Sastras and every individual must follow the Dharma sastra to his or her utmost ability. For those who failed are the one's whose life is always like the waves of the ocean. Unsettled and always in turmoil. Happiness comes within, when you fulfill your obligations by serving your fellow human beings. When doing such you have directly served God, who in return would make your life more desirable by giving you more than what you derseve even though you had bad karmas in your previous life. I hope you understood my explanation.

[Guest guest]

Barney

 

If you can break your posting into paragraphs it would be easier to read. Pl do consider my suggestion.

[Guest guest]

"maharishi is not maha nor rishi.. mahafool maybe "

 

Infact you are the fool.

If you do not agree to anybody, you dont call them fools.

Infact any civilised person will not even comment on such a great man.

 

What If I say prabhupada is a fool?

Will you tolerate it?

You are the worst offender of hinduism, and so is your foolish guru prabhupada.

 

Just for the sake of winning over a few gullible westerners, you go to the extent of equating a hindu with a muslim? and you call a great soul a fool.

 

YOu moron.....

 

I know this post will be deleted by the moderators, but let them see how fools like you hurt the feelings of a lot of hindus.

 

YOu bloody moron, how dare you to blashphemise such a great soul??

[Guest guest]

the universe is as you are.

 

that's meaningless... me is me, universe is universe

 

[Guest guest]

"Infact you are the fool.

If you do not agree to anybody, you dont call them fools.

Infact any civilised person will not even comment on such a great man.

What If I say prabhupada is a fool?

Will you tolerate it?

You are the worst offender of hinduism, and so is your foolish guru prabhupada."

 

why are you speaking of bhaktivedanta swami? demonstrate that maha"rishi" is a great man and defend him.. to criticize others it will not help

 

you are more happy following a fool if you discover that others are fool?

 

[Ganeshprasad 0]

Jai Ganesh

What is happy life?

 

One which we all search for but eludes most of us, why?

We keep chewing the chewed, same old thing but no real happiness, what we mistake for pleasure is mainly relief from pangs of material struggle, born out of ignorance culminating in disappointment and yet we come back for more of the same.

 

What is this ignorance? If we analyze our life we will find all our effort is geared towards meeting the needs of the body, eating mating sleeping and defending and you know what we always come out second best in comparing to animal life. We falsely identify our self to be this body and this is the real cause of our misery.

 

There is neither Self-knowledge nor Self-perception to those whose senses are not under control. Without Self-perception there is no peace; and without peace there can be no happiness. (2.66)

 

 

Frustrated by our effort realization the folly of our struggle we either give up or ask who am I where am I coming from what is the purpose of life? Our real journey begins, but if any one thought the journey back is bed of roses might even forget it. They say it is like walking on double edge sword. So where is the happy life? At least when I was in ignorance I had some pleasure but this spiritual path it seems is more difficult and no apparent reward. Hang in there they say it is like, to a jaundice person, the sweet sugar cane tastes like bitter.

Just as Shree Krishna says

This sukh, appears as poison in the beginning but is like nectar in the end, comes by the grace of Self-knowledge; is good or Saattvika. (18.37)

 

Re

(how do we know if this will be our last birth?? )

 

The Atma is neither born nor does it die at any time, nor having been it will cease to exist again. It is unborn, eternal, permanent, and primeval. The Atma is not destroyed when the body is destroyed. (2.20)

 

 

Re

(why are we here - how do I find out what is the pupose of my life?? )

 

No one for sure will be able to tell you why, but the fact is we are here, so what is the purpose of life?

know your self, or else just as Shankracharya said punarapi janam punarapi maranam----

 

Jai Shree Krishna

 

 

 

Jai Shree Krishna

 

[Guest guest]

You guys started offending ramana maharishi.

 

I pulled in Prabhupad to just show how offending it can be to his western followers.

 

[Guest guest]

***************the universe is as you are.

 

that's meaningless... me is me, universe is universe************

 

 

THe universe iscoloured as per you Maya colored glasses that you have put over your eyes, years, nose, and skin etc.

 

 

Your glasses are definitely defective. As another esteemed guest has pointed out. One does not call another a maha fool on account of simple disagreements.

 

 

On the other hand, all emerge out of Lord, so using such language hurts Him only.

 

 

I do not want to be harsh or sarcastic. But definitely you are immature and not yet spiritual though you think yourself to be a spiritual person.

 

 

Best wishes

 

[Guest guest]

*********demonstrate that maha"rishi" is a great man and defend him*********************

 

 

I did not want to be harsh. But you are definitely a scum.

 

Why did you not demonstrate and support your statement of calling another person a maha fool?

 

 

You are scum, fit for a sewer. You act gentle in most discussions but under the garb of guest synonym you call others names.

 

And this is plain cowardice. Before using such comments, please use your registered name so that everyone knows your whole view point.

 

 

Don't be a coward.

 

 

I am Atanu.

[Guest guest]

***********Frustrated by our effort realization the folly of our struggle we either give up or ask who am I where am I coming from what is the purpose of life? ------- So where is the happy life? ********************

 

 

Namaskar Ganeshprasad ji.

 

Taking life as it is, surrendering to His will and giving up desires to Him ---- sure medicine. No agony left.

 

 

But, to give up desires (pertaining to "me"), is difficult if one does not enquire "Who Am I" and finds that the "i" is non-existent. No agony is left when one sees that there is only one "I" -- that is Lord. No agony is left when one sees that the body is inert, and the mind is inert without support of the underlying conciousness.

 

One also realizes that though the mind does not exist in deep sleep but one exists and is in fact in bliss. So, agonies exist in the ego sense -- the "i" sense.

 

So, some sages, (including Mahesvara in Devikallotara and Krishna in Gita) advises us to abide in Self during waking state also and teach us to realize "Lord in everyone and everyone in Lord". One who searches for the plane where from the "I" sense emerges, soon finds the source --- the Self, where from there is no return.

[rahul 0]

Bliss of the Self (Happiness) is always with you, and you will find it for yourself, if you would seek it earnestly. The cause of your misery is not in the life outside you, it is in you as the ego. You impose limitations on yourself and then make a vain struggle to transcend them. All unhappiness is due to the ego; with it comes all your trouble. What does it avail you to attribute to the happenings in life the cause of misery which is really within you? What happiness can you get from things extraneous to yourself? When you get it, how long will it last?

 

If you would deny the ego and scorch it by ignoring it, you would be free. If you accept it, it will impose limitations on you and throw you into a vain struggle to transcend them. To be the Self that you really are is the only means to realise the bliss(Happiness) that is ever yours.

 

You should withdraw the senses from the sense-objects as there is no trace of happiness in them and fix the mind on the immortal, blissful Self within. The sense-objects have a beginning and an end. Separation from the sense-objects gives you a lot of pain. During the interval between the origin and the end you experience a hollow, momentary, illusory pleasure. This fleeting pleasure is due to Avidya or ignorance. He who is endowed with discrimination or knowledge of the Self will never rejoice in these sensual objects.

 

That pleasure which arises from the contact of the sense-organ with the objects, which is at first like nectar, and in the end like poison - that is declared to be Rajasic.

-Gita, Ch. 18, Verse 38

 

 

thanks

 

May Lord KRISHNA bless u

[Guest guest]

You guys started offending ramana maharishi.

I pulled in Prabhupad to just show how offending it can be to his western followers.

xSo you had no intention to blasphemy, but you have done it just to show something... explain it to Dharmaraja when your moment will come

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

***********Bliss of the Self (Happiness) is always with you, and you will find it for yourself, if you would seek it earnestly. The cause of your misery is not in the life outside you, it is in you as the ego.****************

 

True teachings of Ramana and Gita and Vedas.

 

What new things we can say?

 

 

Thank you.

[Guest guest]

One does not call another a maha fool on account of simple disagreements.

xThat's foolish:

"If the mind remains in the Heart, the 'I' or the ego which is the source of all thoughts will go, and the Self, the Real, Eternal 'I' alone will shine. Where there is not the slightest trace of the ego, there is the Self"

 

the ego is not the mind, the ego is us, the eternal individual who is simultaneously different and not different from god. Life, in all his forms, is eternal, never born and never destined to die. So if we hypotize a kind of life who will end disappearing to reveal the only one existing Self, we are illogically speaking of a life who will die.

 

And that in my opinion is fool..

 

I am not the Whole, the Super Ego, the Param Brahman, God or whatever... otherwise i were conscious of it. God is never unconscious

 

 

[Guest guest]

*********the ego is not the mind, the ego is us,*************

 

This is no justification for calling names.

 

You are not fit for debates.

 

 

 

 

 

[Ganeshprasad 0]

Jai Ganesh

 

Namaskar jigyasu ji.

 

Re

Taking life as it is, surrendering to His will and giving up desires to Him ---- sure medicine. No agony left.)

 

Yes it is important to accept life as it is, since it is of our own making, born out of our own desires accumulating 1000s of good and bad karmas.

 

O scion of Bharata [Arjuna], all living entities are born into delusion, overcome by the dualities of desire and hate.(7.27)

 

Difficult indeed it is to give up the desires after all it is for happiness that we desire. So the sure medicine of surrendering to his will and giving up the desires is still very bitter in the beginning.

 

What is the root of our desire?

 

Re

(But, to give up desires (pertaining to "me"), is difficult if one does not enquire "Who Am I" and finds that the "i" is non-existent.)

 

But how can I say I am nonexistent? I am very much conscious I have an existence now, and Lord Krishna says having once been you never cease to be.

 

Re

( No agony is left when one sees that there is only one "I" -- that is Lord. No agony is left when one sees that the body is inert, and the mind is inert without support of the underlying conciousness. )

 

When one perceives diverse variety of beings resting in One and spreading out from That alone, then one attains Brahman. (13.30)

 

I can appreciate there is only one big I, since i am neither this body nor this mind who am I?

 

Re

(One also realizes that though the mind does not exist in deep sleep but one exists and is in fact in bliss. So, agonies exist in the ego sense -- the "i" sense. )

 

Am I this ego?

 

Re

(So, some sages, (including Mahesvara in Devikallotara and Krishna in Gita) advises us to abide in Self during waking state also and teach us to realize "Lord in everyone and everyone in Lord". One who searches for the plane where from the "I" sense emerges, soon finds the source --- the Self, where from there is no return. )

 

Because of perceiving the (same) Self (abiding) in all beings and all beings (abiding) in the (same) Self; a yogi, who is in union with the Self, sees everybeing with an equal eye. (6.29)

Those who see Me in everything and see everything in Me, are not separated from Me and I am not separated from them. (6.30)

 

Pardon my ignorance what is Devikallotara?

 

 

Jai Ganesh

 

[Guest guest]

***********And that in my opinion is fool..*************

 

 

You may find out "who you are?"

Your opinion is worthless.

 

 

[Guest guest]

**************Difficult indeed it is to give up the desires after all it is for happiness that we desire. So the sure medicine of surrendering to his will and giving up the desires is still very bitter in the beginning.**********

 

Yes, it is indeed difficult. Since it entails disassociation to objects of desire.

 

But the truth is that the objects of the desires are painful. -- Sweet apparently, but poison actually.

 

Like, a person who is in shade is in happiness but he does not know it. He goes out to scorching Sun and then he realizes that the original state was one of bliss. Rig Veda tells that in deep sleep jiva is one with Brahman but Jiva does not know it, since Lord veils the truth.

 

 

 

THe same truth some sages state in different fashion: Consciousness plus waking is waking state. Consciousness plus dream is dream state. Consciousness plus deep sleep is sleep state. But pure Consciousness is ever there. This pure Consciousness is realizable during waking by stilling the mind (The Turiya state).

 

The chinmudra of Lord Dakshinamurti is symbolic of this truth. The silence ensuing at the end of OM is also this truth. And a mind absorbed at the source of "I" is also this truth.

 

 

*********What is the root of our desire?****************

 

Scriptures say that the original proclamation of one concsiousness: "I am Brahman", is the original desire.

 

Atanu was not born with his conscious free will. AS Atanu, he did not choose parents. Atanu did not know that he will participate in these debates. So, who desires?

 

Who am I? and Who desires? are the fundamental questions.

 

Moreover, do we carry load on our head when we board a train? Similarly, all load (as well as pleasurable acts and their fruits) can be simply surrendered to the Lord.

 

 

**********Am I this ego?*****************

 

Ego sense is that which gives rise to the concept that "I am this". This concept vanishes on enquiry "Who Am I", since "i" is not found. Ego itself is the illusion.

 

I cannot be the body-brain. Since at the time of death, body-brain exist but these do not say I. During deep sleep, the mind does not work (sleeps) but still I exist. There are numerous other evidences that Body-brain and mind are not I. Then what is I?

 

During deep meditation, when mind is not attached to external objects, the concept "I am this" is replaced by "I-I" or "I am". This is said to be pure Consciousness, which exists as ONE in the middle of everywhere and every being. It experiences "I am Atanu" and "That is Ganeshprasad". But all these experiencing is within one single Consciousness only. The ego sense assumes ownership of Atanu and starts ruling Atanu. Once that ego sense is sought, it is not found -- during meditation and on rational enquiry as well. And once ego (bhanda Asur) is killed Jiva is liberated. Actually jiva is free always but ego sense hides the truth.

 

 

In Br. Up., it is stated that Maya bound jivas are pasus to Devas, who do not like to lose control. For removal of the veil we need the grace of Aditi -- Lakshmi, Sarawaswati, and Durga.

 

This episode is recounted in Keno Up., wherein Durga grants the vision of Brahman to Indra.

 

 

One job of Durga (Shiva Duti) -- during Dasa Hara, is to kill Bhanda Asur (the shameless ego, which claims ownership of "I").

 

 

**********Pardon my ignorance what is Devikallotara?**********

 

Sir, I am sure, there is no ignorance for you. Only more and more practice in meditation will take you to the destination.

 

In Aitt. Up. (I hope I am correct about the name), Lord Varuna repeatedly tells Bhrigu Muni that a concentrated mind is Brahman. In other words, a still mind which does not float here and there but stays at the source and observes the activities as a seer is a fit mind.

 

Devi Kalottara is a set of teaching imparted to Devi by Lord Shiva. Kallottara is that which comes at the end of time.

 

If you wish and If I find a digital copy, I will post it.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Another imporatant aspect.

 

All karma is of mind and not of soul. When, with self effort, mind is made a servant of Self, Karma drops off.

 

Even, Lord of the Universe gives control of his power of cognition and desire to Saktiman Purusa.