Karma Chakra: Sanchitam, Prarabdham and Aagami

Q) Can You explain about the system of recording the actions of a soul in the life so that corresponding fruits are delivered here or there?

O Learned and Devoted Servants of God, [July 23, 2012]

Ans) The system of recording the actions and corresponding fruits is very simple. The individual soul (jeeva) made of awareness is a bundle of thoughts or qualities. The awareness without any thought is inert energy (atman) only. A specific work form of atman in a specific system, called brain and nerves, is called as jeeva. In deep sleep, the awareness disappears and only its basic inert energy remains. Atman exists as jeeva in the states of awakening and dream. Atman remains as atman in the state of deep sleep. People think that in meditation all the thoughts disappear and hence, only atman remains. This is not correct because there is slight difference between deep sleep and meditation. In meditation, jeeva remains, who is aware of himself. An impression of jeeva as pure thoughtless awareness is created as a pulse (sphota) or signal in the brain. This jeeva is aware of that signal only. The awareness of all other signals vanishes. Every thought is a pulse stored in the brain. In deep sleep, the awareness disappears. But, after waking up, all the thoughts are remembered again. This is because every thought is recorded as a signal in the particular part of faculty of the brain, called chittam. The connection of awareness to these recorded signals is called as smruti or memory. The record of all the signals in brain and nerves is physically available in the human body during the human life. Hence, during the life time, the jeeva is a bundle of several thoughts. But, during the time of death, all the effects of these pulses are simplified in to three groups, which are the principle qualities, called sattvam, represented by white color, rajas, represented by red color and tamas, represented by black color. When jeeva leaves the body, he is a simple bundle of these three main qualities represented by the three colors. 

Depending upon the strengthening of each quality by the corresponding actions, the intensities of these three colors vary. Rewards in heaven or here are given by God based on the intensity of white color. Punishments in hell or here are given by God based on the intensities of red and black colors. The details of each action need not follow the jeeva after death. All the details are buried here only with the brain and nerves along with dead body. The essence of every action comes into one of these three colors helping the intensity of the corresponding color. This is the reason for the jeeva to forget all the details of the life after death in the next birth. Sattvam stands for good, rajas and tamas stand for bad. The rajas is provoked by krodha (anger), lobha (greedy), mada (pride) and maatsarya (jealousy). Similarly, tamas is provoked by kama (lust) and moha (intensive attachment). The white color contains other colors in it. These six qualities in right modes become good and in wrong modes become bad. The lust is good existing on wife and the same lust becomes bad when it exists on other women, the anger is good diverted to evil people and is bad diverted to good people. The greedy (not to be charitable) involved in undeserving people is good and the same involved in deserving people is bad. The intensive attachment to God and devotees is good and to ungrateful people is bad. The pride involved in God (that you are a devotee of God and need not fear at all) is good and the same involved in worldly matters is bad. The jealousy involved in the progress of high devotees with competitive spirit (so that you can intensify your spiritual effort more) is good and the same involved in harming others due to their progress is bad. Like this, the detection of good and bad of a soul and granting corresponding fruits is based on simple system of identification of the intensities of these three colors only.

In the upper worlds (heaven and hell) these intensities of colors get reduced due to the enjoyment of corresponding fruits. The jeeva comes down with least intensities of these colors and hence is mild in the childhood. However, you can see these colors from the trends of their behavior. The jeeva coming down with these colors in least intensities is granted a particular birth with a specific corresponding atmosphere, which depends on the overall study of these least intensities of these three colors. Such fruit, which is the new birth attained by the jeeva in this world is called as Prarabdham. These births due to Prarabdham vary because though the intensities of these colors are least, yet, there is variation even in the least intensities from one individual to the other. To be more clear, when the intensities of these colors are reduced to the least level, there is still difference in the intensities even in the least level. The higher intensities may be in the level of 90 to 100. The least intensities may be in the level of 1 to 10. Hence, the variation in the composition of these three colors is there and hence according to this variation, the births related to Prarabdham also vary. The individual is born here in a specific birth along with a box of these three colors in the least intensities. This box is called as Sanchitam. This Sanchitam will influence the future actions of individuals in the life according to the variation in the intensities of these three colors. The future actions done by the influence of this Sanchitam are called as Aagami. Thus the whole system of deeds is classified into three steps called as Sanchitam, Prarabdham and Aagami. The atmosphere of the future life supplies more strength to the intensities of these colors based on the merits and defects of the actions guided by the already existing box. Therefore, the actions in the present life are guided by the intensities of the three colors existing in the box and these actions in turn intensify those colors again in a circular fashion. This circular motion of the three colors is called as karma chakra consisting of the three principle qualities (trigunas) represented by the three colors. The concept of this karma chakra involves a complicated analysis as said in Gita (gahanaa karmano gatih).

At the lotus feet of Shri Datta Swami

-Prasad

Interpretation of Scripture on Non-vegetarian Food

O Learned and Devoted Servants of God, [July 15, 2012 Dr. Nikhil asked Swami that several participants in a spiritual meeting quoted the Veda and the other scriptures, which speak in favor of non-vegetarian food. They asked him about Swami speaking against the non-vegetarian food. Dr. Nikhil asked Swami about this. Swami gave the following message in reply to that.]

Reply of Swami: Eating the non-vegetarian food is one issue and killing a living being, to collect the flesh out of it, is another issue. The first issue does not involve any sin because the non-vegetarian food or flesh or meat contains the same ingredients as those of a vegetarian item. The same carbohydrates, the same proteins, the same vitamins, the same minerals etc., exist in both meat and vegetables. Therefore, to eat the flesh of a living being, which died naturally through old age, is not a sin. Kapalikas (a sect of Hinduism), eat the dead bodies and therefore, they are not considered as sinners since this sect of religion is respected. But, the flesh of the living being, which dies due to old age, is not recommended because generally the death of an old living being happens due to some disease. Then, the flesh of such a living being is not good for the reasons of health. But, the living being might have been killed through some accident or by some cruel animal and the flesh left over may be hygienic. In such case, the non-vegetarian food need not be rejected on the ground of sin because the eater of such flesh neither killed it nor had any intention to kill it. In any case, there is no sin in eating the non-vegetarian food provided you neither kill the living being nor you should be responsible for killing it.

You may say that you eat the meat but you did not kill the living being directly with your hands. Since you eat the meat, you have become the consumer of the meat. The butcher, who kills the animals or birds, kills these animals or birds only for the sake of consumers in his business. Therefore, even though you did not kill the living being directly with your hands, you have become the indirect supporter of it by eating the meat. Hence, you have to share the sin. If you finding the killed living being through an accident and if you collect its flesh, you do not share the sin. But, beware that your taste of such accidental meat may increase slowly and you may kill the animal directly or indirectly in course of time for the meat! Hence, it is better to avoid the meat from the beginning itself.

The sin comes only if you kill the living being directly or become responsible for its killing indirectly and you have to face the punishment of such a sin. You may find the Veda or the scriptures speaking about the non-vegetarian food and killing of a living being in sacrifice. By this, you should not think that the Veda or the scripture provokes you to kill the animal. In fact, the scripture controls you to kill the animal by suggesting the sacrifice to be done in a specified season like spring only (VasanteVasantejyotishaayajeta…). The sacrifice called ‘Jyotishtoma’ should be performed only in spring season. By this, you control the killing of animal in other seasons. You cannot totally oppose the killing of animal in the beginning itself. Instead of killing the animal every day or every week, you can allow the killing of animal once in a year only. This reduces the killing of the animal gradually and finally, you can avoid the killing forever. This is just like running along a running bull for some distance before you control it. We cannot control the running bull in the very first step itself. You have to run along with it for sometime before you control it. Such running of a person should not be misunderstood as encouragement of running. Even if the person does not run, the bull will run. Even if the scripture does not advise the killing of animal in the sacrifice to be performed once in a year, the killing of the animal for the meat will not be stopped. In fact, the killing of the animal in the absence of such instruction will take place more frequently. Shankara had clarified this point in His commentary by saying that the defective nature of the human being (Pravrutti) is not encouraged by the Veda. Following the defective nature of the human being, the Veda suggests the sacrifice. This does not mean that the Veda initiates the defective nature in the human being. Shankara said, ‘Shastramjnapakamnatukarakam’. This means that the scripture gives the advice based on the naturally existing defective nature in the human being and that the scripture is not the initiator of the defective nature.

 Scripture Aims in Total Eradication of Defective Nature with Time

In fact, if you analyze carefully, the advice given by the scripture is also in the direction of total eradication of the defective nature in course of time. The scripture says that the fisherman should not catch fish in the river Ganga. By this, the scripture controls the catching of fish in one place at least. The scripture further says that the fisherman should not catch the fish on the days of Divine festivals at least. By this, the scripture is controlling the killing of fish on some days at least. Finally, the scripture says that you should not kill the fish at any place on any day and such stage is called as ‘Mahavratam’, which is irrespective of place and time. You should not mistake that the scripture encourages the killing of fish on other days and in other rivers. This is the wrong side of the conclusion and this is said to be the misunderstanding of the scripture. The correct side is that the scripture tries to control the sin gradually by restricting in one place and on some days at least. Allowing the sin on other days does not mean encouraging the sin. Control brings the reduction of sin and slowly the sin can be completely eradicated.

Bhavabhooti says in Uttararamacharitam that the cow is killed when the guest comes (Eshagowhmatamatayate…). This is the indication of reduction of sin, which means that you should not kill the cow for your sake on other days. This avoids killing the cow frequently for the sake of your food. The complete control of the sin can be found in the Veda that the person killing a cow should be shot dead (Goghnamseesenaviddhyamah…). Therefore, the scripture always tries to control the sin and never encourages the sin. Eating the meat is not a sin if you limit the vision to the process of eating and the eaten material. But, you indirectly encourage the killing of animal by eating the meat since the animals are only killed for the sake of consumers. The meaning of the ‘Maamsa’ (meat) is that you will become the animal and the presently killed animal will become the butcher in the next birth (Maamsahyathaahinastipashchaatjanmanitathaaaham tam hanishyaami…). The animal during the process of killing thinks that the butcher should become the animal and it should become the butcher in the next life so that the butcher should understand the pain in the process of killing. The medical science has already investigated that the proteins in the meat are secondary and therefore, the flesh is not a healthy food. The proteins in the vegetables are primary and are good for health. If all the humanity is confined to vegetarian food only, there is no dearth of food on this earth because the omnipotent God is capable of supplying the vegetarian food to all the living beings.

Of course, there will be very little pain even to the plants while cutting the vegetables and leaves. But, this pain is extremely negligible compared to the pain experienced by the animals and birds in the process of killing. The plants and trees also should not be cut. Only the fruits and leaves can be plucked. Parvati was called Aparna since She did penance eating the leaves, which fell from the trees and She never even plucked those leaves. This is the extreme step of non-violence. However, the negligible sin can be overlooked like the minor error in scientific experiments. Somebody has beaten a person. That is also pain. But, killing the same person gives extreme pain. There is quantitative difference in the sin. By qualitative similarity, you should not say that beating is equal to killing. The non-vegetarians argue that the plants also experience pain in the process of plucking the leaves and hence, killing the animal is equal sin. Both are sins, but, both are not quantitatively equal. The extremely minor sin can be overlooked and neglected. Therefore, such argument is not valid.

You should carefully understand the scripture before you quote it. If you do not properly understand it, it becomes misquotation. Hence, the analysis is important. The scripture, analysis and experience are the three sides of the authority. The analysis is the most important. The experience of a defective person may be wrong and cannot be an authority. The scripture also may be wrong due to the interpolation of some mischievous person. Only the analysis can decide the truth. When Swami Vivekananda was speaking some point, somebody pointed out that Shankara said the same point in opposing way. Then, Vivekananda told that Shankara may be wrong. What is the meaning of this? Shankara can never be wrong. But, some ignorant person might have introduced a wrong statement in the commentary of Shankara and that statement may be the opposing point. Therefore, every statement of the commentary of Shankara should be analyzed with perfect sharp logic and scientific analysis. We find often people saying that ‘so and so’ told in a different way. You should not care for anybody except for your sharp logical analysis. Sometimes, you might have misunderstood the scripture as said above. Scripture like the Veda was never interpolated by anybody since it was preserved through recitation from the beginning. In such case, misunderstanding of the scripture is possible. Such misunderstanding also vanishes by the sharp analysis. Therefore, accept anything only when it is filtered through the perfect scientific analysis.

At the lotus feet of Shri Datta Swami

-Prasad

Discovery is Fundamental Particle of Matter but not God Particle

Q. Recently, scientists say that God-particle is discovered, which is the cause for Universe. Does this not eliminate God?

Message taken from Discourses of Shri Datta Swami) Research Deals with generation of Second Item, Matter

Scientists are investigating the cause for mass of the fundamental particle of matter. This is only the research pertaining to the conversion of energy into matter. The word Universe used by scientists is the materialized phase. Before the production of such Universe, the cosmic energy exists. Therefore, it is related only to the materialization of the particles of matter from the energy. The word Universe in the spiritual knowledge means the very cosmic energy itself associated with the subsequent materialized part of the Universe. In fact, even the space is the first subtle form of energy. Therefore, the word Universe in philosophy means the space or energy and the subsequent materialized energy. In philosophy, the production of Universe means the generation of space or energy. This requires the enquiry about the cause of space or energy and the mechanism of process of generation of space or energy from that cause. Here, in science, the cause is space or energy and the process of generation of matter from the space or energy is the generation of Universe. Our Universe means space or energy and matter. The Universe referred by scientists in this research is only matter. The research of scientists does not touch the cause of space or energy. We are not much interested in this research because it does not touch the cause of the first item of the Universe, which is space or energy. The present research deals only with the generation of the second item, which is matter.

 Discovery is Fundamental Particle of Matter but not God Particle

The scientists think that the energy itself is the root cause or God. The scientists stop at the imaginable cause only. They do not agree with the existence of the unimaginable cause, which is the generator of space or energy. The generator of anything should be beyond its boundary. If you are in a cloud of gas and if you travel to the boundary of the cloud, you will find the generator of that cloud of gas. Similarly, if you travel up to the boundary of the Universe, you will certainly find the cause or generator of this Universe. The boundary of the Universe is infinite, which is unimaginable. The unimaginable boundary of the Universe suggests that the generator of the Universe must be also unimaginable. The characteristic property of the space is volume, which is the product of length, width and height. These three are the spatial dimensions. Space means the spatial dimensions only. The generator of the space must not have space in it. If space exists in the generator, the pre-existence of space is to be accepted before the generation of space itself. This is impossible. Hence, the generator of space should not have any space or spatial dimensions in it. It means the cause of space is beyond space or spatial dimensions. ‘Beyond space’ means that the cause exists after the boundary of space. Our intelligence can imagine only anything which has spatial dimensions. Our intelligence can never imagine anything, which is beyond space and which does not have spatial dimensions. This experience proves that the generator of space is beyond our imagination. When the cause is unimaginable, the process of generation of imaginable space or energy from the unimaginable cause must be also unimaginable. In this world, the process of an imaginable item from another imaginable cause can be imaginable and hence, can be explained. The cause (God) and the process of generation of this Universe are unimaginable and only the product (Universe) is imaginable.

The big bang theory is an imaginable process because it deals with the process of generation of imaginable matter from the imaginable energy. But, the process of generation of imaginable energy from the unimaginable God is unimaginable unlike the big bang theory. The logic, which I have exposed here, is purely scientific and cannot be denied by anyone. Therefore, the God-particle must be in God only. It means that the God-particle must be also unimaginable. This name given to the fundamental particle of the matter as God-particle is absolutely wrong. It can be called as the first or fundamental particle of matter, which is the cause of the materialized Universe.

At lotus feet of Shri Datta Swami

-Prasad

SIGNIFICANCE OF GURU PURNIMA

Satguru preaches Complete & True Knowledge

O Learned and Devoted Servants of God, [June 30, 2012 Guru Purnima] Guru means the preacher, who removes the ignorance so that we can see the truth clearly and differentiate the right from wrong. The ignorance is like darkness in which you cannot find the existence of an item and also you cannot differentiate the different items. Gayatri mantra says that the Guru is like the Sun, who removes the ignorance–darkness by knowledge-light that initiates the intelligence. The word Guru Purnima also indicates that Guru removes the darkness-ignorance like the full Moon in the night. Thus, Guru is compared to Sun and Moon, who remove the darkness-ignorance. There is difference between Guru and Satguru. Both preach the correct knowledge only. But, the knowledge preached by Satguru is complete and the knowledge preached by Guru is incomplete. Guru is a human being, well-versed in scriptures. Satguru is the God in human form. The word ‘Guru’ denotes the human form. The word ‘Sat’ denotes the God. The meaning of the very word ‘Guru’ means the preacher, who removes the darkness-ignorance by giving the knowledge-light.

If the knowledge is correct and complete, it generates tremendous force, which is called as devotion. Devotion (Bhakti) is the necessary force that transforms the knowledge (Jnana) into practice (Karma). Thus, devotion is generated by knowledge. If the knowledge is correct but incomplete, it generates insufficient force and hence, the knowledge is not transformed into practice. If the knowledge is correct and complete, it generates sufficient force that transforms the knowledge into practice. Complete knowledge means the elaborate form of knowledge that contains the answers to all the possible doubts. When you hear such knowledge, no doubt will rise in your mind because the knowledge already contained the answer for every doubt. When the right knowledge is complete, the realization is also complete and in such case, no force can stop the transformation of knowledge into practice. Therefore, the knowledge of Satguru is always elaborate and such elaboration is the meaning of the word Vyasa. The knowledge of sage Vyasa is always elaborate. This Guru Purnima is also called as Vyasa Purnima, the birthday of the sage Vyasa. Vyasa is considered to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the God. This day falls in the rainy season, in which the dark clouds cover the Sun or Moon in the sky. This indicates the strong doubts of the people, who receive the knowledge.

We perform the Guru Purnima on this particular day. This is not the correct concept. Any day can be Guru Purnima on which you receive the correct and complete knowledge from Satguru. The sunrise happens to be 5.30 AM in summer and 6.30 AM in winter. Thus, there is no fixed time of sunrise. Whenever sun rises, that is the sun rise. Similarly, whenever the Satguru gives the knowledge, that time is Guru Purnima. We always give importance to a specific place and specific time and ignore the event. We should give importance to the event. Wherever the event takes place, such place is sacred. Whenever the event happens, such time is auspicious. People perform the ceremonies of their departed parents on specific days. They do not give value to the person (Bhokta) available on that day. Whenever the valuable person is available, the ceremony should be performed. The fruit lies on the availability of the valuable person and not on the date and place.

You must have the mood to receive the knowledge from Satguru whenever the Satguru has the mood to deliver the knowledge. The mood of Satguru to deliver the knowledge is important and not the mood of the receiver to receive the knowledge. Whenever the cloud rains, the farmer should plough the field. Whenever the farmer ploughs the field, the cloud will not rain. Generally, Satguru gives the knowledge when you do not have the mood to receive it. It is a test for you. Whenever you have important works, the Satguru delivers the knowledge. He is testing you to see whether you give the top most importance for the knowledge or for other works. When you don’t have any work to do, then you will have the mood to receive the knowledge. This means that you give the lowest importance to Satguru and His knowledge. Krishna preached the Gita when Arjuna was involved in the war. When the war was over, Arjuna asked Krishna to repeat the Gita since he has full leisure [time] without any other work. Krishna refused to deliver the Gita saying that He has no mood. Therefore, whenever Satguru comes to your house, that day is Guru Purnima. Whenever Satguru delivers the Divine knowledge, you must stop all the other works and receive the knowledge with full attention. Then only you have understood the significance of Guru Purnima.

The main program of the human incarnation is only to deliver the right and complete knowledge to the human beings so that they will practice it and attain the salvation. The fruit will not come without the practice. The practice will not come without the devotion. The devotion will not come without the correct and complete knowledge. The devotion and practice are automatic consequences of the correct and complete knowledge. Therefore, Shankara told that if you receive the correct and complete knowledge, the salvation is automatic (Jnaanadevatu kaivalyam…). The Gita also starts with Jnana yoga only. Therefore, if you can catch Satguru, the salvation is automatic consequence. If you catch Satguru, you are bound to receive the correct and complete knowledge from Him. Therefore, Guru Purnima is the top most of all the festivals in the year.

At the lotus feet of Shri Datta Swami

-Prasad