Liberation is the prime goal
The wisdom of the Indians (Bharathiyas) is nourished by dharma. Though Indian thought asserts that the “objective world” is basically untrue and though it teaches us that our involvement with life and its problems is an illusive adventure that cannot affect our reality, the scriptures (sastras) that are the roots of that thought do not advise us to discard dharma.
For, to grasp the highest and ultimate truth, dharma is indispensable. The four traditional goals of human endeavor (the purusharthas: righteousness, wealth, desire, liberation (dharma, artha, kama, moksha)) are laid down to cater to those who live in the belief that the objective world is “true”.
It can be seen that even among the four goals, dharma has been placed first and foremost. The state to be earned by the first three achievements is moksha, which is mentioned last. The person who seeks riches and the fulfillment of desires along the path laid down by dharma can alone win victory; that way lies liberation, which gives people the highest bliss.
Nevertheless, since the individualized, limited self (jivi) is caught in the net of desire (kama), the goals of dharma and moksha do not enter its vision or arouse any interest. It takes delight in sinking and floating on the waves of material pleasures (wealth and desire, artha and kama). This is not strange in persons of that nature.
The search for food, the avoidance of fear, and the enjoyment of sloth and sleep —in these, people and animals are equally eager and equally involved. The search for moksha and the observance of dharma —these promote people to a level of existence higher than the animal level. If that yearning is absent, one cannot claim to be human.
Religions vary, not their essence
All religions are one, declares this land of India (Bharath). There may be a difference in the number and nature of the limbs, but the message each conveys is the same as all the rest. This is the discovery of India and her announcement to mankind.
For directing their prayers to God, one person uses a stone as a symbol; another, a piece of metal; a third, wood.
But all attach great importance to prayer and believe in its beneficent effects. One person turns to the east while praying; another regards the west as really sacred.
The prayer of both concerns the same wants and inad- equacies. This is the conclusion arrived at by Indian (Bharathiya) sages and thinkers. Each faith has its own scriptures and doctrines, but one must pay attention to the special features too.
However one feels or thinks, one transforms oneself into the embodiment of those feelings and thoughts. If one is immersed in the truth that one is God, one can become divine.
However, if one is immersed in the falsehood that one is the king of the land, one will be deemed mad or traitorous. One might even be beheaded for treason. God will not treat you as insane or insubordinate.
Logic and intellectual investigation can give only partial accounts of the truth. Everything in creation has many phases and many angles. Reason can observe only from one angle; it can see only one phase.
Without undergoing the process of purification and clarification, reason can work only within the bounds of the materialist world, so the conclusions that it presents before us can be only partially true. But the intellect subjected to the processes of cleansing and sharpening in the Vedic way can serve us by presenting a picture of the full truth of the objective world.
God, people, and creation
The universe is the macrocosmos (Brahmanda); the individual being is the microcosmos (pindanda). But the basic truth of both is One, the same. That One is independent and unrelated to any other fact or thing. When that One is realized in this manner, it can be called Brahman. When it enters the awareness as the universe, it is referred to as the Universal Absolute Brahman (Parabrahman).
The basic truth of the universe is Atma. The basic truth of the individual is also Atma. All that appear different from Atma are of the region of delusion (mithya). Delusion implies a condition that until inquiry appears real but on inquiry is known to be unreal. It is only an appearance, this universe and its supposed basis — an appearance caused by ignorance (maya).
The power that deludes us into believing that the created cosmos is true and real is also an emanation from the Atma. When this power operates and the Atma is clothed with it, it is referred to as the Supreme Self (Paramatma).
Trifold primal qualities or energies
Atma is the truth-knowledge-bliss (satchidananda), treated as one inseparable composite. Illusion is also a composite of the three natural modes or qualities (gunas) — dull, passionate, and pure (thamasic, rajasic, sathwic). They express themselves in desire, deed, and wisdom.
The quality called dullness (thamas) creates the ap- pearance of diversity, hiding the basic ONE and Only. The quality called passion (rajas) explores the truth and pleasures of wisdom. The quality called purity (sathwa) is a clear mirror, giving a correct picture of things and events that happen before it. It reflects the highest Brahman and reveals God (Iswara). God thus manifested be- comes the universe (jagath) created by His will. The reflected God does not have the capacity of delusion. Just asthe clear lake water has froth and bubbles on its surface, so the Atma’s essential nature seems to be tarnished by the deluding appearance of illusion (maya) and its product — the universe, with varied names and forms.
When the three modes of delusion (maya) are in balance and in a state of unruffled equipoise, the universe is termed unmanifest (avyaktha). This is termed the “seed state” since all subsequent variations are subsumed and latent in it. When dullness (thamas) and passion (rajas) have their impact, creation is caused and the cosmos comes about. They agitate living beings into activity. The deluding force is conditioned by the three modes, as and when each expresses itself and asserts its influence over the rest.
When purity (sathwa) predominates, it is called Atma-maya; when passion (rajas) is ascendent, it becomes ignorance (a-vidya); when dullness (thamas) holds sway, it becomes dullness (thamas). When the Atma is reflected in the pure mode, the image becomes God (Iswara); when reflected in passion (rajas), it becomes individual being (jiva); and when reflected in dullness (thamas), it becomes matter.
It is the mould or container that causes the distinction between God (Iswara), the individual being (jiva), and matter; when there is no mould or container, all these are Atma. Since the universe is God, individual soul, and matter, it can be truly described as the composite of the three modes. The universe has manifested in order to serve the highest interests of living beings and of mankind, the most intelligent of them all.
While affirming that the Atma is reflected in the pure, passionate, and dull (sathwic, rajasic, and thamasic) modes, producing impressions of God, the individual and matter, one point has to be emphasized. The mirror that conditions the image has only limited capacity. It can reflect only objects that are opposite to it.
But when the mirror is either convex or concave in surface or when its plain surface is soiled with dirt, the image will suffer contortion or fail in clarity. However, this does not affect the object; only the image is distorted or defaced. But the object itself is usually condemned on the basis of its reflection or image.
Cosmic spirit and individual Self
Brahman also appears distorted on account of illusion and ignorance, and this distortion, which is a super- imposed characteristic, is wrongly supposed to adhere to Brahman itself! The image of the Supreme Godhead (Parameswara) is also a reflection in the mirror of illusion. Just as milk turns into curds, Brahman has turned into the universe (jagath).
The individual being (jiva), God (Iswara), and the elements or matter (bhutha) all contribute to the progress of the individual, each in its own way.
The Lord is the fulfilment of all desires; all objects of enjoyment in the universe emanate from His will, so He has no desire at all. He has manifested the universe not for the realization of any desire of His or filling any vacuity from which He suffers but entirely for the benefit of living beings.
Without the intercession of the Lord, activity cannot result in consequence; nor can certainty arise that a particular act will result in an identifiable manner. Besides, the sages declare that activity (karma) is momentary.
The thought arises and the act is done. The act is followed by the fruit. It is not possible to predict when the fruit will be available or what its nature will be. Hence, we have to admit that it all depends on the Lord’s command. What cannot be interpreted by our limited intellect has to be ascribed to His command.
