BRIEF HISTORY OF ORIGIN OF UNIVERSE

   The universe has origin even in the physical concept and so it has origin in all the religions. The Christianity states 7 days or the origin and what THE GOD took 7 days to create universe. In Hindu or Vedic concept the whole thing is cyclical and there is no real beginning or end as such. It may be compared to the Mario brother's original video games -where the screen continues . So there is no real beginning of the TIME. As I have mentioned in some other blogs , the Time is not part of ultimate reality the BRAHMAN and so one cannot ask what was BEFORE that. 

  But here I am going to try to talk about origin of one of the cycles as the universe starts and end and starts again. At the end of the Cycle everything ends in singularity and everything is in balance . All the BHUTAS-JIVAS-Life are dormant and the 3 GUNAS the qualities are dormant and in perfect balance . Then there is some disturbance, so called GUNASHOBHINI. The DORMANT or quite state is called ALINGA AWASTHA. . The LINGA means sign -so at this stage there is sign or characters to it or may be qualities to it. With the disturbance, and imbalance of 3 GUNA So, the qualities , The state of universe with disturbance is origin of or called MAHAT TATWA. This is LINGA AWASTHA. and that is origin of I-NESS or AHANKAR. The universal I-NESS is AHNAKAR and limited to individual body is called ASMITA .JIVA is reflection of the CHAITANYA and is covered by AVIDYA or Ignorance. The 5 great elements combine with TAMOGUNA and that starts 5 TANMATRA .namely SHABDA -SPARSH-RASA-ROOP-GANDH-sound-touch-taste-appearance-smell.These 5 things are objects of 5 organs of DNYAN-perception. So, the TANMATRA form is called AVISHESH AWASTHA .

   The 3 GUNAS are TAMAS-RAJAS-SATWIC . The RAJASIC quality - the activating quality combines with 5 Great elements and form 5 organs of ACTION or KARMENEDRIYE. The SATWIC GUNA and 5 Great elements (PNCHA MAHABHUTE) combine and gives rise to 5 organs of Perception -DNYANEDRIYE. plus something called ANTAHKARAN. This state is called VISHESH AWASHTHA .

 There is relationship of 5 Great Elements and 5 organs of perception which will be discussed in different blog. Hope this has not put reader to sleep. 

SO THE 4 STAGES ARE ALING-LINGMATRA- AVISHESH- VISHESH .

FOUR PURUSHARTH IN HINDU DHARMA

     In Hindu Dharam they have described 4 PURUSHARTH. The word Purusha does not mean male . It is suppose to be for EVRYONE. The Purusha here is meant to be the SPRIT and Dharma i is religion. The meaning of the word DHARMA can be different when used in different context. When we say that the wood floats in water or iron sinks in water -we say that that is it's DHARMA or GUNADHARMA . Her the term Dharma is used as quality. Like sugar is sweet. The Dharma is also used as in question -religion as in what is your religion. Her we are talking about religious FAITH. Then comes the same word used as in ARJUNA was asked to KILL KAURAWAS as that is HIS DHARMA . Here we are talking about JOB or occupation. We also state that being a father or mother we have certain dharma. Her we are talking about the responsibility as parents.

   In Hindu religion we are told to follow 4 PURUSHARTH one of which is DHARMA. The next one is ARTH ,then KAM and lastly MOKSHA 

     The DHARMA in this context is righteous behavior. This is related to the other 2 PURAUSHARTH. The ARTH is money - certainly includes gold ,silver , diamond , house , car -all the the things that needs money. But getting money or earning money must be done in RIGHT WAY. We must follow righteous path. One should not make money doing bad things - stealing, lending money with outrageous interest or sex or drugs , alcohol sell etc. So we need money to survive and it should be our goal to get it but it must be done in RIGHT WAY. 

   The next one should be combined with ARTH , as it is called KAM. KAM means desires . pleasures , enjoyment. So all have that and we should do it. some one may have pleasure in eating , enjoying watching movie or even having sex. But again we need to do it with RIGHT WAY. The God has created universe with beauty and we should enjoy but  do it in RIGHT WAY and not wrong way. Indulging in any of these sense organ pleasure is not good . We should not have lust and attachments with theses things. So again when we want good food or music etc. we need money and so the ARTH and KAM go hand in hand. 

   The last is MOKSHA or NIRWAN - freedom from the cycle of life and death. The goal of human life should be to get free from this cycle. Most of us do  not even think about it till we are old. The we have few more things to be fulfilled in out bucket list and then we have attachments with grandkids . So most of us do not do anything till we die and then get another birth. When we are in doing ARTH - KAM , and doing that with DHARMA , we should think of MOKSHA . And if we do things in moderation , without attachment and righteous behavior then MOKSHA is not far away or difficult.

   These 4 PURUSHART are some what connected to 4 ASHRAMA - namely BRAHMACHAR,GRUHASTH, VANAPRASTH AND LAST SANYAS. The studentship then family and then retirement and then renunciation. ARTH and KAM are related to Family life and GRUHASTH. The last 2 are related to trying for Moksha or NIRVAN .  

ONE MORE WRINKLE IN CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE APPERENT WORLD

    I am kind of interested and some what baffled or confused by different descriptions of the Consciousness. Every time I listen to someone . who is supposed to be authority on theses things , I get more confused. I understand , but at the same time have more questions. The same people that tell us that we are not the (physical ) body , subtle body - mind intellect or ego, and we are not even the causal or KARAN Sharir, seem to act as if they don't believe in what they said. If I am THAT BRAHMAN, how can we meditate or worship deity and at the same time talk about NONDUALITY. Then we are told that at VYAVAHARIC or Transactional level it's different than at Spiritual level. 

    To add to this confusion , they talk that the BRAHMAN or CONSCIOUSNESS is not PERVADING everything . but EVERYTHING is happening INSIDE THE CONSCIOUSNESS ,like our dream. This is new wrinkle to our understanding. In our dream WE control the things the characters and the story line and the same way everything is happening INSIDE the consciousness.   

   I have a simple mind and I can understand the example given of Light. The light makes me see things around me. The light DOES NOT do anything to make things . Even if there is no light the things are there but we cannot see them . If we remove a thing from our surroundings, nothing will change in Light. So Light does not do ANYTHING but it makes us SEE things . 

   This leads to 2 questions . If I am BRAHAMN then what I am mediattiong upon or worshiping . and secondly if everything is happening INSIDE the consciousness , then who is DREAMING or who is controller? 

LIMITATIONS FOR ORDINARYTHINGS AND BRAHMAN

     When one is talking about BRAHMAN, not about BRAHMA or Brahmadeo .we are often told that it is different from ordinary things . To understand the simple difference in VEDIC  religion, they talk about these limitations that are there for EVERYTHING THAT IS NOT Brahman. We often say 'O GOD come and help me .' But if we believe in REAL God , then as we say the God is omnipresent. He is everywhere . So, if he is everywhere , how can he COME . If I am here - and does not matter where here is , then I am not there and does not matter where there is. So we have limitations and the God or Brahman does not have it.  

       These limitations are stated as DESH-KAAL- VASTU. .The Desh is Place , Kaal is Time and Vastu id an identity. The limitation called DESH is the PLACE that something is . Desh means region. So I am sitting in living room in a chair , I am not in family room or I am not sitting in sofa . This is limitation by place . Easy to understand . The Brahman or the God does not have that limitation. The next one is KAAL or the time.. If I am sitting in a chair NOW then  the chances are  that I was not there yesterday and I may not be there tomorrow. All of us age and dye. The things that appear to have not changed like stone , are also changing and certainly livings things do and we do witness that . So this is second limitation. We are bound by TOIME or Kaal. Lastly the VASTU or the identity . I am writing this blog in computer and the computer is not me and certainly is not chair that I am sitting in and writing. So the identity of the thing is called VASTU . Nothing like that can be said about the Brahman as it is EVERTHING and it is NOTHING that we see in this world .    . 

PANDU AND DRITARASHTRA SYMBOLISM

     In the story of Mahabharat there are subplots and then there are characters that we have heard many times and some that are mentioned in Geeta , but we have never heard of them . This becomes confusing . There is symbolism in Mahabharata and and it is present at many a times. Sometimes that may be masked and sometimes people have added stories that can be explained . 

We all know the PANDU and the DRITARASHTRA. When the Ved Vyas was asked to get a heir for the dynasty. Bhishma had kidnapped ABALIKA nd AMBIKA. Vyas went to see AMBIKA and she closed her eyes and so she had a son who was blind  and that was named DRITARASHTRA . The other wife , AMBALIKA saw Vyas and became white with fear and had a son and was named PANDU. At one time they had a maid and Vyas had a son with her and that was called VIDOOR . This is the story that we are told. 

   This is very difficult to interpret. Firstly we cannot explain Bhishma kidnapping 2 girls against their wish, secondly Vyas - the great Rhrishi having kids through them and on top of that the kids are born with some defects. As is explained, this was the concept at that time that if the king /prince cannot have children then his elder brother can do it and Vyas was elder half brother.so he could do the job.

   When one looks at the whole picture, we know that there must be some symbolism. The Pandoo represents the Intellect and the  Dritarashtra represents mind . Our Mind is in a way BLIND like the King Dritarastra, while the Intellect is pure like color white. Le us take an example. We are at a party and we are hungry.. The food is displayed but the host has not started the dinner . Our Mind says - no one is looking , grab something and eat , But our intellect tells us that that is not a right thing to do. So the Intellect analyses the situation  and gives UN EMOTIONAL opinion and so that is PURE and not tented by emotions . The Mind on the other hand acts on impulse and doe snot take in to account the consequences of the action . It may be a matter of saying something when we have an argument or it may be acting on desires  and so in a way it is BLIND. 

   When we thinks of 100 children called KAURAVS, we know that they are all BAD. They represent 100 bad habits of our 10 INDRIYAS namely 5 organs of perception and 5 organs of action.

 We will talk about that and Pandavas next time.

DRONA AND DRUPADA SYMBOLISM

   In the Mahabharat story, there is an incidence. Drona was poor and did not have good food to eat. He used to be friends with Drupada, who became the King of PANCHAL So, Drona decided to go to Drupada and ask him for favors , help. The king was not very happy and he scorned Drona . So dejected Drona went home feeling insulted and ask Pandawas for help. The Arjun went and had fight with Drupada and the King lost and so was arrested in battle and was brought to Drona. Drona took away his norther part of kingdom and allowed him to retain southern part of the kingdom. The king Drupada was not very happy with this defeat in the battle and so did penance. He was rewarded with a son, who had the courage and ability to defeat Drina. His name was DRUSTADYUMNA .He came out of sacrificial fire. He fought from Pandawa's side in the battle and he killed DRONA.

  It is difficult to make anything out of this story if there is no symbolism . But then when you realize that Drona represents 'past life impression', then it can be explained . Our past life impression are mixed -good and bad . And they do shape our behavior in present life . So they will affect our ability to meditate or do things right and also make us indulge in bad habits and behavior. The Drupada is the devotee who wants to mediate and his past lives SAUNSKARA or impressions come to him and they disturb him . He the devotee tries to shun and they come with extra help and then the devotee  loses the war. If one has tried to mediate , he will realize that we try to wake up early and then do mediation , try to avoid going to parties late at night and not drink alcohol or indulge in spicy food etc. . But then one day we succumb and come home late  and then cannot wake up early or concentrate . But if we have done enough practice, we may still have control over LOWER CENTERS ,namely procreation excretion and hunger etc. . But we do not have control over higher centers . The Lower centers are the SOUTHEREN PART OF OUR BODILY KINGDOM and Northern part is higher centers.

  Now that makes sense , Drona the previous life impressions are disturbing and we shun them but then at one tome we lose and give up to bad habits and impressions and then we have a ste back and then with determination we are successful and that gives us a tool- a son who defeats the bad impressions.

GANGA AND ASHWATTHAMA

   I just want to add to the understanding of Ganga and also talk little bit on Ashwatthama. As I had mentioned in the last Blog , the Ganga is universal consciousness and the Shantanu is the PARABRAHMA. The Ganga is also considered as MAHA PRAKRUTI or Holy Ghost of the CHRISTANITY . We can also call it the CHAITANYA. We Hindus have a custom of cremation of the body after the death. We then throw the ashes in Ganga river. And if not we use other rivers that are considered sacred .The consciousness pervades  everything. One could look at it in a little different way. The Universe CAME OUT OF the MAHAPRAKRUTI and so there is nothing OUTSIDE od MAHAPRAKRUTI . So everything must have same origin . The example that is given in scriptures is that of a spider and the web that it weaves . The spider weaves web out of secretions that come out of the spider . The same way the universe comes out  Ishwar or the God  and so everything has the Ishwar. When we die, we want OUR consciousness or Chaitanya to be one with the Universal consciousness and not be LIMITED by the ASTRAL or SUKSHMA body -SHARIR and CAUSAL body or KARAN SHARIR. We achieve NIRVANA or MUKTI when we have no separate existence from the ultimate CONSCIOUSNESS. So we spread the ashes to Ganga  and the Ganga symbolizes with universal consciousness 

   The Ashwatthama is son of DRNA and as I mentioned in past blog , the Drona represents our past life SAUNSKARAS or impressions stored in abstract forms .There are many - many lives  may be thousands or millions of lives . So the stores  Saunskaras or impressions are limitless and so ordinary person can not 'exhaust' the desires. We continue to do Karma and then we accumulate more effects and that becomes endless. So the effects of SAUSKARAS are IMMORTAL or AMAR ,have no death. Ashwatthama is the son of DRONA and if DRONA is the Saunskaras ,then the the son of Saunskaras has to be immortal. .So he is immortal. 

We will try to talk about Pandawas and DAUPADI next time.