The Myth of Yugas

The Myth of Yugas

The Rgveda uses yuga in the sense of a time-span, an age, or a generation. RV (1.158.6) uses the expression dasame yuge (tenth yuga) to refer to the age of Dirghatamas; the yuga seems to mean a period of 10 years of less, depending on how old an aged (jujurvan) person is expected to have been in those days. Vedanga Jyotisa refers to a five-year yuga. Atharvaveda mentions in order 100 years, ayuta (10,000 years) and then two, three or four yugas. This suggests that a yuga here means an ayuta. (The annual celebration of Yugadi (Ugadi) in South India implies a one-year yuga.)

The terms Kali, Dvapara, Treta and Krta are mentioned in the Vedic literature as the designation of throws of dice (aksa) marked 4, 3, 2 and 1. Aitareya Brahmana mentions these terms. It is however not clear whether the dice were meant or the ages. Four ages Pusya, Dvapara, Khara and Krta are mentioned in the later portions of Sadvimsa Brahmana, and the Dvapara in the Gopatha Brahmana.

Yaska’s Nirukta defines Brahma’s day as equal to 1,000 yugas, without saying what a yuga is. During Brahma’s day, the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe are said to take place. Brahma’s day is followed by his night of the same duration, during which he sleeps. The period day plus night is called Brahma’s ahoratra. To get an idea of the actual years involved in these units, we must turn to Manusmrti (1.68-86) which describes the yuga system in detail. The system is based on scaling the terrestrial phenomena to divine proportions by making suitable assumptions.

The Rgveda uses a year or (samvatsara) of 360 days. Taittriya Brahmana sets this year equal to a day of the gods. A divine year of 360 days is used as a building block for the yuga system. Manusmrti defines a unit of time called mahayuga or caturyuga, comprising four yugas – Krta, Treta, Dvapara and Kali, with lengths in the ratio 4:3:2:1. The Kaliyuga, which is the shortest, consists of a core period of 1,000 divine years preceded and followed by a transition period of 100 divine years each, so that a Kaliyuga has in all 1,200 divine years (or 1,200 x 360 = 432,000 human years). The mahayuga then contains 1,200 x (4+3+2+1) or 12,000 divine years which equal 4,320,000 human years.

Still bigger units are constructed. A Manvantara or Manu for short (“Manu’s interval”) is defined as equal to 71 mahayugas. Next, a Brahma’s day is defined as the sum total of (i) an introductory dawn equal to Krtayuga, and (ii) 14 Manvantaras, each one of which is followed by a twilight period also equal to a Krtayuga. The purpose of this rigmarole is to arrive at the neat round figure of 1,000 mahayugas for the length of Brahma’s day. Expectedly, Brahma’s life runs parallel to the human. His day and night are equal; 720 days or nights make a year of Brahma whose lifespan is 100 such years. Brahma is said to have completed exactly 50 years of his life at the start of his current day.

This scheme is repeated in the Mahabharata and Puranas. It was later appropriated by the Siddhantic astronomers for expressing the planetary orbital periods. Thus Surya Siddhanta would say that there were 146,568 revolutions of Saturn in a mahayuga, implying an orbital period of 29.4743 years. In the astronomical texts, Brahma’s day is given the non-denominational designation kalpa.

The yuga nomenclature was adopted by the Puranic historians also, who divided the historical period into four ages. The Puranas thus generally say that the most sacred region in the Krtayuga was Naimisa forest, in the Treta it was Puskara, in the Dvapara Kuruksetra, and in the Kaliyuga the Ganga.

The blame for mixing up the Puranic and the astronomical yugas rests squarely on the celebrated astronomer-mathematician Aryabhata (b. AD 476). He introduced two changes in the traditional yuga system. He defined a kalpa as a period of 1,008 mahayugas (instead of 1,000). Since 1,008 is divisible by seven, each new kalpa would begin on the same week day. Secondly, he divided a mahayuga into four equal rather than unequal parts so that each consisted of 108,000 years. Aryabhata started his astronomical Kaliyuga at 6 A.M. on Friday, 18 February 3102 BC (Julian) at Lanka, which is hypothetically placed at the intersection of the equator with the meridian of Ujjain. In astronomical parlance, this choice of epoch defines the Aryapaksa, “the Arya school” of Siddhantic astronomy.

Aryabhata also propounded another system, in which the Kaliyuga began six hours earlier, that is on the midnight of 17/18 February 3102 BC (Julian) at Ujjain. This is known as the ardha-ratri-ka-paksa “the midnight school”. Since planets move, their configuration cannot be the same at midnight and at sunrise. In particular, the sun and moon cannot remain aligned at two points in time, six hours apart. It is thus clear that Aryabhata’s Kaliyuga is a theoretical artifact, and not the epoch of an actual astronomical observation.

How did Aryabhata arrive at this particular date? It seems that his starting point was the observed planetary positions at a known epoch. Since he knew the orbital periods, he could calculate backwards the epoch when all the planets could be taken to have been aligned at the beginning of the zodiacal sign Aries (Mesa). It is now known that planetary orbits are subject to various kinds of perturbations, and a theory depending on the orbital period as the sole parameter cannot give accurate results. According to modern numerical simulations, on 17/18 February 3102 BC the five geocentric planets were not aligned but spread over two neighboring zodiacal signs. This again underlines the inference that the significance of the date was hypothetical rather than real. Even if Aryabhata had chosen a slightly different epoch, it would not have made much difference as far as the actual sky conditions are concerned.

The choice of 3102 BC, however, had a special significance for Aryabhata. Midday at Ujjain on the equinoctial day 21 March AD 499 exactly corresponds to the beginning of the year 3600 of his Kaliyuga. Since the ardharatrikapaksa starts its Kaliyuga six hours before the Aryapaksa, Aryabhata artificially made the duration of the year slightly longer in the former case so that in both the schools the 3600th year starts at the same time. We may recall that AD 499 is the year of the composition of Aryabhatiya.

Unfortunately, while talking of the passage of time, Aryabhata did not explicitly say “before the Kailyuga”. Instead, he used the term Bharatat purvam, that is “before [the] Bharata [battle]”, obviously alluding to the Puranic yuga system. This is what gave currency to 3102 BC as the date of the battle. The use of Aryabhata’s epoch in the Puranic context is ironical in the light of the fact that he was severely castigated by his student critic Brahmagupta (b. AD 598) for deviating from smrti (“tradition”) while formulating his own yuga system.

The date 3102 BC for the Puranic Kaliyuga is not tenable. First, the Puranic and astronomical yugas are widely different in length. The Puranas divide 94 generations from Manu to the Bharata battle into three yugas, so that each yuga is approximately 31 generations or say 600 years. Aryabhata’s yugas, on the other hand, run into hundreds of thousands of years.

Secondly, an astronomical epoch begins at a precise moment which is chosen by the astronomer. In contrast to the astronomical Kaliyuga, the beginning of the Puranic Kaliyuga is not precise at all. According to Mahabharata Adiparvan (2.13), the battle occurred at the junction of Kali and Dvapara. The Bhagavata Purana, on the other hand, gives two versions of the epoch. In one version (1.15.36), Kaliyuga started the day Krsna died, while the second version (12.2.33) starts Kaliyuga at the very moment Krsna died. One can see the feeling of discomfort here. It did not look quite the right thing to have Krsna live into the Kaliyuga. (According to the chronology of the Mahabharata, Krsna dies some 20 years after the battle. This was the time when Yudhisthira abdicated in favour of his grand-nephew Parikshit.) We thus see that the Puranic Kaliyuga is a manner of speaking rather than a carefully chosen point of time as in astronomy.

Finally, if the Bharata battle indeed took place in 3102 BC, how was the epoch recorded? (It could not have been in terms of eras that began later.) How and by who was the date kept alive for 3,600 years? How did Aryabhata come across this date? If Aryabhata’s predecessors had been asked about the battle’s chronology, what date would they have mentioned in answer?

DATE OF THE BHARATA BATTLE

The Puranas do not recognize Aryabhata’s date at all. They provide their own information on the subject. It is possible to calculate the Bharata battle’s date from statements within the Puranas. Unfortunately, one can derive not one but many dates. The Puranas contain a bland statement that 1,015 (or 1,050) years elapsed between Pariksit’s birth (shortly after the battle) and the coronation of Mahapadma Nanda. Nanda’s coronation was a singular event from the Puranic point of view because he was a son of a Sudra mother, and exterminated all blue-blooded Ksatriyas.

The Jain Parisistaparvan calls Nanda the son of a courtesan by a barber. The Greek historian Quintas Curtius also says that Nanda was a barber who being handsome gained the affection of the queen. Through her influence he obtained a position of royal confidence which he treacherously used to murder the king.

The Matsya Purana assigns 88 years to the reign of the first Nanda. The figure is unreasonably high; 88 (astasiti) appears to be a mistake for 28 (astavimsati), which the Vayu Purana quotes. The first Nanda was succeeded by his eight sons who, all Puranas agree, ruled for 12 years, giving a total of 40 years for the Nanda rule. (Ancient Sri Lankan chronicles reduce the figure to 22 years). A hoard of coins discovered from the Bhir mound at Taxila in 1924 contains 1,059 punch-marked coins from Magadha. These coins belong to three successive dynasties: Sisunaga, Nanda and the Maurya. Significantly, while one can distinguish between coins issued by different kings in the case of the Sisunagas and the Mauryas, the Nanda coins all belong to a single ruler. This is consistent with the brevity of the Nanda rule.

The Nandas were dethroned by Candragupta Maurya whose date of coronation is known from independent sources to be about 320 BC. Thus the Puranas themselves suggest about 1400 BC for the Bharata battle.

Concept of Maya IV

TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES IN VEDANGA JYOTISH SUCH AS THE PRINCIPLE OF ARUDHA ONE MUST BE FULLY CONVERSANT WITH THE CONCEPT AND IDEA OF "MAYA" IN THE VEDIC PHILOSOPHY, THE FOLLOWING SERIES IS NOTHING BUT THE COMPLIATION OF THOUGHTS ON THE "MAYA" WHICH WILL CLEAR THE CONCEPT OF MAYA WHICH WILL MAKE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF ARUDHA IN VEDANGA JYOTISH. HERE ARE SOME QUOTES FROM THE STANDARD SANSKRIT VEDIC TEXTS WHIH WILL CLEAR THE CONCEPTS.


Maya

ESTABLISHING THE EXISTENCE OF MAYA By Sri Shankaracharya
1. The Supreme Self (or Ultimate Reality) who is Pure Consciousness perceived Himself by Selfhood (i.e. Existence with "I"-Conciousness). He became endowed with the name "I". From that arose the basis of difference.
2. He exists verily in two parts, on account of which, the two could become husband and wife.Therefore, this space is ever filled up completely by the woman (or the feminine principle) surely.
NOTE: The above two verses explain how the One Ultimate Reality which is of the nature of non-dual Existence - Consciousness became the cause of the universe of multiplicity. The first creative impulse in the Supreme Self is the pure I-consciousness. This brings in duality in the One Transcendent Reality, which is symbolically expressed as husband-wife representing Pure Consciousness and its Creative Energy. This Creative Energy is the effective cause as well as the material cause of the entire universe which is stated to be filled with it.
3. And He, this Supreme Self thought (or reflected). Thence, human beings were born. Thus say the Upanishads through the statement of sage Yajnavalkya to his wife.
NOTE: The primal manifestation of the creative energy of Pure Consciousness is the I- consciousness which results in duality. From that arises thought or ideation of multiplicity, which gives rise to the entire universe of beings.
4. From the experience of bliss for a long time, there arose in the Supreme Self a certain state like deep sleep. From that (state) Maya (or the illusive power of the Supreme Self) was born just as a dream arises in sleep.
NOTE: The non-dual Supreme Self is of the nature of Pure Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. Just as a dream arises in sleep and produces various objects, an inscrutable power called MAYA manifests in the quiescent, blissful state of the Supreme Self and this produces the bewildering variety of objects and phenomena constituting the universe.
The concept of Maya is central to Advaita Vedanta (or non-dual conception of the Ultimate Reality as propounded in Vedic literature).
5. This Maya is without the characteristics of (or different from) Reality or unreality, without beginning and dependent on the Reality that is the Supreme Self. She, who is of the form of the THREE GUNAS (qualities or energies of Nature) brings forth the Universe with movable and immovable (objects).
NOTE: Maya is not real, since it disappears on the dawn of knowledge of the Supreme Self. Maya is not unreal, since such a thing would never appear at any time. Maya is equated with Nature or the visible universe consisting of the three modes of energy- Sattwa or harmony, Rajas or activity and Tamas or inertia. Maya is the inscrutable cause which depends on the Supreme Self which is the Ultimate Reality. Nature is its apparent effect.
6.Objection): As for Maya, it is invisible (or not experienced by the senses). How can it produce a thing that is visible (or experienced by the senses)? How is a visible piece of cloth produced here by threads of invisible nature?
Note: The purport is that it is as impossible for the visible universe to be produced from invisible Maya as it is for a visible piece of cloth to be produced from invisible threads.
7 (Reply): As there is the emission of the generative fluid on to a good garment on account of the experience of copulation in a dream, the pollution of the garment is seen as real on waking while the copulation was not true, the man in the dream was real (while) the woman was unreal and the union of the two was false (but), the emission of the generative fluid was real, so does it occur even in the matter in hand.
NOTE: In this example, an unreal cause (viz., copulation in a dream) produces a real or visible effect (viz., seminal emission). Similarly, the apparent world could arise from the undefinable Maya.
8. Thus Maya is invisible (or beyond sense-perception). (But) this universe which is its effect, is visible (or perceived by the senses). This would be Maya which, on its part, becomes the producer of joy by its own destruction.
NOTE: When the illusive power, Maya, disappears, what remains is Pure Existence-Consciousness-Bliss.
9. Like night (or darkness) Maya is extremely insurmountable (or extremely difficult to be understood). Its nature is not perceived here. Even as it is being observed carefully (or being investigated) by sages, it vanishes like lightning.
NOTE: By enquiry into and contemplation on the nature of the Ultimate Reality, Maya and its effects vanish and there is the spontaneous absorption of the mind in undifferentiated Being- Consciousness. There is no entity (called Maya or by any other appellation) other than the Supreme Self.
10. Maya (the illusive power) is what is obtained in Brahman (or the Ultimate Reality). Avidya (or nescience or spiritual ignorance) is said to be dependent on Jiva (the individual soul or individualised consciousness). Mind is the knot which joins Consciousness and matter. That mind is to be as imperishable until liberation.
NOTE: Avidya is nescience or spiritual ignorance which makes the soul forget its real nature which is Eternal, Pure Being-Consciousness- Bliss, identical with the Ultimate Reality and impose upon itself separateness, embodiment and the state of a doer or enjoyer. Mind is the entity which is the link between matter and Consciousness and is the field of operation of Avidya. It is synonymous with worldly existence and it disappears on the dawn of liberation or intuitive perception of Reality. Just as Maya, the inscrutable illusive power of the Ultimate Reality, gives rise to the universe of multiplicity, Avidya is the cause of the world perceived by the individual soul.
11. Space enclosed by a pot, or a jar or a hut or a wall has their several appellations (eg.,pot space, jar space etc.). Like that, Consciousness (or the Self) covered here by Avidya (or nescience) is spoken of as jiva (the individual soul).
12. Objection: How indeed could ignorance become a covering (or an obscure factor) for Brahman (or the Supreme Spirit) who is Pure Consciousness, as if the darkness arising from the night (could become a concealing factor) for the sun which is self-luminous?
NOTE: The darkness of the night on the dawn of the sun. The very nature of Brahman is Pure Intelligence or Consciousness. How could it be covered by ignorance which is antithetical to it?
12. Reply: As the sun is hidden by clouds produced by the solar rays but surely, the character of the day is not hidden by those modified dense collection of clouds, so the Self, though pure, (or undefiled) is veiled for a long time by ignorance. But its power of Consciousness in living beings, which is established in this world, is not veiled.
"What if you sleep, and what if in your sleep you dreamed, and what if in your dream you went to heaven and there plucked a strange and beautiful flower, and what if when you awoke you had the flower in your hand? Ah, what then?" - Coleridge
The Lord on account of Maya is perceived as manifold- Brhadaranyaka Upanishad II-v 19

MayaFrom VivekachudamaniBy Sri Sankaracharya
Veiling power and projecting power of Maya
Maya can be destroyed by the realisation of the pure Brahman, the one without a second, just as the mistaken idea of a snake is removed by the discrimination of the rope. She has her gunas as rajas, tamas and sattva, named after their respective functions. Verse 110.
Rajas has its Viksepa-Sakti or projecting power, which is of the nature of an activity, and from which this primeval flow of activity has emanated. From this also, mental modifications such as attachment and grief are continually produced.--Verse 111.
Lust, anger, avarice, arrogance, spite, egoism, envy, jealousy, etc.,- these are the dire attributes of Rajas, from which the worldly tendency of man is produced. Therefore Rajas is a cause of bondage. - Verse 112.
Avrti or the veiling power is the power of Tamas, which makes things appear other than what they are. It is this that causes man's repeated transmigrations, and starts the action of the projecting power (Viksepa). -Verse 112.
Absence of right judgment, or contrary judgment, want of definite belief, and doubt- these certainly never desert one who has any connection with this veiling power, and then the projecting power gives ceaseless trouble. - Verse 115

MayaA few extracts from the writings of Swami Nikhilananda
Why does the non-dual soul appear in a manifold form? What is the cause of this multiplicity in the universe? How does the One become the many, and the Absolute become the relative? In answer, Vedanta says that this is due to the identification of the soul, or the Absolute, with material upaadhis, or limiting adjuncts. What is the cause of this identification? Vedanta explains this as MAYA or ignorance.
The finite human mind cannot comprehend the exact relationship between the One and the many, Reality and appearance, the Absolute and the relative. From the standpoint of the relative, there is no Absolute. The Absolute is a mystical experience characterised by the absence of duality.That is why Vedanta calls this apparent identification of the Absolute with the relative by the name of MAYA. It is an inscrutable power that inheres in Brahman, or the Godhead. Under the influence of this cosmic ignorance, the all pervading, eternal, and infinite spirit forgets its real nature. It is something like a man going to sleep, which first makes him oblivious of himself and then creates the fantastic dream world. It is also a well known fact that on account of ignorance one sees water in the desert, as in the case of a mirage. As long as the sleep and the illusion last, the experience of the dream and the mirage appear to be real. On account of maya, the infinite soul, or the Godhead, identifies itself with the finite, material forms and becomes individualised.
Furthermore, it superimposes upon itself the attributes of the material form with which it is identified. Thus the birthless, deathless, immortal soul, which is of the nature of Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute, appears to be finite, phenomenal being subject to hunger and thirst,pain and pleasure, birth and death, good and evil, and the other pairs of opposites.
As long as ignorance lasts, these relative characteristics appear to pertain to the soul and to be real. All the individualised, finite beings one sees in the universe are manifestations of the non-dual soul through maya; but as maya has no absolute reality, the individual soul created by it not, ultimately speaking, real. As, in spite of the perception of the illusory mirage, the real nature of the desert is not affected, so, in spite of the perception of illusory birth and death, the soul is always of the nature of light, infinity,bliss, and immortality.

Maya and illusionBy Swami Vivekananda
The foremost disciple of Sri Ramakrishna ParamhansaExcerpts
Almost all of you have heard of the Maya. Generally it is used, though incorrectly, to denote illusion, or delusion, or some such thing. But the theory of Maya forms one of the pillars upon which the Vedanta rests; it is therefore, necessary that it should be properly understood.We read in the Svetasvatara Upanisad "Know nature to be Maya and the Ruler of this Maya is the Lord Himself."When the Hindu says the world is Maya, at once people get the idea that the world is an illusion. This interpretation has some basis, as coming through the Buddhistic philosophers, because there was one section of philosophers who did not believe in the external world at all. But the Maya of the Vedanta, in its last developed form, is neither idealism nor Realism, nor is it a theory. It is a simple statement of facts- what we are and what we see around us.
The minds of the people from whom the Vedas came were intent upon following principles. They had no time to work upon details or to wait for them; they wanted to go deep into the heart of things. Something beyond was calling them, as it were, and they could not wait.
The Vedantist has proved beyond all doubt that the mind is limited, that it cannot go beyond certain limits- beyond time, space and causation. As no man can jump out of his own self, so no man can go beyond the limits that have been put upon him by the laws of time and space. Every attempt to solve the laws of causation, time and space would be futile, because the very attempt would have to be made by taking for granted the existence of these three.What does the (following) statement of the existence of the world mean, then?"This world has no existence."
What is meant by that? It means that it has no absolute existence. It exists only in relation to my mind, and to the mind of everyone else. We see this world with the five senses but if we had another sense, we would see in it something more. If we had yet another sense, it would appear as something still different. It has therefore, no real existence; it has no unchangeable, immovable, infinite existence. Nor can it be called non-existence, seeing that it exists, and we have to work in and through it. It is a mixture of existence and non-existence.
We find that Maya is not a theory for the explanation of the world; it is simply a statement of facts as they exist, that the very basis of of our being is contradiction, that everywhere we have to move through this tremendous contradiction, that wherever there is good, there must also be evil, and wherever there is evil, there must be some good, wherever there is life, death must follow as its shadow, and everyone who smiles will have to weep, and vice versa.
Now can this state of things be remedied. We may verily imagine that there will be a place where there will be only good and no evil, where we shall only smile and never weep. This is impossible in the very nature of things; for the conditions will remain the same. Wherever there is the power of producing a smile in us, there lurks the power of producing tears. Wherever there is the power of producing happpiness, there lurks somewhere the power of making us miserable.

THE FATHER AND MOTHER OF THE UNIVERSE
Who are our universal parents? Our divine Father and our divine Mother?
Bhagavad Gita, Ch.14, Verse 3."My womb is the great Nature (Prakriti or MAYA). In that I place the germ (embryo of life). Thence is the birth of all beings".
(Explanation by Swami Shivananda, Divine Life Society, Rishikesh):Prakriti (Nature), made up of the three qualities (Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas), is the material cause of all beings.
In the great Prakriti, I place the seed for the birth of Brahma (the creator, also known as Hiranyagarbha, or Ishwar, or the conditioned Brahman); and the seed gives birth to all beings. The birth of Brahma (the creator) gives rise to the birth of beings.
The primordial Nature (prakriti) gives birth to Brahma, who creates all beings.
Gita, Ch.14, Verse 4."Whatever forms are produced, O Arjuna, in any womb whatsoever, the great nature is their womb and I am the seed giving father".
(I am the father; the primordial Nature is the mother).
Gita,Ch.13, verse 26."Wherever a being is born, whether unmoving or moving, know thou Arjuna, that it is from the union between the field and the knower of the field". (Purusha is the knower of the field; Prakriti is the field; Shiva is another name for the knower of the field and Shakti is the field; Spirit is another name for the knower of the field and Matter (Prakriti) is the field).
Gita, Ch. 7, Verse 4."I am endowed with two Shaktis, namely the superior and the inferior natures; the field and its knower (spirit is the knower of the field; matter is the field.) I unite these two".
Gita Ch.7, Verse 6."Know these two- my higher and lower natures- as the womb of all beings.Therefore, I am the source and dissolution of the whole universe".
Gita, Ch.13, Verse 29."He sees, who sees that all actions are performed by nature alone, and that the Self is action less".
(The Self is the silent witness).
Gita, Ch.9, Verse 17."I am the father of this world, the mother, the dispenser of the fruits of actions and the grandfather; the one thing to be known, the purifier, the sacred monosyllable (AUM), and also the Rg, the Sama and the Yajur Vedas".

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SHIVA EMBLEM
As explained by Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa
"Do you know the significance of the Shiva emblem? It is the worship of the symbols of fatherhood and motherhood. The devotee worshipping the image prays,'O Lord, please grant that I may not be born into this world again; that I may not have to pass again through a mother's womb."

Explanations drawn from the writings of Sri Shankaracharya
"The Supreme Reality is Pure Consciousness. The primal manifestation of the creative energy of Pure Consciousness is the I-consciousness which results in duality. Thus He exists verily in two parts, on account of which, the two could become husband and wife representing Pure Consciousness and its creative energy"

In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 4 - 14,
The wife of sage Yajnyavalkya, and she herself a soul far advanced in the spiritual path, says to her husband:
"Constituted as we are, we need something concrete to fix our minds on and stir our imagination before we can think of subtler ideas".
Therefore for purposes of meditation and other spiritual practices for less advanced aspirants, the scriptures provide more concrete representations of Reality, which are within their reach..

ARDHANARISHWAR
How is it possible for another person to know what idea or thought I have in my mind? Is it possible for me to make that idea come out of my mind and make it enter the mind of another person? To do that, I will have to summon the help of Mother Saraswati (Vak Devi) the goddess of speech (also goddess of learning), or use the written word to communicate. This power or shakti when combined with the static thought, makes it possible for the thought or idea to travel.This is a miraculous power or shakti. If I am speaking to an audience of fifty people, this power becomes manifold or multiplies and with my each thought enters the minds of all fifty people. If my talk is broadcast via satellite and if there are a million listeners, this shakti becomes a million fold. Its capacity is unlimited.
This combination of the product of human consciousness (thought) with Shakti makes manifestation of things possible. The clothes we wear, the chair on which we seat, the books we read, the computers we use; all these were first conceived as ideas in the human mind. The chairman of a big corporation conceives of an idea that a fifty story sky-scraper building should be built. He conveys this idea, using his power (shakti) of speech, to the board of directors who approve it. The idea is then conveyed with the aid of Mother Saraswati (speech or written words) to the financiers, to the architect, to the contractors, to the labourers on site. The result is the manifestation of a fifty story building. The thought became a thing. Thoughts are things. Examine everything that surrounds one in the house. Everything before being made existed as thought or idea before becoming a stove, table, clock, calendar, screw-driver, soap powder.This is at the human level of microcosm.
At the cosmic level of macrocosm, the combination of Shiva and Shakti (Spirit and Matter) makes possible the manifestation of the universe.The dynamic shakti functions on the static Shiva. The substratum is Shiva and the vibrant manifestation is shakti. Like the screen (the substratum) and the projected image upon the screen.Shiva and shakti are inseparable aspects of the one Reality, like the whiteness in milk; like the brilliance in diamond and like the word and its meaning. Just as heat is inherent in fire, the power inherent in God (Shiva) is maya (shakti). The manifest universe is the display of shakti or maya.
Man is constituted of both Shiva and Shakti. The persisting personality in him is Shiva and the perishing form is shakti. The being in him is Shiva and the becoming in him is shakti. The awareness or consciousness is Shiva and the physique is shakti. The sentient Shiva manifests Himself through the insentient matter viewed as shakti. The insentient physique enshrines and nurtures the sentient in man. In other words, mother Nature nurtures what is sentient in man. Shakti rears the Shiva in man. Therefore, worshipful attitude towards Shakti is incumbent upon man evolving in Shivahood.
Theology abounds in terms such as Uma-Maheshwar, Lakshmi-Narayana, Radha-Krishna, Sita-Rama, Shiva-Shakti, Purusha-Prakriti, Ardhanarishwar, spirit and matter. These are all indicative of the fact that existence is a mixture of the sentient and the insentient.
The divine power is addressed as Amba in Kashmir and Bhavani in Rajasthan. Gujarat calls her Kalyani and Mithila invokes her as Uma. Her other names used everywhere are Durga, Chamundi, Saraswati, Bhagavati, Meenakshi, Kamakshi, Lakshmi, Kali etc.
The male and the female elements coexist even in the vegetable kingdom which is still in the primitive stage of evolution. In the feathered kingdom as well as in the animal kingdom, the male and the female do jointly contribute to the formation of the progeny. If humanity was viewed as a unit it is found to be constituted with half- man , half-woman. The entire creation is evidently the embodiment of the masculine and the feminine principles. Shiva is therefore adored as Ardhanarishwar (ardha = half; nari = woman; Ishwar =Lord). The sentient and the insentient are the two categories that constitute nature. Nothing exists outside the pale of these two.
Life in its original state is called Shiva. The apparently insentient body or the vehicle through which it manifests itself is called shakti. It is because of the interplay of life and matter that nature is able to reveal itself in all its splendour and glory.
Gita, Ch.13,Verse 29,: The Lord says:
"He sees, who sees that actions are performed by nature alone, and that the Self is actionless".
Thus the powers and activities of all beings are manifestations of nature (shakti) alone. Without Durga (shakti), Shiva has no expression; and without Shiva, Durga has no existence.Shiva is the silent witness. He is motionless and absolutely changeless. He is not at all affected by the cosmic play. It is Durga who does everything. She is the power by which the whole universe is permeated and energised. She is the personification of all wealth, power, beauty and virtue. It is she who bestows wealth- both material and spiritual- dispels difficulties and annihilates the evil ones.
The 13th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is the Yoga of discrimination of the Kshetra and the Kshetrajna. The body is called Kshetra, the field. There is an intelligent principle that not only resides in the body but also cognises and governs it. The sages designate that discerning principle as Kshetrajna.
Kshetra is called Prakriti or matter.
Kshetrajna is called Purusha or Spirit.
Prakriti or matter is insentient. Purusha or Spirit is sentient.
From The Gita, Ch.13, Verse 2:"Know me as the kshetrajna in all kshetras. The knowledge of kshetra and kshetrajna is deemed by Me as true knowledge".
Therefore true knowledge is the understanding of both matter and Spirit. The knowledge pertaining to Prakriti or matter is classified as Apara Vidya or the lower knowledge and that pertaining to the Purusha or Spirit as Para Vidya or the knowledge superior.
The Mother's grace is boundless.Her compassion is illimitable. Her knowledge is infinite.Her power is immeasurable. Her splendour is indescribable.Approach her with an open heart. Lay bare your heart to her with frankness and humility. Make a total unreserved self-surrender to her. Worship her with faith and unflinching devotion.

Maya/ Shakti
From the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa:
The truth established in the Vedas, the Puranas and the Tantras is but one Satchdananda. In the Vedas it is called Brahman, in the Puranas it is called Rama, and in the Tantras it is called Shiva.One Satchdananda is called Brahman, Rama and Shiva.
The formless God is real , and equally real is God with form. It is like an infinite ocean, water everywhere, to the right, left, above, below. Water enveloped in water. It is the water of the great cause, motionless. Waves spring up when it becomes active. Its activities are creation(Brahma), preservation(Vishnu) and dissolution(Shiva).
Brahman is where reason comes to a stop. There is the instance of camphor. Nothing remains after it is burnt- not even a trace of ash.
Brahman is beyond mind and speech, beyond reason and logic. A salt doll entered the ocean to measure its depth; but it did not return to tell others how deep the ocean was. It melted in the ocean itself.
Like butter and buttermilk, one finds that Satchidananda Itself has become the universe and the living beings. The blood and semen are thin liquids, and out of them comes such a big creature as man. Everything is possible for God. First of all reach invisible Satchidananda and then coming down, look at the universe. Everything is its manifestation. It is God alone who has become everything. The world by no means exists apart from him.
The non-dualistic philosophy of Vedanta says that the acts of creation, preservation and destruction, the universe itself and all its living beings are the manifestations of Shakti, the divine power or MAYA.If we reason it out, we realise that all these are as illusory as a dream. Brahman alone is the reality, and all else is unreal. Even this very Shakti is unsubstantial, like a dream.
But though you reason all your life, unless you are established in samadhi (deep meditation), you cannot go beyond the jurisdiction of Shakti. Even when you say, "I am meditating" or "I am contemplating", still you are moving in the realm of Shakti; within its power.
Brahman(Shiva) and Shakti are identical. It is like fire and its power to burn. One cannot conceive of the sun's rays without the sun. Thus one cannot think of Brahman without Shakti, or of Shakti without Brahman. One cannot think of the Absolute without the relative, or of the relative without the Absolute.
The primordial power (Adyashakti) is ever at play. She is creating, preserving and destroying in play, as it were. This power is called Kali. Kali is verily Brahman and Brahman is verily Kali. It is one and the same reality. When we think of it as inactive, that is to say, not engaged in the acts of creation, preservation and destruction, then we call it Brahman. But when it engages in these activities, then we call it Kali or Shakti. The reality is one and the same; the difference is in name and form.
In the Vedas, the creation is likened to the spider and its web. The spider brings the web out of itself and then remains in it. God is the container of the universe and also what is contained in it. After the creation the primal power (shakti) dwells in the universe itself. She brings forth this phenomenal world and then pervades it.
Bondage and liberation are both of her making. By her maya, worldly people become entangled in worldly maya, and again through her grace they attain their liberation. She is called the saviour, and the remover of the bondage that binds one to the world.
The sky appears blue at a distance; but look at it closely and you will find that it has no colour. The water of the ocean looks blue at a distance, but when you go near and take it in your hand, you find that it is colourless. Men are deluded through her maya and have become attached to the world.
Bondage and liberation are of the mind alone. It is all a question of the mind. The mind will take the colour you dye it with. If you are in bad company, then you will talk and think like your companions. On the other hand, when you are in the company of devotees, you will think and talk only of God.
If a person repeats the name of God, his or her body, mind and everything become pure. Have faith in His name.The bridging of the gulf between the Supreme Reality and our relative world is provided by MAYA, the divine motherThe Upanishads describe the Absolute (the Supreme Reality) as being beyond the grasp of our senses, mind and intellect; being extremely subtle.
Gita, Ch.13, Verse 31."Being without beginning and devoid of any qualities (attributes), the Supreme Self, imperishable, though dwelling in the body, neither acts, nor is tainted".
The relative world of the senses and mind, the world we see and experience, this world of multiplicity; how does this world originate from the Supreme non-dual principle?
This bridging of the gulf betweent the Supreme Reality and our relative world is provided by prakriti or maya or nature called Adyashakti, the Divine Mother.(Absolute and relative, nitya and lila)

Concept of Maya III

TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES IN VEDANGA JYOTISH SUCH AS THE PRINCIPLE OF ARUDHA ONE MUST BE FULLY CONVERSANT WITH THE CONCEPT AND IDEA OF "MAYA" IN THE VEDIC PHILOSOPHY, THE FOLLOWING SERIES IS NOTHING BUT THE COMPLIATION OF THOUGHTS ON THE "MAYA" WHICH WILL CLEAR THE CONCEPT OF MAYA WHICH WILL MAKE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF ARUDHA IN VEDANGA JYOTISH.



TWO TYPES OF MAYA
A certain person asked Sri Ramakrishna, "Kindly instruct me in one word so that I may be illumined." To which he replied, "The Absolute is the only reality; the universe is unreal" - realize this and then sit silent.
The idea of the ego involves that of the non-ego. He who has an idea of light has also an idea of darkness. He who has a sense of sin has also a sense of virtue. He who has a sense of right has also a sense of wrong.
It is ignorance that leads one to seek for God outside oneself. When one feels that God is within oneself, it is knowledge. He who has it here (i.e., feels the presence of God within himself) has it also there (i.e., has his place at His lotus-feet).
It is the nature of the lamp to give light. With its help some may cook food, some may forge deeds, and some may read the Holy Scriptures. Is it the fault of the light? So is it the fault of God that some try to attain salvation with the help of His holy name, while others use His name for success in attempted theft?
Have you any idea of God with form and God without form? They are like ice and water. When water freezes into ice, it has a form; when the same ice is melted into water, all form is lost.
God with form and God without form are not two different Beings. He who is with form is also without form. To a devotee God manifests Himself in various forms. Just think of a shoreless ocean - an infinite expanse of water - no land visible in any direction only here and there are visible blocks of ice formed by intense cold. Similarly, under the cooling influence, so to say, of the deep devotion of His worshipper, the Infinite reduces Himself into the Finite and appears before him as a Being with form. Again, as on the appearance of the sun, the ice melts away, so, on the appearance of the sun of knowledge, God with form melts away into the formless.
The snake has poison in its fangs, but it is none the worse for it. The poison does not affect it or cause its death. It is poison in relation to other creatures whom it may chance to bite. Similarly, although the phenomenal universe exists in God, He is above and beyond it. The universe of phenomena exists as such only for us.
Maya is of two kinds - one leading towards God (Vidya-Maya), and the other leading away from God (Avidya-Maya). Vidya-Maya again is of two kinds - discrimination and non-attachment. With the help of these, individual souls surrender themselves to the mercy of God. Avidya-Maya is of six kinds - lust, anger, avarice, inordinate attachment, pride and envy. This kind of Maya gives rise to the sense of 'I and mine' and serves to keep men chained to the world. But as soon as Vidya-Maya manifests itself, all Avidya-Maya is totally destroyed.
The sun or the moon cannot be properly reflected in turbid water. Likewise the Universal Soul cannot be properly realized so long as the veil of Maya is not removed, i.e., so long as the sense of 'I and mine' is not gone.
The sun lights up the earth, but a small cloud will hide it from our view. Similarly the insignificant veil of Maya prevents us from seeing the Omnipresent and All-witnessing Satchidananda (Existence- Knowledge-Bliss)
If you push away the weeds on a pond, the floating matter will presently return to its old position. In the same manner, if you push away Maya, it will return to you in a short time. But then, just as you could prevent the return of the weeds by interposing a piece of floating bamboo in their way, so also could you prevent the return of Maya by the fence of knowledge and love of God. In that case Maya could not make its way through such obstacle - Satchidananda (Existence-Knowledge-Bliss) alone would be perceived.
A mighty raft of wood floating down a river carries on it hundreds and does not sink. A small piece of wood floating down may sink with the weight of a crow. So when a Savior incarnates, hundreds find salvation through His grace. The perfect man only saves himself with much toil and trouble.
, that of another black, and so on, but all contain the same cotton. So it is with man - one is handsome, another is ugly, a third pious, a fourth wicked. But the Divine One dwells within them all.
The mind of the worldly is like the beetle. The beetle loves to live in cow dung; it does not like any other substance. It will feel very uneasy if you force it into a fragrant lotus. Similarly, the worldly-minded do not care for anything else except a talk about worldly things. They will leave the place where people are found talking about God and matters spiritual and find peace by betaking themselves to a place where idle gossip is going on.
As when fishes are caught in a net, some do not struggle at all but remain calm in the net, some again struggle hard to come out of the net but fail in the attempt, while a third set actually effect their escape by rending the net; so there are three classes of men in this world - the bound, the struggling, and the released.
A fisherwoman on her way home was overtaken by a storm at nightfall; so she took refuge in a florist's house. The florist received her very kindly and allowed her to pass the night on the porch adjoining the room in which he kept his flowers. But, although thus comfortably lodged, she could not get a wink of sleep. At last she discovered that the sweet aroma of the flowers in the garden was what had kept her awake. She, therefore, sprinkled some water on her empty basket of fish and placed it close to her nose. In a short time she fell into a sound sleep. Similar is the case with the worldly-minded. They, too, relish nothing but the foul smell of the putrid things of the world.
By talking with a worldly man one can feel that his heart is filled with worldly thoughts and desires, just as one can feel that the crop of a young pigeon is full of grains. Worldliness is what men of this order care about; they do not like to hear religious discourses.
The sun's light falls equally on all surfaces, but only bright surface like water, mirrors and polished metals, can reflect it more. In like manner, although God abides in all, He manifests Himself more in the hearts of the pious.
Though it is true that the Almighty dwells in every place, yet every place is not fit to be visited. As one kind of water may be used for washing your feet, another for rinsing your mouth, a third may be drunk, while a certain other again may not even be touched; even so some places are fit to be visited, some only to be saluted from a distance and bidden good-bye, and so on.
True it is that God dwells even in the tiger, but we must not go and face the animal. So it is true that God dwells even in the most wicked, but it is not meant that we should associate with them.
The anger of the good is like a line which is drawn on the surface of water, and which soon disappears.
Gold is distinguished from brass by the touchstone; similarly, human nature - whether one is sincere or insincere - is tested by God.
Nothing will rouse up the worldly-minded. They suffer from no end of pain and trouble in this life, still they do not get any wiser. Just think of the camel. It is fond of thorns and will not abstain from eating them, blood trickling down its mouth not-withstanding. Similarly, the worldly-minded do not take to heart even a great bereavement, and in a few days feel and act as if nothing had happened.

Concept of Maya II

TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES IN VEDANGA JYOTISH SUCH AS THE PRINCIPLE OF ARUDHA ONE MUST BE FULLY CONVERSANT WITH THE CONCEPT AND IDEA OF "MAYA" IN THE VEDIC PHILOSOPHY, THE FOLLOWING SERIES IS NOTHING BUT THE COMPLIATION OF THOUGHTS ON THE "MAYA" WHICH WILL CLEAR THE CONCEPT OF MAYA WHICH WILL MAKE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF ARUDHA IN VEDANGA JYOTISH.



TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES IN VEDANGA JYOTISH SUCH AS THE PRINCIPLE OF ARUDHA ONE MUST BE FULLY CONVERSANT WITH THE CONCEPT AND IDEA OF "MAYA" IN THE VEDIC PHILOSOPHY, THE FOLLOWING SERIES IS NOTHING BUT THE COMPLIATION OF THOUGHTS ON THE "MAYA" WHICH WILL CLEAR THE CONCEPT OF MAYA WHICH WILL MAKE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF ARUDHA IN VEDANGA JYOTISH.



CONCEPT OF MAYA


"Maya" means Illusion .

The UniverseThere are 3 aspects of life:1. The Individual (Jiva)2. The World (Jagat)3. The Creator (Iswara) of the individual (microcosm) and the world (macrocosm).Every effect must have a cause. The individual and the world too must have a cause. They are made up of the 5 elements. But, who made the 5 elements ? They could not have created each other. We call that cause "Iswara". The individual is part of the world and cannot exist without the world.MayaThe Truth is called "Brahman". That which is 'Big' is Brahman. 'Big' is an adjective that generally qualifies a noun. The adjective is limited by the noun it qualifies. For example, when we say 'a big elephant', the bigness is limited to the bigness of the elephant. But, when the adjective is used without a noun, there is no such restriction. Brahman is said to be the Big. Its bigness has no limits. It is infinite. Pure Self is infinite. So Brahman is the Pure Self.Every effect must have a cause. The world too must have a cause. The cause must exist before the effect. The Truth alone existed before the names, forms and qualities of the world came into existence. Therefore, the Truth must be the cause of the world. But the truth is changeless. It cannot become anything other than itself. But we see that the world exists, yet it is ever changing, inert and sorrow-ridden. Then, from such a changeless cause, how can this changing world emerge ?To explain this, Vedanta postulates the concept of "Maya". That which is not, yet appears to be is called 'Maya'. From the stand-point of the Truth, there is no world, yet we experience it. this is 'Maya'. From the stand-point of the world, the Truth alone can be its cause. But, from the stand-point of the Truth, it can have no effect. This is due to 'Maya'. A snake is seen on a rope. The rope cannot create the snake. yet we experience the snake. As far as the rope is concerned, there was never a snake and there can never be a snake on it.Maya has 2 powers :a) The "Avarana sakti" (Veiling Power). This is of the nature of ignorance, which veils the Truth. This by itself cannot create the world.b)The "Vikshepa Sakti" (Projecting Power). This is the creative power that projects the entire world of names and forms. It manifests inherent impressions. It cannot do so without the veiling power. As in the example, the ignorance of the rope should precede the projection of the snake vision.The Truth, when endowed with Maya, is called "Iswara", the creator of the world. 'Maya', the creative power of Iswara, is worshipped in the Hindu tradition as "Sakti". The power of Maya is unfathomable. It can make the impossible seem real. Maya, however, has no separate existence from the Truth. Without Existence, nothing can exist. Brahman alone has intrinsic existence. So, Maya depends on the Truth for its very existence. Also, in the Truth, there is no trace of maya. Therefore, maya is destroyed on knowing the Truth.Maya has 3 qualities:1. Satva Guna - characterised by knowledge.2. Rajo Guna - which is of the nature of activity.3. Tamo Guna - which implies inertia.These 3 qualities pervade the entire creation. By their permutation and combination, an infinite variety of names, forms and qualities are created.For any created object, there are two causes- 'Upadana Karana' (Material Cause) and 'Nimitta Karana' (Efficient cause). In making the earthen pot, mud is the material cause and the potter the efficient cause. Usually, the two causes will be different from each other, the material cause remaining with the object. What are the material and the efficient causes of the world ? Are they different or the same ?The 5 great elements (Pancha Maha Bhutas) are the material cause of the world. But, who made them ? That which made them must exist before creation. We have already seen that the Truth alone exists before creation. Therefore, the 5 elements must have emerged from the truth only. By the same logic, the efficient cause of the world too must be the Truth alone. We see that whenever the material and the efficient causes are the same, the created object is an illusion. But, for us the waking world is real. It does seem to be governed by natural laws and there also seems to be a cause-effect relationship between various happenings.Evolution of the 5 Elements.From that 'Maya., Space was born. From space, Air. From air, Fire. From fire, Water. From water, Earth. the process of creation is from the subtle to the gross. Truth is the subtlest of all . It is all pervasive and attributeless.Space is the first element created through the power of 'Maya'. It is the subtlest of the elements. It has the quality of the sound and can carry sound as sound waves.From space came air. It is less pervasive. It has the qualities of sound and touch. So, it can be heard and felt.Fire emerged from air. It is less pervasive. It has the qualities of sound, touch and form. So, it can be heard, felt and seen.Water came next in order. It is even less pervasive. It has the qualities of sound, touch, form and taste. It can be heard, felt, seen and tasted. Even though it is tasteless by itself, all taste is possible due to it.The last is the earth. It is the grossest and the least pervasive. it has the qualities of sound, touch, form, taste and smell. So, it can be heard, felt, seen, tasted and smelt.These 5 subtle elements are called "Tanmatras". They cannot be perceived by our sense organs. Only when they grossify, can they be perceived as the sense objects.The material cause is never different from the created object. Therefore, the 3 qualities of Maya-satva, rajas and tamas- pervade the 5 elements. We have seen that the ultimate material cause of the world can be the Truth alone. So, the Truth pervades the 5 elements, just as gold pervades all gold ornaments and water all waves.When does Maya create the 5 elements ? The 3 qualities of Maya, in their unmanifest form, remain in a state of equilibrium (Samya Avastha). When this balance is somehow disturbed, the process of creation begins.Sukshma Sarira (Subtle Body)Pervading the gross body is the subtle body. The 5 great elements in their nascent form (without Panchikaranam) are called 'Tanmatras'. The entire subtle world is constituted from their permutation and combination. Our subtle body, being part of the subtle world, is also made up of these subtle elements. They are called subtle, as they cannot be perceived by our senses. For example, I cannot see another's mind, nor my own, with my gross eyes. The subtle body enlivens the gross body. When it leaves the gross body, we say a person is dead and gone.Pancha Jnanendriyas (5 Sense Organs of Perception)The 5 sense organs of perception are the Ears, Skin, Eyes, Tongue and Nose. The details of the name, Devata (Presiding Deity), function and the sense perceived of each sense is tabulated below :


Each sense organ perceives only its own particular sense objects. There is no admixture of duties. The ears cannot see or the nose taste. When one of the senses is weak or not functioning, others become sharper. The blind have keen ears. Knowledge gained through the senses is called "Pratyaksha Jnanam" (Direct Perception), which accounts for most of our knowledge. Based on what we perceive, we respond. Wrong perception leads to improper response. Hence, the senses play a very important part in our lives.A functional Head is required for the proper functioning and maintenance of each function. This Head is called "Devata". There are 33 crores of Devatas for the proper functioning of the whole universe. Hindus believe only in one God- "Iswara"; but we accept many Devatas. Each Devata draws his power, strength and knowledge from the omnipotent God-Iswara.Pancha Karmendriyas (5 Sense organs of action)The 5 sense organs of action are the Tongue, Hands, Legs, Anus and the genitals
The body responds to external stimuli through them. They are prompted by the mind into action. They develop from childhood, attain their full strength and then weaken with age. Each of them carry out their respective functions. In rare cases (handicapped), other organs of action try to do the function of the impaired organ.The Tongue has a unique place, as it is both an organ of action (eating and speaking) and of perception (tasting). The pleasure in the act of reproduction ensures the continuity of the species. Karana Sariram (Causal Body)That which is inexplicable, beginningless, in the form of ignorance, the sole cause of the other two bodies (gross and subtle), ignorant of one's own true nature, free from duality - is the Causal Body. It is the subtlest of the 3 bodies and pervades the other two. It is not made up of matter like the other two bodies. Ignorance has no size, shape or quality. It is always related to an object; say "ignorance of computers". By itself, it is objectless. 'I' am the locus of ignorance. Ignorance cannot exist without me. I exist; so, I can be ignorant. Ignorance cannot be known. Knowledge dispels it. So, causal body is not eternal. " I-the Self " is eternal. So, I am different from all the 3 bodies - gross, subtle and causal.The 24 Tatvams (Factors)Our Great Rishis counted 24 factors that constituted the world. They are :1-4 : Manah(Mind), Budhi(Intellect), Ahamkara(Ego), Chittam (Memory)5-9 : The five great elements- Space, Air, Fire, Water, Earth.10-14 : Pancha Jnanendriyas (given above)15-19 : Pancha Karmendriyas (given above)20-24 : Pancha Pranas- Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana, Samana.The Evolution of the Satva Aspect.Among these 5 great elements : out of the satvic aspect of space, the organ of hearing-the ear- evolved. From the satvic aspect of air, the organ of touch-the skin- evolved. From the satvic aspect of fire, the organ of sight-the eyes- evolved. From the satvic aspect of water, the organ of taste- the tongue- evolved. From the satvic aspect of earth, the organ of smell-the nose- evolved.The subtle elements (Tanmatras) create the sense organs, which too enjoy the same degree of subtlety. The main characteristic of satva guna is knowledge. Naturally, the sense organs of perception are born from the satvic aspects of the 5 elements. Each element has its own special quality. To perceive it, the corresponding sense organ is evolved . Eg. From the satvic aspect of space, the sense organ of hearing is created to perceive sound.From the total satvic aspect of these 5 elements, the inner instrument of the mind, intellect, ego and memory are formed. The mind is of the nature of indecision. The intellect is of the nature of decision. The ego is of the nature of the notion of doership. Memory is of the nature of thinking or recollection. The presiding deity of the mind is Moon; of the intellect-Brahma; of the ego-Rudra and of memory-Vasudeva.The Evolution of the Rajas Aspect.Among these 5 elements, from the rajas aspect of space, the organ of speech is formed. From the rajas aspect of air, the organ of grasping-the hands- are formed. From the rajas aspect of fire, the organ of locomation-the legs- are formed. from the rajas aspecy of water, the organ of procreation is formed. From the rajasic aspect of earth, the organ of waste elimination-the anus-is formed. From the total rajas aspect of these 5 elements, the 5 vital airs (pancha pranas) are formed.Rajo guna is characterised by 'Activity'. So, wherever there is activity, it is the manifestation of the rajasic aspect of Maya. The 5 organs of action respond to the world by activating the body. The 5 pranas supply power to all the functions of the body and keep it alive through the physiological functions. Hence, both are the manifestations of the rajasic aspect of the 5 elements.The unmanifest condition of the 5 elements and the 3 qualities is the causal body. The manifestation of the satvic and rajasic aspects of the 5 elements constitutes the total subtle body or the subtle world.

Concept of Maya I

TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES IN VEDANGA JYOTISH SUCH AS THE PRINCIPLE OF ARUDHA ONE MUST BE FULLY CONVERSANT WITH THE CONCEPT AND IDEA OF "MAYA" IN THE VEDIC PHILOSOPHY, THE FOLLOWING SERIES IS NOTHING BUT THE COMPLIATION OF THOUGHTS ON THE "MAYA" WHICH WILL CLEAR THE CONCEPT OF MAYA WHICH WILL MAKE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF ARUDHA IN VEDANGA JYOTISH.

Concept of "Maya"

At the very outset, it may be said without any fear of contradiction, that in philosophy unalloyed originality is a misnomer. It is actually the sum total of the thinking on a particular subject, collated, coordinated and brought uptodate by the stalwarts in this field. It would, therefore, be in the fitness of things to give a bird's eye-view of the philosophic content supposed to emanate from the word 'Maya', as discussed in the various schools of philosopy in India, which has rightly been taken as the raw material on which the Vedantins and Kashmiri shaivites built their lofty edifices later on.
In the earlier Vedas-the first book of Humanity-'Maya' has been used in the sense of superinatural or extraordinary prowess attributed to the pantheon of gods. In more ancient Vedic hymns it is praised as 'world sustaining power'. But the laer Vedic literature comprising the upanishadic lore, it began to convey the sense of illusion, though in sabdued tones. So, this philosophic content relating to this word, had already been spelt out in the time of upanishadas. The later philosophic treatises in the classical age of Sinskrit must have taken a cue from the meaning attached to this word in the upanishadas and have remarkably kept its intonation in tact. The succeeding philosophies tried to provide the why and what of this kind of import projecting from this word.
The logical Realism (Nyaya) of Gautama a virtual reaction against Buddhist scepticism has no concern for this word 'Maya', but substitutes it with the appellations Doubt (Sanshaya), fallacy (Hetuvabhasa) and Error (Mithya Jnana). To speak precisely, doubt is wavering knowledge, Fallacy is inconclusive knowledge and Error is defective knowledge. All these three attributeo of knowledge definitely provide the base on which the superstructure of 'Maya' was installed later on.
Atomistic pluralism (Vaisheshika) of Kanada propounds the theory of (Abhava) with respect to Maya. It is that very attitude of Neti Neti (negation), on the contours of which vedantins later on elaborated their theory of Maya. This negation (Abbava) is an antithesis of affirmation (Bhava), absence of distinction between the two - The Existent and the non-existent and the result is Error (Moha), blurred perception.
The originator of Sankhya system of philosophy Kapila substitutes Maya with the avidya (ignorance) aspect of intellect (Buddhi). It has been explained as non-distinction of 'Purusha' from Buddhi called 'Akhyati' (non-apprehension). To quote:-
"Just as a danceuss retires after displaying her dance to the audience; in the same way, Prakriti (gross matter) manifests herself to the purusha (passive spirit) retiring subsequently." This non- apprehension of 'Sankhya' is actually the precursor of Maya.
Patanjali in his yoga-sutras asserts "when the persons possessing a body mistake by their erring intellect, this very body for the soul (Atman), this kind of bondage is wrought by ignorance (Avidya); its annihilation is emancipation (Moksa)." While Sankhya calls it non-apprehension, yoga terms it as mis-appreheosion (Anyatha- khyati), which can be substantiated by misapprehending one-the rope from the other-the snake, due to the machinations of ignorance (Avidya).
The ardent advocate or Mimamsa Philosophy Jaimani contends that it is not non-distinction alone which engenders misapprehension, it is also attended with false identification (Akhyati), thereby erroneously inferring non-distinction between the broken piece of a conch-shell and silver. In this context, this school of philosophy holds that it is mal-observation coupled with faulty rememberance giving birth to this invalid cognition. It further argues that misapprehension is not a product of wrong knowledge, but a mere negative factor of non-perception due to weakness of mind. When the valid cognition dawns, it restores the strength of mind and misapprehensions do not recur. This is the exact purport of Akhyati theory of these investigating rationalists (Mimamsakas). Interestingly enough, Badarayana composed his Brahma-sutras getting inspiration from one of the branches of this system of philosophy called posterior mimamsa (uttara Mimamsa), commonly known as vedanta-sutras also.
It will be intriguing to note that none of the philosophic systems enumerated above have used the word 'Mayas as such, even though they have lucidly narrated its essence and antecedents. They have refrained from using the exact appellation 'Maya', but have substituted it by 'sanshaya' (Doubt), 'Mithya Jnana' (Error), 'Abbava' (Negation), 'Avidya' (Ignorance) and 'Akhyati' (Non-discrimination), representing all those constituents of 'Maya' discussed thread-bare by the vedantins and shaivas alike subsequently.
Gauda Pada while commenting on the Vedanta or Brahma-sutras of Badarayana, has used this word 'Maya' for the first time in the classical period of Sanskrit literature.
He has vehemently laid down that Maya is unreal because it advocates duality as between the Jiva (soul) and the Brahma (Absolute Truth). This is like a dream seamingly looking real but inherently unreal. Just as in darknees the rope is imagined to be a snake, in the same way, the self is also imagined by its own illusion as having many forms. Actually in that state of existence there is no production (utpati) or no annihilation (Nirodha). To sum up, the imagination being unreal, finds itself realized in the non-existent existents. The objects are neither different nor non-different (Na Naredam... na prathak, naprathak); the sages have perceived it as devoid of imagination and cessation of all false appearance (Nirvikapla prapanchopashamah). The absolute truth (sat) is immortal, beyond the pale of birth and death, therefore it can not admit of any change by its own nature (svabhava), it is therefore, indivisible. All objects as they appear to us are likened to a magical or illusory elephant (Maya hasti), as it exists only or appears to us existing only with relation to experience. Hence, it is the experience which bestows on it the characteristics of birth, death etc. To quote: "By the nature of a thing is understood that which is its very condition, that which is inborn, that which is not accidental or that which does not cease to be itself." Gaudapada treats life as a waking dream, and contends that world exists only in the mind of Man. "The world of duality is mere Maya, the Real being the non dual" (Mayamatramidam Dvaitam, Adavaitam Paramarathatah ). Just as sunlight falling on the finger appears straight when finger is straight and crooked when it is crooked, but in reality it is neither the one nor the other. It is as space in vessels seems to move when these are moved but in realty remain motionless; just as the sun does not quiver when its reflection quivers in the water, so the non-dual Atman is one and changeless (Avikari) in essence, but seems diverse through the association with objects (Visaya)- a trick manipulated by Maya; therefore, Maya according to Gaudapada is the faulty representation of transcendental consciousness into cosmic experience. When the unifying balance between the consciousness Absolute in personified Atman and the experience condensed as in Jiva is disturbed, it is said to be the sorcery of Maya. The Brahma and Jiva are not parallel entities, forms and names, or transforms itself into the world; this kind of they are congruent. The jagat or samsara - world of objects is transitory, it comes and goes, so the pleasure and pain. It is actually non-existent (Mithya), the ever-existent (Satyam)is only Brahma. When mental experiences appear as real, Maya is thought to have unleashed its jugglery.
However, it was left to Adi Shankaracharya to condense and re-interpret the content given in Brahma Sutras and Gauda Pada Karika and furnish a firm footing on which the Vedantic philosophy could survive triumphantly unaffected by other schools of Indian thought. Even though a host of commentaries is available on the Vedanta-Sutra, yet the 'Shankara Bhashya' is the tallest of them all. Hence, it should not seem surprising that vedanta and Shankaracharya have become synonymous. His is the last word on this branch of Indian philosophy.
As regards Maya Shankar's premise is that it is an antithesis of Brahma because of being inextricably connected with the world (Jagat). Brahma is real (Satyam) while world is transitory or unreal (Mithya). It is definitely part and parcel of Brahma-the very basis of creation. As nothing can be created out of a vacuum, in the same way Brahma being the only eternal entity, the world does emerge out of it only. At this stage Ignorance (Avidya) intervenes to confuse the human mind and intellect by mistaking the Finite form of Brahma with its Infinite form. Therefore, ignorance is the progenitor of Maya (Illusion), unreal seeming as real. "Since Maya is deceptive in character, it is called 'Avidya' or false knowledge, it is not mere absence of apprehension but positive error." Toys and pots made of clay, though bearing different names and shapes from each other, are nothing but clay; similarly this 'Maya' through 'Avidya' gives rise to plurality without scanning the inherent unity. When Brahma projects itself into myriad forms and names, or transforms itself into the world; this kind of activity inherently of Brahma is called Ishwara with relation to the world and the power to procreate is alluded to as Prakriti. (Ishwarsya MayaShaktih Prakriti). Therefore Maya is the energy of Ishwara, His inherent force by which He transforms the potential into the actual world." It has no separate identity, it is in Ishwara as heat in fire. Maya through the machinations of false knowledge (Avidya) or erroneous perception (Mithya Jnana) exhibits its modus operandi (Vyapara) in two ways of concealment (Avarna) and misrepresentation (Viksepa). It hides the truth and at the same time mis-represents it. To conclude, it would be pertinent to quote from Shankara direct :-
"As the magician in not affected by the illusion (Maya) he has himself created, because it is without reality (Avastu), so also Paramatman is not affected by the illusion of a dream because the soul is not touched by sleep or waking." The ever- erring factor which disturbs the mental and psychic equilibrium between the creator and his creation is Maya. Such mental aberrations have relation to time and space and in their context unity is regarded as plurality, heterogenity as homogenity. This is in brief the content of Maya as enunciated by Shankara.
Monistic Shaivism of Kashmir has the 'Shiva-Sutra' of Acharya Vasugupta as its sheet-anchor. This shaivite scholar has defined Maya as:
'Kaladinama Tattvanam aviveko Maya.'
Non-discrimination of the limited elements of authorship (kala) etc is Maya.
Non-discrimination (Aviveka) has been explained by its commentator KshemaRaja as follows: "Paramartha Svarupasya Aprathana Svabhavah." The nature of non-projection of the highest form of Truth.
This would clearly denote that the stage of non-projecting or non-extending of the supreme spirit is 'Maya'. In other words, it would connote the inability of the supreme consciousness (Samvit) to transfer its consciousness to the objects around. This kind of non-perception and subsequent non-identification between the self (Atman) and the objects (Padartha) will precisely convey the purport of Maya in shaivistic thought: shaivism has treated maya as shakti (Energy), even the primeval Energy or Nature (Mula Prakriti). It is identical with the immanent form of Shiva; His transcendental form is unaffected by it.
Actually Maya is revealed in the Pashu (animal) stage of the Atman fettered by the impurities of action and perception, called the impurities of Maya (Mayiya Mallah). On the path of self-realization (Chaitanyam), it is to be contended with at the initial stage when the Jiva is bound by impurities (Pasha Badha) and when be is dispossessed of these fetters (Pashamukto), he becomes Shiva. So, the Maya is an ephemereal mental aberration between Jiva and Shiva, a stage between the Pasha-baddho (Animal) and Pasha-Muktoh (Subliminal) mental states, fleeting of course. It is in flux and flow as long as Jiva is possessed by non-discrimination (Aviveka); once this veil is shattered, it takes to heels. It can no longer seduce Jiva into wrong thinking even though being a seductress (Vimohini). Hence, it is devoid of permanency. It is actually a passing phase at which uniform essence of creation is presented in multiform, one seeming many. To speak briefly, when one primoridal force is seen in multiplicity through faulty mental projection, it is said to be the working of Maya according to Shaivas; but at the same time its influence is far from being permanent, it is transitory and persists only till the time the 'Sadhaka' or the realizer is at a distance, or even at a discount frcm self-realization. It is more or less the immanent (Vishvarnaya) form of Transcendental Shiva (Vishvoteerna), and inalienable ingredient of His self-conscious spirit. This very approach of shaivas marks their fundamental difference with the vedantists. The shaivas take Maya as an inevitable aspect of Shiva when releasing His shakti (Energy) from His fountain-head. Even though He is universe incarnate (Vishvarupa), yet He feels the urgency of creating a universe, so that His shakti (Energy) can have full play. This Maya is called a veritable screen which conceals the real form of things (Tirodhanankari) deluding us into believing the multiform of universe, which in essence is uniform. The moment, the realizer through his perceptive cognition (jnana), takes the blue (neela) and the yellow (peela) as one, and only one entity, the Maya stops her machinations. Therefore shaivas treat Maya as not as unreal but momentary. As against it, the vedantists proclaim that Maya is unreal (Ayathartha), coinciding squarely with their thesis that universe is unreal (Jagat Mithya). Shaiva scholars are at pains to argue that this whole creation is a reflection (Abhasa) of the Super-self which is real, omnipotent and self-dependent (Svatantra): therefore, the relation between the world of appearance ( Vishvamaya ) and that of Transcendence (Vishvoteerna) is that of the reflected object and the reflector. If the reflector is real, how can an object, its reflection, be unreal; since the reflected object has no separate entity from its reflector. Hence Maya has to fulfill her role in transmuting transcendence into immanence. It is thus a veritable hide and seek between the primoridal and subliminal aspects of the same force which is Shiva. Vedantins taking Maya as a perennial deluding force, treat this world as unreal, illusory, but shaivas do not subscribe to this view. As argued earlier, they take this world as real-an image of superconsciousness (Chaitaynam) which to all intents and purposes is self-dependence (Svatantrva) incarnate. Hence shaivas invoke Maya as the progenitor of the world of objects as a whole (Sakala Janani), or as Casual Matrix (Amba). The attitude of shaivas towards the concept of Maya is positive, affirmative in the sense that as long as the equation between shiva and shakti is disturbed, it has to be there. As against this, the vedantins treat Maya as negation of vidya (Avidya). The inherent ignorance of jiva makes it also a permanent affair with him; As long as 'Jiva' is a part of deluding universe, be cannot get rid of it, he can not be emancipated. Shaivas contend that a realizer can attain emancipation while living (Jivanmuktavastha) in this world, that is when his coalition (Jnana) is complete and does not waver in seeming diversity around him, he can attain bliss of unity, being in perfect health, mentally as well as physically. The line of thinking adopted by vedantins is that life being false needs to be abjured, while shaivas treat enjoying life (Bhoga) as a preamble to meaningful renunciation (Yoga). In this context Abbinavagupta has asserted emphatically that this world is essentially Truth. Therefore, in vedantic school of philosophy we come across with a galaxy of ascetics having renounced all earthly concerns (Sanyasins), but in shaivism we are confronted with spiritual guides (Acharyas) who have owned life and also have risen above it; with them matter is as important as the spirit. These are rather complementary to each other; hence they are averse to caste taboos and kitchen puritanism. Their approach is, to speak in nutshell, psychic and not intellectual like those of the vedantins. They had their eyes wide-awake and could even anticipate the demands, the vagaries of mind would make on human intellect later. They provided the panacea in advance in terms of their emancipated and more healthy outlook, so that human mind does not get derailed into nihilism in future. In the context of changing time and consequent outlook, shaivas do possess an edge over all other Indian schools of philosophy; Maya, with them is therefore a fleeting psychic experience, as long as 'Self-Dependence' ( svatantrya ) is at an arm's length. As soon as this kind of diversity ( Bheda ) is dismantled by the awakening of spirit (Chaitanya), such enveloping clouds, prone to error, meet away through the effulgence of spirit; The realizer does attain shivahood being dispossessed of such obdurating shackles as the Maya is called. At this pinnacle of spiritual bliss (Paramananda), the confusion between duality (Bheda) and Non-Duality (Abheda), manifested (Kula) or unmanifested (Akula), ceases permanently.
Vedanta preaches equipoise and tranquility of mind labelling it as Bliss (Ananda). This is mental bliss related to thinking (Bhauda) which is limited in essence. Hence, they have indulged in hair splitting argumentation. Their approach is, therefore, intellectual.
Distance between the intellect and the spirit does also mark the frontiers between the vedanta and shaivism. Vedantists lay emphasis on mental Ascendancy, while shaivas advocate vehemently spiritual Transcendence. The conception of Maya as illustrated by these two schools of Indian philosophy hinges obviously on their respective approaches.
Shaivism is a philosophy is more realistic and universal than the Vedanta, in is much as, it has made a happy amalgam of the prevailing Shakta and Tantric beliefs in vogue in Kashmir then; whereas vedanta is idealistic in approach and self-contained in content, thereby meant for only those who are intellectually more advanced-the elite-so to say. Common folk with common-place intellect have been by-passed, since they can not comprehend the exact essence of the brain-racking intellectual gymnastics indulged in by the towering giants of vedanta philosophy. Hence the conception of Maya as outlined by the vedantists is above the average quotient of intelligence possessed by an ordinary man. Shaivism, on the other band, has given a straight and simple definition of Maya, in consonance with the average intelligence obtaining in an ordinary mortal. It has abstained scrupulously from jig-saw approach of the vedantists. To conclude, with Shaivas, Maya is a psychic disorder, a passing phase, while with the vedantins it is a mental aberration entwining the human mind and intellect permanently; they treat this world being entrenched in the mire of Maya as a waking dream.
The shaivas look at it as a seductress, a momentary dis-equilibrium between self and self-consciousness." Therefore, Abhinavagupta has most graphically unfolded the import contained in Maya in this homely idiom:
"Maya is the unmixed part of that transcendental self which engenders the shade of distinction ( Bhedavabhasa ) in His Self-Dependent power (Svatantrya Shakhti), which does not stand in need of any aids."
In conclusion, it may most fairly be emphasized that Indian outlook believes in assimilation rather than in segregation. It has made a heart-pleasing compromise with all that is good and edifying so the poet is not far from wrong when he asserts:
"Thou art Brahma-The Creator, Vishnu-The Preserver and Thou art Matter-the embodied soul, Ego-consciousness, the Moon, the Sun, Nature of things, the Lord of Jainas-Mahavira, the Illumined Sage-Buddha, Sky, Air also Shiva and Shakti. By these different names, 0 Goddess ! Thou art heard of and called by the righteous."
Even though vedantins and shaivas are at variance with regard to the conception of Maya, yet their destination is same-ennobling human intellect and awakening human spirit. This is exactly the rhythmic jingle of the heart-beats of Indian mind from times immemorial.

What Is Mind VI

Chitta And Memory

What Is Chitta?

Chitta is termed as the mind-stuff or mental substance. It is the groundfloor, as it were. From it proceed the three Vrittis, viz., Manas, Buddhi and Ahankara. This word belongs to the Rajayogic terminology of Maharshi Patanjali. Also in the Gita, Lord Krishna uses the term Chitta in various places.
Chitta is a separate faculty or category in Vedanta. Sometimes it is Antargata, comes under Mind. In Sankhya philosophy, it is included in Buddhi or Mahat-Tattva. The Chitta of Patanjali Rishi's philosophy of Raja Yoga (Yogas-chittavritti-nirodhah) corresponds to the Antahkarana of Vedanta.
Subconscious mind is termed 'Chitta' in Vedanta. Much of your subconsciousness consists of submerged experiences, memories thrown into the background but recoverable. The Chitta is like a calm lake and thoughts are like waves upon the surface of this lake and name and form are the normal ways in which these waves rise. No wave can rise without name and form.
The functions of the Chitta are Smriti or Smarana, Dharana, attention and Anusandhana (enquiry or investigation). When you repeat the Japa of a Mantra, it is the Chitta that does the Smarana. It does a lot of work. It turns out better work than the mind or Buddhi.

The Field Of Subconscious Mentation

The mental processes are not limited to the field of consciousness alone. The field of subconscious mentation is of a much greater extent than that of conscious mentation. The mind is not conscious of the greater portion of its own activities. As man can hold in consciousness but one fact at a time, only a fraction of our knowledge can be in the field of consciousness at any one moment. Only ten per cent of mental activities come into the field of consciousness. Ninety per cent of the mental activities takes place in the subconscious mind. Messages, when ready, come out like a flash from the subconscious mind to the surface of the conscious mind through the trapdoor in the subconscious mind.
We sit and try to solve a problem and fail. We walk around, try again and again fail. Suddenly an idea dawns on us that leads to the solution of the problem. The subconscious processes were at work.
You repeatedly fail at night to get the solution for a problem in arithmetic or geometry. In the morning, when you wake up, you get a clear answer. This answer comes like a flash from the subconscious mind. Even in sleep, it works incessantly without any rest. It arranges, classifies, compares, sorts all facts and works out a proper, satisfactory solution.
Sometimes, you go to sleep at 10 p.m. with the thought, "I must get up at 2 a.m. in the morning to catch a train." This message is taken up by the subconscious mind and it is this subconscious mind that wakes you up unfailingly at the exact hour. Subconscious mind is your constant, trustworthy companion and sincere friend.
With the help of the subconscious mind, you can change your vicious nature by cultivating healthy, virtuous qualities that remain dormant in every human heart. If you want to overcome fear, mentally deny that you have fear and concentrate your attention upon the opposite quality, the ideal of courage. When courage is developed, fear vanishes by itself. The positive always overpowers the negative. This is an infallible law of nature. This is Pratipaksha Bhavana of Raja Yogins. You can acquire a liking for distasteful tasks and duties by cultivating a desire and taste for them. You can establish new habits, new ideals, new ideas anad new tastes and new character in the subconscious mind by changing the old ones.

Memory

Smriti or memory is a function of Chitta (subconscious mind). Memory is used in two senses. We say, "Mr. John has got a good memory." Here it means that Mr. John's capacity of the mind to store up its past experiences is very good. Sometimes we say, "I have no memory of that incident." Here, you cannot bring up to the surface of the conscious mind, in its original form, the incident that took place some years ago. It is an act of remembering. You do not get any new knowledge through memory. It is only a reproduction.
If the experience is fresh, you can have a complete recall of your past experience through memory. In ordinary recollection there is a temporal coefficient. In personal memory there is a specific coefficient. That which acts together with another thing is a coefficient. In Mathematics, the numerical or literal factor prefixed to an unkown quantity in an algebraic term is a coefficient.

How Does Memory Arise

Suppose you have received a nice fan as a present from your amiable friend. When you use the fan, it sometimes reminds you of your friend. You think of him for a Smriti-Hetu (cause of memory).
If your brother is a tall man, the sight of a similar tall man in another place will bring to your mind the memory of your brother. This is memory due to the similarity of objects (Sadrisyata).
Suppose you have seen a dwarf at Madras. When you see a very tall man or Patagonian, this will remind you of the dwarf whom you saw at Madras. The sight of a big palace will remind you of a peasant's hut or a Sannyasin's grass hut on the bank of Ganga. This memory is due to dissimilarity in objects (Viparitata).
When you walk along the road on a stormy day, if you happen to see a fallen tree, you conclude that the tree has fallen owing to the storm. In this case, the memory is due to the relation between cause and effect (Karya-karana-sambandha).
The new Samskaras wash away the old Samskaras. If the Samskaras are fresh and recent, it is easy to recall them back quickly. They come up again from the depths of the subconscious mind to the surface of the conscious mind. Revival of old Samskaras takes place. If you visit once the college wherefrom you received your education, ten years after you became an officer in the Government, all the previous Samskaras of your college days will be revived now. You will remember now your old professors, old friends, old books and various other things.

Characteristics Of A Good Memory

The following are the four good characteristics of a good memory: (1) If you read once a passage and if you can reproduce the same nicely, it is a sign to indicate that you have a very good memory. This is termed Sugamata. (2) If you can reproduce the same thing without increase or decrease, addition or substraction, it is called Avaikalya. (3) If you can preserve a fact or passage or anything for a very considerable period, it is called Dharana (retentive memory). (4) If you can reproduce a passage at once without any difficulty when it is needed, it is called Upaharana.

The Process Of Recollection

When you desire to remember a thing, you will have to make a psychic exertion. You will have to go up and down into the depths of the different levels of subconsciousness and then pick up the right thing from a curious mixture of multifarious irrelevant matter. Just as the railway sorter in the Railway Mail Service takes up the right letter by moving the hand up and down along the different pigeon-holes, so also the sorter subconscious mind goes up and down along the pigeon-holes in the subconscious mind and brings the right thing to the level of normal consciousness. The subconscious mind can pick up the right thing from a heap of various matters.
In a big surgical clinic, the assistant surgeon allows only one patient to enter the consultation room of the senior surgeon for examination. Even so, the mind allows one idea only to enter the mental factory at a time through the mind door (Manodvara). The subconscious mind brings to the threshold of the conscious mind, during an act of Smriti (memory), the right thing at the right moment, suppressing all others. It serves the part of a censor and allows only relevant memories to pass by. What a wonderful mechanism it is! Who is the driver for these dual minds? Who created these? What a magnanimous Being He must be! My hairs stand on their ends when I think of Him! My pen quivers when I write. Don't you like to dwell with Him? What a great privilege and joy it is to be in communion with Him!
When you try to remember something, sometimes you cannot remember. After some time, the forgotten something flashes out to the conscious mind. How do you explain this? It is a slip of memory. The Samkaras of the particular thing has sunk deep. The Chitta, which is the storehouse of Samskaras (and whose function is memory), has to exert a bit, to analyse and sort and bring it to the surface of the conscious mind through the trapdoor. After some exertion, revival of the old Samskaras takes place and the forgotten idea, or name of a person, which you wished to recollect sometime back, suddenly flashes to the conscious or objective mind. There ought to have been some congestion in the brain, which might have prevented the revival of a forgotten thing, idea or person. As soon as the congestion is relieved, the forgotten idea floats on the surface of the mind. When the mind is calm, memory becomes keen.

Power Of Memory

Those who overwork mentally, who do not observe the rules of Brahmacharya and who are tormented by many cares, worries and anxieties, lose their power of memory soon. When you show symptoms of losing your memory, as you grow old, the first symptom is that you find it difficult to remember the names of persons. The reason is not far to seek. All the names are arbitrary. They are like labels. There are no associations with the names. The mind generally remembers through associations, as the impressions become deep thereby.
Even in old age, you can remember old events, as there are associations with events. You can remember well in old age some passages that you read in schools and colleges. But, you find it difficult to remember in the evening a new passage you read in the morning. The reason is that the mind has lost its Dharana Sakti (power of grasping ideas). The brain cells have degenerated.
In early boyhood, the power of grasping in the mind is very marked. But, there is no power of understanding. In 16, 18, 20, the power of understanding becomes manifest. The power of retentive memory is also great in this age. The mind becomes settled only after 30. Below 30, there is much Chanchalatva (wandering nature). A man below 30-in the vast majority of cases-is not able to think and decide for himself. He has no power of judgment. After 45, power of grasping begins to decline. Memory also begins to decline. He has power of retention for what he has learnt before. He cannot learn new sciences. Brahmacharya helps a lot to develop the power of retention and various other psychic powers

What Is Samskara?

Vritti (whirlpool, thought-wave) arises in the mind-ocean. It operates for sometime. Then it sinks below the threshold of normal consciousness. From the surface of the conscious mind wherein it was uppermost for some time, it sinks down deep into the region of the subconscious mind (Chitta). There, it continues to be a subliminal action and becomes a Samskara (impression). A conscious action-whether cognitive, affective or conative-assumes a potential and hidden (Sukshma and Avyakta) form just below the threshold of consciousness. This is termed a Samskara.

Memory-a Revival Of Samskara

The Samskaras (impressions) are embedded in the subconscious mind or Chitta. The subconscious mind is otherwise known as the unconscious mind. Subjective mind, subconscious mind, unconscious mind and Chitta are synonymous terms. The seat of this subconscious mind is the cerebellum or hindbrain. You can recall the past experiences from the storehouse of Samskaras in the subconscious mind. The past is preserved even to the minutest detail. Even a bit is never lost. When the fine Samskaras come up to the surface of the conscious mind back again as a big wave, when the past Vritti comes back to the surface of the conscious mind again by recollection, it is called memory or Smriti. No memory is possible without the help of Samskara.
How The Samskara Is Formed
An experience in the sense-plane sinks down into the depths of the subconscious mind (Chitta) and becomes there a 'Samskara' (impression). A Samskara of an experience is formed or developed in the Chitta at the very moment that the mind is experiencing something. There is no gap between the present experience and the formation of a Samskara in the subconscious mind. A specific experience leaves a specific Samskara. The memory of this specific experience springs from that particular Samskara only, which was formed out of that particular experience.
When you perceive an orange and taste for the first time, you get knowledge of an orange. You know its taste. You know the object, orange. A Samskara is formed in the subconscious mind at once. At any time, this Samskara can generate a memory of the object, orange and knowledge of an orange. Though the object and the act of knowledge are distinguishable, yet they are inseparable.

Cyclic Causation Of Thought And Samskara

An object awakens or revives Samskaras in the mind through external stimuli. Hence, a Sankalpa or thought arises subjectively from within, without a stimulus from outside. When you think of a cow which you have seen before, you repeat the word 'cow' mentally. Then only, the mental image comes. Then, a thought is formed. Samskara causes Sankalpa, and Sankalpa causes Samskara, just as seed is the cause of the tree, and tree is the cause of the seed, in turn. There is cyclic causation on the analogy of seed and tree (Bija-Vriksha-Nyaya). A Vritti in the mind produces a Samskara, and a Samskara, in turn, causes again a Vritti. Owing to the force of stimuli (Udbodhaka, Vyanjaka) either from within or from without, the seed-like Samskaras again expand and give rise to further activities. This cycle of Vritti and Samskara is Anadi (beginningless), but has an end when one attains Divine Knowledge and liberation. They get Laya (dissolution) into Prakriti. They cease to produce any effect on the Jivanmukta. The Samskaras should be fried up by continuous Samadhi. Then only you will be free from births and deaths.


Samyama Over Samskaras

Samskara is known as "residual potency" also. When all Vrittis or thoughts die away, the frame of the mind remains with the Samskaras. This is termed the Potential Mind. In Vedantic parlance, it is called Antahkarana Matra.
All Samskaras co-exist in the mind. The Vrittis slowly subside and leave traces in the mind. These traces are the Samskaras. From these Samskaras springs memory. If you have Yogic vision, you can vividly notice the marvels that take place in the mental factory of an individual, how the Vritti arises in the mind-lake, how it subsides and how a Samskara is formed. You will be struck with wonder. Samyama over these Samskaras brings out the direct knowledge of the residual potencies. A Yogin brings into direct consciousness the previous life-states by getting direct knowledge of their Samskaras. Such knowledge can hardly be acquired in Universities. A Yogin alone can impart this knowledge to deserving aspirants.

Virtuous And Vicious Samskaras

Like forces, Samskaras aid or inhibit one another. When you see a man in serious sickness and when the feeling of mercy arises in your heart, all the Samskaras of your previous merciful actions coalesce together and force you to serve and help that sick man. Similarly, all the Samskaras of charitable actions come forth to the surface of the conscious mind when you see a man in a serious distress and in straitened circumstances and they force you to help this man. You begin to share with him your physical possessions.
When one Samskara or virtuous action comes into play, another Samskara of dissimilar nature may emerge out and come in the way of its fulfilment. This is fight between a virtuous and a vicious Samskara.
When you try to fix your mind on God and think of purity, just at that moment, all evil thoughts and Samskaras burst forth with violence and vengeance to fight against you. This is termed 'crowding of Samskaras'. Good Samskaras also crowd together and help you to drive out evil Samskaras. The father of Sri Swami Advaitanandaji was a great Bhakta of Chandi. At the time of his death, he was semi-conscious. He began to repeat all the Slokas of Chandi-Stotra which he had got by heart while he was young. This is 'crowding of spiritual Samskaras'.

Past Samskaras Constitute Prarabdha

When you are born, the mind is not a mere Tabula Rasa (a smooth or blank tablet or a blank sheet of white paper). It is a storehouse of Samskaras, predispositions, predilections, etc. A child is born with his Samskaras. A child is born with his past experiences transmuted into mental and moral tendencies and powers. By experiences, pleasant and painful, man gathers materials and builds them into mental and moral faculties. The earthly experiences are worked up into intellectual faculty. The mind evolves through the impressions received from the universe through the senses. It will take many bodies till it gathers the complete experience of the world. Every man is born with his inborn or inherent Samskaras and these Samskaras are embedded, lodged or imprinted in the Chitta which is the seat for Prarabdha. In earthly life, he gains many more Samskaras or experiences through actions and these are added to the original store and become the future Sanchita Karmas (accumulated actions).
All Samskaras lie dormant in the Chitta as latent activities, not only of this life but of all previous innumerable lives from Anadi Kala (beginningless time). The Samskaras of animal life (those of dog's births, etc.), the Samskaras of a Deva life, the Samskaras of kingly life, the Samskaras of the life of a peasant, are all hidden there in the Chitta. In human life, only those Samskaras which are appropriate to that particular type of birth will operate and come to play. The other kinds of Samskaras will remain concealed and dormant.
"As a merchant closing the year's ledger and opening a new one, does not enter in the new all the items of the old but only its balances, so does the spirit hand over to the new brain his judgments on the experiences of a life that is closed, the conclusions to which he has come, the decisions to which he has arrived. This is the stock handed on to the new life, the mental furniture for the new dwelling-a real memory."

Karma

The gross body and the mind have, on account of your past Karmas, a tendency to act in a certain way and you act just in accordance with that tendency like a machine. You wrongly impute to yourself the authorship (agency) of these actions and thus make the matters worse. Most of your actions are done more or less automatically.
If you find it difficult to do your actions in a Nishkama spirit, have one desire for liberation in doing all things.
In Svarga or heaven, all earthly experiences of the mind are sorted and analysed. The essence is taken. The Jiva is born again in the physical universe with a new frame and bent of mind according to the nature of the essence extracted in the mental plane.
When you are writing a drama, if sleep comes in, you stop writing and retire to bed. As soon as you get up, you continue to write from where you have left the previous night. Even so, when you take up a new incarnation, you begin to continue the work which you had left unfinished in your previous life in accordance with the current of Vasanas of your past life.
Your next life will depend very largely upon the Karma you perform in this birth. There are probably many things which the man of the world does constantly and may do without much harm resulting in any way; if these things were done by those sincere aspirants who are treading the path of Realisation, they would be decidedly harmful.
Habitual study of abstract problems will result-in another earthly life-in a well-developed power for abstract thinking, while flippant, hasty thinking, flying from one object to another, will bequeath a restless ill-regulated mind to the following birth into this world.

The Enslaving Chains Of Samskaras

Mind exercises its suzerainty through Samskaras. From Samskaras emanate Vasanas like swarms of locusts. From Vasana flows the stream of desire and from enjoyment of objects of desires arises Trishna or internal craving (intense longing). Trishna is very powerful. The Samskaras are imbedded in the mind, in the Karana Sarira. There arises a memory of pleasure in the mind. Then the mind thinks of objects. Maya has her powerful seat in the imagination. There comes attachment. The mind plans and schemes. You are swayed by the passions. You exert yourself physically to possess those objects and enjoy them. In your efforts, you favour some and disfavour others through Raga and Dvesha. You will have to enjoy the fruits of your virtuous and vicious actions. Through this six-spoked wheel of Raga and Dvesha, virtue and vice, pleasure and pain, this Samsaric wheel of birth and death moves on without stopping from Anadi Kala (beginningless time).

Thoughts And Desires Depend Upon Samskaras

The nature of desires and thoughts depends upon the nature of your Samskaras. If you have good Samskaras, you will have good desires and good thoughts and vice versa. Even if you have indulged in vicious actions up to the age of forty, begin practising virtuous actions such as charity, Japa, Dama, Svadhyaya, meditation, service of the poor and the sick, service of saints, etc., from this moment and these Samskaras will prompt you to do more virtuous deeds. They will stimulate good desires and noble thoughts. The Lord says in the Bhagavad-Gita:-
Api chet suduracharo bhajate mam-ananyabhakSadhureva sa mantavyah samyag-vyavasito hi sah (IX-30)
"Even if the most sinful worships Me with undivided heart, he too must be deemed righteous, for he has rightly resolved."

Evil Samskaras-the Real Enemy

Who is your real enemy? It is your own evil Samskaras. Substitute Subha Vasanas in place of Asubha ones. Then you can approach God. The mind will be changed. Old Samskaras will be obliterated. Wrong suggestions of various kinds and crude fantastic superstitions are rooted deeply in your mind. They are harmful. You will have to knock them down by Vichara, sublime suggestions, right thinking. "I am body," "I am Mr. John," "I am a Brahmin," "I am rich"-these are wrong suggestions and wrong Samskaras. Suggest to yourself boldly that you are Brahman. The previous wrong suggestion and Samskara "I am body" will slowly melt away by strenuous efforts.
If you forget your real Brahmic nature even for a minute, the old Samskaras of Ajnana will try to come up and overwhelm you. See how Narada's determination began to fluctuate even though he was absorbed in meditation, when he saw some Deva-girls. He at once experienced the sexual desire in himself. The seed came out, he put it in a pot and Chudala in the form of Kumbha Muni emerged from out of the pot. (Yogavasishtha, story of Sikhidhvaja). Therefore, you will have to be very, very careful. Keep yourself away from all kinds of temptations-money, woman, name, fame, etc.

How To Acquire Good Samskaras

Try to acquire some good spiritual Samskaras in this birth at least, if you are not able to devote all your time in spiritual pursuit. Do some kind of meditation for a short time at least daily, say for half an hour in the morning and evening. Have a meditation room. Make some kind of Japa of any Mantra. Study the Gita regularly. Have Satsanga. Visit Rishikesh, Nasik, Varanasi, Haridwar, Prayag once a year for a week's stay. Have the Darshana of Mahatmas. By doing so, you will acquire some spiritual Samskaras which will be a valuable spiritual asset for a new, good life. You will have a very good birth. You will be placed in suitable environments in the next birth for unfolding the Divinity that is lurking in your heart, for practice of Yoga. All opportunities and facilities will be given to you by God, through His grace (Isvara-Kripa) for your spiritual Sadhana. Even by a little systematic spiritual practice (Yogabhyasa and Vedantic Sadhana), you can change your mentality, your old vicious Samskaras. You can cut short several future births. By practice for three years, you can free yourself from the clutches of births and deaths. You are bound to become a Sannyasin. Why not now in this very birth? Why don't you cut short the cycle of unnecessary births and consequent miseries? How long do you want to be a slave of the world, a slave of passions and Indriyas? Wake up now. Do Sadhana and get immortality. Udharet-Atmana-Atmanam-Rouse the self by the Self.
New, healthy Samskaras can be implanted by new, healthy suggestions. Suppose your brain is a plank in which are driven nails which represent the ideas, habits and instincts which determine your actions. If you find that there exists in you a bad idea, a bad habit, a bad instinct,-a bad nail, as it were, in the plank of your mind-you should take another, viz., a good idea, habit or instinct, place it on the top of the bad one and give a hard tap with a hammer. In other words, you should make a healthy, useful suggestion. The new nail will be driven in perhaps a fraction of an inch while the old one will come out to the same extent. At each fresh blow with the hammer, that is to say, at each fresh suggestion, the one will be driven in a little further and the other will be driven out just that much until, after a certain number of blows, the old habits will be completely replaced by the new habits, new ideas. It demands, doubtless, strenuous efforts. It needs constant repetition of the new, healthy suggestions. Habit is second nature. But, pure, irresistible, determined will is bound to succeed eventually.

Death Of Samskaras Leads To Moksha

The physical body may die. But, the thoughts and Samskaras of actions, enjoyments and thinking follow you after death till you attain Moksha. These are variable Upadhis that accompany you after death. They are variable because you carry different kinds of Samskaras each time when you die. In defferent incarnations, you create different kinds of Samskaras. The permanent Upadhis that accompany you after death are the five Jnana-Indriyas, five Karma-Indriyas, five Pranas, fourfold mind and the Karana Sarira which is the support or Adhara for the Linga Sarira or astral body. It is the death of the Samskaras, it is the death of the Karana Sarira that leads to the final Moksha. It leads to the attainment of Brahma-Jnana. You will be getting fresh births so long as there are Samskaras. You will have to take birth again and again till all the Samskaras are obliterated or fried up by the acquisition of Brahma Jnana. When the Samskaras are wiped out, Brahmic Knowledge shines by itself in its own glory.

Sadhana Consists In Destroying The Samskaras

The aim of a Sadhaka is to fry out or burn or obliterate all these Samskaras through Nirbija Samadhi. Sadhana consists in wiping out the Samskaras. Breathing, hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting, smelling-all cause Samskaras or latent Smriti in the mind. The world enters the mind through the eyes, ears, tongue (speech) and old Samskaras. If you remain in seclusion, you can shut out the first three doors. Through Vichara (right enquiry of Supreme Self), you can destroy the fourth route. Then, Jnana (Knowledge of Self) will dawn. A Jnani is without Samskaras. They are fried out by Jnana. No doubt, the force of the Samskaras remains in the Antahkarana. But they are harmless. They will not bind the Jnani.