Reflected Consciousness

Reflected Consciousness 

When physicists are searching traces of life in the quarks of quantum and biologists are decoding DNA-RNA in a cell; ‘Consciousness’ is a question mark before the modern world. Whether it is an outcome of atomic reactions or is a product of brain or is a fabric of underlying reality on which the whole play of creation, sustenance and dissolution is playing; none can prove it with mathematical models. However, probably reached to the end of the road after discovering god particle and photons, some of the physicists are seriously working on the concept of consciousness and are in infant state in the area of consciousness explained by the philosophies of the east. 

There is pure/witness consciousness, reflected consciousness, the reflectors and the play. Let’s take example of the creatures on the earth. The humans, annimals, birds, insects, etc., each has a body and mind to perform their role of survival and multiply. Each one has physical body, senses and mind (includes intellect, memory and ego). When the objects of the world come in contact of the body through the senses, the mind receives signals and it commands the action as per its understanding of the object. Each mind has a software fitted in with the type of its species and is further built through experiences. The signals and actions-reactions are the conscious acts of the body mind within their limitations of the instrument. Human can’t act as lion and lion can’t as human. Man can’t think like an ant and an ant can’t as a man. Each mind has its own world. The acts of consciousness we see around are the acts of reflected consciousness, limited consciousness. One could see the face in the mirror limited to one’s body mind instrument. 

As human is a thinking animal with an intellect and good memory box, his mind is flooded with thoughts. The analytical mind is trying to expand its horizon and trying to discover secret of the nature and the ultimate reality. Human may be a believer that he has a better reflected consciousness compare to other creatures as they carry more body-mind limitations. The plants and the trees do reflect consciousness and same can be said for the things as each object reflects consciousness limited to its body-mind. They are classified in the state of waking, dreaming and sleeping state of reflected consciousness. 

If the life on the earth is a play of ‘reflected consciousness’ then where is the ‘pure consciousness’ which is reflected through our minds. The theories of God; creator, sustainer, destroyer; omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient power; justice; etc., are rested upon the ‘pure consciousness’ whom the human on earth is praying or questioning for centuries. 

How to reach? We have only one means, i.e., the mind which is reflecting the pure consciousness 24x7 whether it is in the state of waking, dreaming or sleeping. If the observer observes the play carefully; instead of involving in the reactive play of the worldly affairs focus more on the reflection of consciousness on its mirror-mind; it may get an opportunity to walk towards pure consciousness using the bridge of the ray of consciousness the mind is reflecting. 

An intellect mind may try through the path of knowledge but an average human mind opts to surrender on the path of Bhakti. The previous is a path of a money infant who catch hold of its mother well to move with her and the mother knowing well that the infant will manage itself, doesn’t support. However her attention never goes out of the infant. The later is a path of a kitten whose mother knows its limitations and therefore extend support and carries along wherever she moves. Large majority of humans have opted the path of a kitten. 

However, the story doesn’t end. The intellect minds of philosophers went further deep into it and infer that the pure consciousness could be a fabric, a Shakti, a manifestation of another realm and therefore thought of a state of no alternative (nirvikalp), indescribable, the Param. 

All our thoughts, meditations, play and presentations are the act of reflected consciousness. A rarest of the rare may connect to the incident ray and walk through it and attain the state of pure consciousness; the journey beyond our body mind and intellect. 

Punamchand

4 December 2024

Read More

Trip to Gangotri

A memorable visit of Gangotri

After a night stay and a good breakfast of Paratha-Sabji at HNB Guest House Srinagar (UK) on 20 November 2024, we departed at 8.30 AM and reached Uttarkashi by 2 PM. The PWD Guest House was closed and the caretaker was not available, therefore, we took a round of the city and had Darshana of Uttarkashi Vishwanath Shiv Temple and temple of Ma Annapurna. The pujari at the Uttarkashi Vishvanath Temple tried to explain that Linga of the temple is original and one of the biggest and is slanting. One young Pujari sat in the premise of the temple to perform ritual on demand happened to be an Acharya, did his MA in Sanskrit but opted for this profession. We went to Ganeshpura a nearby place where Swami Preamanand Sarasvati of Shivanand Ashram has established an Ashram on the bank of river Ganga. Swami welcomed us and offered to stay in the Ashram which we couldn't deny though Mr. Negi from PWD Guest House had confirmed our reservation. The place was 5 kms away from Uttarkashi and enroute to Gangotri and we had planned to leave for Gangotri very early in the morning next day, we accepted the loving offer. We joined the evening prayers where few foreigners were present. There were books of translated prayers in English made available to them. I don't know their tour model but many of them come in Himalayas, buy Indian clothes, find a place in one of the ashrams, stay and eat whatever is served, participate in the morning and evening prayers and do their touring of interests. They may be coming in groups but live scattered as per the availability of accomodation in ashrams and manage their tours and travel in coordination with each other. However, their love for the Indian spirituality, prayers and practices are sometimes more than the Indians. We did enjoy the prayers and the dinner of the Ashram. The Swamiji took special care, made a rasam soup and sweet dish available to us. He arranged for a glass of milk and place a cup full with freshly made Chyavanpras in our room. Next day morning before Lakshmi got ready I had attended the morning prayers and enjoyed a cup of tea. We started from the Ashram at 7 AM and reached Harshil by 9.30 AM. My wife has a picture memory and I have a sound memory, therefore, she immediately recollected the places of our first visit to Harshil and take me to the Post Office where heroine Mandakini (Ganga) of Raj Kapoor's blockbuster movie Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985) used to come to find a letter from her Hero Rajiv Kapoor (Naren). Set up in a rented house in 1960, built of wood and local materials, the post office was featured in several key movies. There were Apple trees without Apple as the season got over. The shops were closed but one tea stall was open. I tried to feel taste of the watery tea but my wife served it to an ox standing besides. Two more oxen joined him. The vender was drunk. We stopped at Kedareshwar temple at 10.30 AM which is half in water and half above the ground. We bought some Rajma and apple from a shop in Dharali. Harshil is famous for pahari ivory rajma, greenish royal apple and potatoes. We reached Gangotri at 11.15 AM. The valley approaching Harshil and from Harshil to Gangotri is scenic and beautiful surrounded by mountains and forests. It is thrilling experience to travel through the curvy roads. Barring few cuts on the mountains the roads are not made national highways like Badrinath route, and that way the beauty of the valley hasn't been disturbed.  

The shops and houses in Gangotri were closed but we could see few tourists. We went to the Gangotri temple premise, had darshana from outside, took prasad from a bottle kept out side, took pictures and sat on the bank of River Bhagirathi to enjoy the nature. All know the story of King Bhagirath who invited river Ganga from the heaven for salvation of his thousand step brothers. Gomukh is about 19 kms away from where the river originate. It suggests how much of the glaciers has been melted over the centuries. 

It was scenic view in a sunny day where the river was flowing softly in the calm of mountains. I saw a small stone mobile Shivlinga at the edge of the river, took it and use it for worshiping using water of Ganga. My wife followed me. She offered the water 11 times and to her surprise, received coins of ₹11 from the river Ganga where she sat. She tasted the fresh ice. Both of us used the moments for meditation. 

We got up to return but my wife took me to the other side of the river towards Surya Kund the place I had seen in past but forgot. We enjoyed the flow, fall and sound of water in the valley. As usual we took some pictures, videos and departed at 12.45 PM. On return, we stopped at Bhairav temple of Bhairoghati but it was closed. We took our lunch at Dharashu paying ₹60 for a plate of Rajma and Rice. I bought one radish @₹10 to rich my salad. We purchased sweet karela and semi as taste of mountains and returned Uttarkashi. 

That evening of Shri Shivanand Ashram became vibrant with the visit of few local school girls in the prayer. They were so accurate in their pronunciation, rhythm and melody of the music and with speed that they could finish prayers, hanumanchalisa, some path of Ramcharitmanas and some verses of Sarasvati Rahasya Upanishad in one go of singing in 60 minutes. They made the prayer room vibrant and energetic. 

Swamiji Premanand Sarasvati (84) was a nationalist participated in the freedom movement with his father and cried when Gandhiji was killed. He is BSc (Agr) but life took him to renunciation. He walked by foot from Rishikesh to Uttarkashi and settled in 1964. It took him 5-6 decades to reach to the state of an Ashram establishment. He was still sharing happy moments of his past when there was no electricity and thick chapati made of his hands added with salt giving him more happiness than the modern life of different facilities. He is working for the Divine Life Mission of community upliftment and helping the deprived of Ganeshpura. He gifted us Bhagwad Gita, Life mission Picture book of Swami Chinmayanand and 1 kg box of Chyavanpras. 

Next day morning, we departed the Ashram after the breakfast and with one stop on the way at Adra Kheda, bought some pulses and Rishikesh in the afternoon. We visited Lakshman Jhula which is undergoing repairs and came to Chotivala restaurant travelling a big round of a circular route of 45 minutes in a car to have our lunch at 2.30 PM. Rishikesh has one road bridge to the east end for the four wheelers, therefore, it takes extra time to reach to the places and ashram at the west end. The market near Lakshman Jhula is losing it viability in absence of customers as the repairs of Jhula is taking longer time than expected. People are awaiting when the glass Jhula as promised will be completed and open for public. 

Chotiwala's Thali is expensive costing ₹415 but one persons can't eat all therefore sharing makes it economical. After a thali lunch of Chotiwala, we took a room in Parmarth Niketan Ashran, placed our luggage and joined the evening Sandhya Aarti of River Ganga. The booking can be done online and if rooms are available one may get it from the reception on arrival. It costs only ₹500/bed. The canteen of the ashram is open to all, very economical as the fix thali costs only ₹100. There are other varieties available at very reasonable price. As we had late lunch therefore enjoyed mung dal halwa as sweet dish of the Ashram in dinner and concluded our trip to Himalayas. 

Punamchand 

3 December 2024

Read More

Inner Voice

Inner Voice

The visible world, the existence, is the Mother Nature, manifestation as Shakti of the power of the Almighty whom different religions have given different name.

Nature is basically three qualities: सत्व-रजस-तमस of which the whole creation is made of. Humans being part of nature carry these three qualities. However, all are not equal in nature as one of the qualities dominate in the mind of each individual. Some are dominated by सत्व, some by रजस and some by तमस.

सत्व dominated people are good by heart, carry fear or live for God and his creation; their thrust is more for knowledge and therefore they gain peace and happiness. रजस dominated people are vibrant, active, try to dominate the surroundings with their ego, use force and receive unhappiness and sorrow as end results. तमस dominated people are depressed,  curse others for their depression and live in darkness. There is fourth class which is mixture of रजस and तमस carry both the qualified of रजस dominated lot and तमस dominated lot. The Indian classification of Varna by inner quality and action (गुण कर्म विभाग) is a replica of this theory in practice; divided the humans in four categories (ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय, शुद्र, वैश्य respectively) and assign them work suitable to their nature. Unfortunately, it was converted into a rigid system of inequality by birth and became a stigma on Hinduism. In reality, each individual carries three qualities mentioned above and is dominated by one of them and accordingly he/she likes/chooses his/her profession.

To make the play further complex, the nature injected six impurities/enemies (षडरिपु); lust, anger, greed, affection, pride, envy (काम, क्रोध, लोभ, मोह, मद, मत्सर) in our mind; added two puppies called attachment and hatred (राग-द्वैष) and therefore we are witnessing the whole drama of selfish actions in the name of creed, race, caste, etc. Multiplicity is another quality of Mother Nature and therefore each individual tries to multiply his/her existence, tries to encroach upon the territories of others. Somehow some equilibrium is maintained for our survival otherwise we would have been destroyed.

Each individual carries three bodies: the physical, the subtle and the causal. Subtle means mainly the mind, intellect, memory and ego. Our present life is governed by the subtle in which the mind is the major. Interestingly, the mind is made of सत्व, therefore, large majority of humans are good irrespective of their faith. But as the mind carries impurities mentioned above, each individual is running after the worldly matters to fulfill his/her desires.

But the whole play is performed on the screen of Atma/Soul/Prana/life energy; therefore, the inner voice is always present. Mind is made of सत्व, therefore, it listens the inner mind voice and acts. But while chasing the desires, the impurities multiply and make hard covering over the mind and therefore, the mind loses its hearing capacity. The inner voice always sounds but either the mind covered with the impurities can’t hear or avoid to hear.

The chakra of triangle to walk righteous path is fixed in each heart for movement/action. It carries edges, therefore, when it moves wrong, there is hurt inside. But as the individual multiplies his/her wrongs, the chakra triangle loses its edges and the shape becomes a circle. An individual can listen the inner voice more when he/she chakra triangle is intact, but as soon as it loses the edges and becomes a circle, he/she loses hearing capacity and make him/her a liability over the mankind.

Punamchand 

1 December 2024

Read More