You have this job of pacifying a child scared of thunder and lightning, staying alone at home in a dark rainy night.
Is it possible to explain him the physics of why the roar wont harm as it is happening far away? You need to tactfully assume the strength to assure the child that, if he finishes his dinner and sleep, you will certainly take care of the monsters in the clouds. You would not hesitate to promise him that you will always appear and protect whenever a thunderstorm terrifies him.
There are 3 kinds of seekers in the spiritual path-
For a sakama/ manda bhakta, God is the means to achieve the ends in the World. His ends are in the form of Artha, Kama and Dharma.
For a nishkama/ uttama bhakta, God is the means to achieve his only end- Moksha. He strives hard to achieve Moksha through God.
Jnani bhakta knows the physics of thunder and lightning.
In these verses, Sri Krishna is talking to the manda/ uttama bhakta in Arjuna. Through Arjuna, He is addressing us.
Jnani bhakta knows the physics of thunder and lightning. And he knows that Brahman has no intelligence or inclination to appear when you are in trouble. He does not bother. In fact, he cannot.
Thanks again. Same question regarding ability of Brahman to initiate action
In Chapter 4 , when Krishna says Yada yada hi....
He makes a promise to manifest in a human form to establish dharma when there is a need
From your previous post, I understand that transitioning from unmanifest to manifest is not necessarily creation. But monitoring the state of dharma and taking a decision to trigger the manifestation to uphold dharma is an action. Although this is a selfless action and can be treated equal to inaction, it still demonstrates the ability to do something based on certain events. So, if Krishna is talking about Brahman here, then Brahman is capable of action..right?
A similar statement in Chapter 9, Ananyas Chintayantho mam...Yogakshemam Vahamyam
Here too Brahman makes a promise which I think needs action.
Please could you explain how to understand/interpret this?
I am seeing a pen in front of me now. I can perceive it because of the light which is getting reflected from the pen.
If light were to be absent, I could not have perceived the pen.
If pen were to be absent, the light would have just passed through.
So, the light is not playing an active role in my perception of the pen. Adding ‘light’ to the ‘pen’ is not an active process and does not involve any effort from the ‘light’. However, presence of light is mandatory for my perception of pen.
Now, just replace pen with Maya (or anything in the world which you perceive... any matter, including your thoughts) and light with Consciousness, Brahman or Atma.
I am seeing a World in front of me now. I can perceive it because of the Consciousness which is getting reflected from the world.
If Consciousness were to be absent, I could not have perceived the World.
If World were to be absent, the Consciousness would have just passed through.
So, the Consciousness is not playing an active role in my perception of the World. Adding ‘Consciousness’ to the ‘World’ is not an active process and does not involve any effort from the ‘Consciousness’. However, its presence is mandatory for my perception of World.
Thank you sir. Thanks for the detailed information. The last few lines with the summary is very helpful. Some further questions:
1. Would it be correct to say that, at the start of creation
Maya, with help of Brahman, began to evolve/unfold and at one point of this evolution, the human being came into existence purely with the intelligence within the Maya and borrowing consciousness from Brahman?
2. Maya has evolved from Brahman himself and this event preceded the creation process. Is this correct?
3. The intelligence which gives/decides karma phalam is also a part of Maya?
Good questions Avinash. Difficult to answer in few sentences. Please stay with classes regularly. Revise Tatvabodha classes. Avoid searching other sources for sometime, because it may be confusing initially. For the purpose of following our classes and going further, note that atman= brahman. Can't create anything on its own. Brahman.. that is your self, with maya, create everything.
Thanks a lot sir. I am referring to the chapter 12 Creation from the Introduction to Vedanta. Here it is stated that "The study of cosmology begins with two beginning less principles of Brahman plus Maya"
Now, for the creation to happen, Brahman needs to give chetna or life or consciousness to Maya. Is that correct?So, my question is, who triggered this addition operation of Brahman plus Maya. Is it Brahman himself? If yes, then if Brahman is same as Atma, then why do we call Atma as incapable of doing anything by itself as it triggered the creation of the universe?
Atma is said to be inert, i.e. it cannot create anything by itself. Does the same apply to Brahman as well? If so, then the creator of the universe a different entity than Brahman?
You have this job of pacifying a child scared of thunder and lightning, staying alone at home in a dark rainy night.
Is it possible to explain him the physics of why the roar wont harm as it is happening far away? You need to tactfully assume the strength to assure the child that, if he finishes his dinner and sleep, you will certainly take care of the monsters in the clouds. You would not hesitate to promise him that you will always appear and protect whenever a thunderstorm terrifies him.
There are 3 kinds of seekers in the spiritual path-
For a sakama/ manda bhakta, God is the means to achieve the ends in the World. His ends are in the form of Artha, Kama and Dharma.
For a nishkama/ uttama bhakta, God is the means to achieve his only end- Moksha. He strives hard to achieve Moksha through God.
Jnani bhakta knows the physics of thunder and lightning.
In these verses, Sri Krishna is talking to the manda/ uttama bhakta in Arjuna. Through Arjuna, He is addressing us.
Jnani bhakta knows the physics of thunder and lightning. And he knows that Brahman has no intelligence or inclination to appear when you are in trouble. He does not bother. In fact, he cannot.
Hard to digest.
1. Creation is a misnomer. Nothing can ever be created. Vedanta recognizes the process as manifestation from un-manifest form.
2. Brahman and Maya are both beginning less principles.
3. Yes
I am seeing a pen in front of me now. I can perceive it because of the light which is getting reflected from the pen.
If light were to be absent, I could not have perceived the pen.
If pen were to be absent, the light would have just passed through.
So, the light is not playing an active role in my perception of the pen. Adding ‘light’ to the ‘pen’ is not an active process and does not involve any effort from the ‘light’. However, presence of light is mandatory for my perception of pen.
Now, just replace pen with Maya (or anything in the world which you perceive... any matter, including your thoughts) and light with Consciousness, Brahman or Atma.
I am seeing a World in front of me now. I can perceive it because of the Consciousness which is getting reflected from the world.
If Consciousness were to be absent, I could not have perceived the World.
If World were to be absent, the Consciousness would have just passed through.
So, the Consciousness is not playing an active role in my perception of the World. Adding ‘Consciousness’ to the ‘World’ is not an active process and does not involve any effort from the ‘Consciousness’. However, its presence is mandatory for my perception of World.
Good questions Avinash. Difficult to answer in few sentences. Please stay with classes regularly. Revise Tatvabodha classes. Avoid searching other sources for sometime, because it may be confusing initially. For the purpose of following our classes and going further, note that atman= brahman. Can't create anything on its own. Brahman.. that is your self, with maya, create everything.
Exactly the same.