07 Jul 2009
Note: This article is meant for intellectuals only
[Gurupurnima Message - Morning] The word soul (Jeevaatman) is composed of two components 1)Atman and 2)Jeeva. The component Atman is basic inert energy that is generated in the body by the oxidation of food with the help of digestive system (Annamaya kosha) and respiratory system (Pranamaya kosha). The component Jeeva consists of a complex mechanism of receiving the information from the external world, storing it, thinking about it in several ways, determining the correct path by logic and finally enjoying happiness. Ofcourse, if the path is wrong by bad logic, grief is enjoyed and all this also is part of Jeeva only. Receiving the information and thinking about it in several ways is Manomaya kosha. Determination of correct conclusion for practice and its implementation is Vijnanamaya kosha and enjoying the happiness is Anandamaya kosha. The Annamaya kosha carries on the digestion of food by pulverising it with enzymes. The supply of oxygen for oxidation of food by respiratory system is Pranamaya kosha. The food is oxidised by oxygen for the liberation of inert energy. This inert energy represents Atman and therefore, Atman is indicated by the first two koshas. The other three koshas represent Jeeva. The word Atman is indicated by the word Paraprakruti, which is said to be the maintainer of this creation (Yayedam dharyate... Gita). The maintainer is the creator and destroyer also. Therefore, the inert energy called as cosmic energy creates, maintains and destroys this world. This cosmic energy is called as Brahman, which means the greatest entity. It pervades all over the creation and is inert as said in the Gita (Nityah sarvagatah sthanuh...). Atman is a drop of this cosmic energy embedded by a body. Atman and cosmic energy are qualitatively same and differ only quantitatively.
Atman is the original unmodified basic crude inert energy. This Atman is modified into Jeeva and thus, Jeeva is a modified form of Atman only (Jeevabhutaam—Gita). Jeeva represents work and work is a form of inert energy only. Matter and space are also modifications of inert energy only. Therefore, the body surrounding the Atman is also essentially inert energy only. Thus, in essence, all the creation is just modification of infinite inert energy only. Atman is the unmodified basic inert energy, where as the body is modified form of inert energy. The words like ‘Sthanuh’ and ‘Achalah’ denote that it is inert in nature. Atman existing in the body and Brahman existing in cosmos are one and the same in quality and thus, Atman is Brahman. If the body is destroyed and if Jeeva is also destroyed, the Atman merges with Brahman like the space in the pot merging with the cosmic space after the destruction of pot. This is the salvation in Advaita. If Jeeva is not destroyed, Atman is in the form of Jeeva, which goes to the upper worlds and returns back after sometime. Jeeva is the block of ice. If the ice disappears, the block of ice becomes water and merges with the ocean. Shankara says that Atman is neither kartha nor bhokta, which means that neither Atman does good and bad deeds nor enjoys good and bad fruits. This is possible only when Atman is inert. The quantitative difference between Atman and Brahman (cosmic energy) is also explained by Shankara with reference to the difference in the media i.e., body and cosmos (Upadhi bheda). Therefore, Shankara never touched God, who is beyond matter, inert energy and space. The process of receiving the information from external objects is purely physics. The process of thinking is nothing but transmission of electrical pulses between neuron cells, which involves chemical reactions and electricity based on biological sciences. These electrical pulses, transmitted between crores of neuron cells, can even lit an electrical bulb! The logical analysis and determination of right conclusion are involved in these electrical transmissions. The enjoyment of happiness is due to chemical changes involving liberation of certain hormones. Therefore, the entire Jeeva is a complex of systematic, scientific biological process only. Since matter is form of inert energy, the whole process and material of the body is just modification of Atman only.
Therefore, all the philosophy of Shankara is circulated in the creation only, when He advised that Atman is Brahman. Here, the word Brahman means the basic inert cosmic energy only and not the unimaginable God, who is beyond the cosmic energy. He did not go beyond the creation, while preaching Purva Mimamsakas and Buddhists, who were atheists. They were converted in to theists by showing the highest attraction that ‘Atman is Brahman’. The word Brahman stands for both the God and the cosmic energy. This dual chance was exploited by Shankara to convert atheists into theists. The atheists thought that Brahman is God but Shankara meant Brahman as cosmic energy. Shankara meant that Atman is cosmic energy in quality but atheists took Atman as God. The silence of Shankara on this dual meaning of Brahman is to convert atheists into theists. Since, they agree that they exist, God existed by their own word itself. After knowing that Atman is God theoretically, the practical achievement was linked to worship of God through devotion. In this way, Shankara converted the atheists in to devotees and His master plan is marvellous and is the biggest wonder in this creation. Unless He is incarnation of God, such an intellectual twist cannot be created. He twisted the concept to suit the psychology of atheists and converted them into devotees. If an atheist asks, He [Shankara] will say that Atman is Brahman or God. If a theist asks, He will say that Atman is Brahman or cosmic energy.
Shankara established the fundamental concept in the spiritual knowledge according to which God is the absolute reality and the creation is relatively real. If you analyze the present Science deeply, this can be well appreciated. Science says that matter is a form of energy. Matter and energy are simultaneous concepts and both are inter-convertible. Einstein says that matter and space are similar simultaneous concepts. He says that there is no absolute space without referring the matter since only geometrical space exists. The bending of space around boundary of matter indicates that space is not nothing but has physical status. Thus, energy and matter are similar to matter and space in the simultaneous existence. Therefore, space and energy must have similar relationship. The generation of galaxies from space indicates the inter-conversion of space into energy and matter. All this concludes that space, energy and matter mutually exist and are simultaneous inter-convertible concepts like the sides of a coin. The forms that convertbetween themselves must be relatively real. The absolute basic form must be always one without any conversion. This can be clear by an example. You have seen a rope in mild darkness. The existence of rope is clear to you but not the form of the rope. The superimposed forms like snake, stick and garland appear but their existence is the same existence of rope. Therefore, the three superimpositions appear as if they really exist. These superimpositions will be converting in to each other because you will seethe snake for sometime, the stick for sometime and garland for sometime. Once the light is put on, the absolute reality, the rope, appears. This rope will never be converted into any of these relative forms (snake, stick and garland). Therefore, the right conclusion is that the absolute reality is never converted into another form and the inter-convertible forms are always relatively real. Based on this example, space, energy and matter are relatively real, which are inter-convertible between themselves. Absolute reality is God and cannot be converted into any other form with reference to the realisation of rope. The rope is never seen as long as the relative forms exist. Therefore, God can never be imagined as long as space, energy and matter (Creation) exist. Therefore, God is unimaginable. You are a part and parcel of creation and you will disappear along with the disappearance of creation. Therefore, for you creation can never be unreal. It is unreal only for God. But, Shankara gave a twist here to purify minds of atheists. He said that the world is unreal. The atheists took that the world is unreal for them. Shankara kept silent because such misunderstanding is going to do good for the atheists. Due to unreality of the world, one will reduce the influence of family bonds, which are supposed to be unreal. This will minimise selfishness and mind is purified, which is required for the devotion to God. Thus, Shankara converted atheists in to theists by saying that they are God. Then they purified their minds by taking the world as unreal for them. The theist with pure mind is eligible to become a good devotee. Then He introduced the Lord for worship with devotion in order to become God practically. Who can handle this situation with such efficiency except the human incarnation of God?
If somebody asks Him how that Atman, a bit of cosmic energy, is God, who is beyond the entire cosmic energy, the answer will be that Brahman means only the entire cosmic energy and not God. The similarity is also qualitative and not quantitative. The atheists have misunderstood Brahman as God and the silence of Shankara over this is purposeful. By such misunderstanding, the atheists will think that Atman is God and therefore, God exists since Atman exists. A twist for some good purpose is appreciable and should not be considered as cheating. Now through this misunderstanding, the atheist is converted into theist. This is the first success of Shankara. The second step is that Shankara told that this world is unreal. It is unreal for God but not for the soul, since soul is also a part of the world because a bit of cosmic energy (soul) must be a part of entire cosmic energy (creation). Shankara kept silent on this point also and therefore, the soul (atheist) took the world as unreal in its view. Again this twist is for good purpose only. The atheist converted theist, now thinks that the world is unreal and therefore, reduces his selfishness to a very large extent since he feels that his family bonds are unreal. This brings purity of mind. This is the second success of Shankara. Now the result is that the atheist is converted in to theist with pure mind. The mind without selfishness becomes pure. Theism associated with purity of mind is perfectly eligible for devotion. Now a third twist is given by Shankara to convert the pure minded theist in to a devotee of Lord. Shankara suggested that though the Atman is God, it can practically become God through devotion to the Lord. The theoretical influence of ignorance (Ajnana avaranam) is removed by the knowledge of the unity of Atman and Brahman but the practical influence of ignorance (Ajnana vikshepa) can be removed only by the intensive worship of Lord. This is the proposal of Shankara to introduce devotion to the new theists. Now the pure theist becomes a devotee of the Lord. In course of time, the devotion to Lord and the pure mind without selfishness loses the ambition to become God. Thus, Shankara was successful to convert the extreme negative into extreme positive through His intellectual interpretations associated with purposeful twists and silence over the clarifications. There can be no practical preacher in this creation similar to Shankara, who succeeded in this unimaginable task and this is possible because Shankara is the human form of God Himself. Therefore, Shankara alone can be called as the world preacher (Jagadguru) and we must remember Him on this auspicious Gurupurnima.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★