PATHFINDER

The scriptures and sages of the Sanatana Dharma (eternal righteousness or eternal order), through their doctrinaire, axiomatic, and aphoristic statements, illuminate the pathways of self-illumination and the realisation of life consciousness. One that finds a right way, the natural and eternal way to live. The right way shows the light for a journey from the pangs of birth and death, all sorrows, attachments, and bondages, towards fullness, infinities, and a fuller realisation of Divine Consciousness.

It is a way to discover the inner self, or self knowledge.  It discovers a way for life process. based on righteousness, truthfulness, virtue, honesty, asceticism, forbearance, humility, purity, chastity, and a steady demeanour. In other ways, Swami Sivananda says that "Serve, love, give, purify, meditate, realise; Be good, do good, be kind, be compassionate."

 1. Outline

Our sages and the ancient scriptures are emphatic on two aspects: one of the path and the other on the qualities the followers need to imbibe to follow the path. The Lord created the universe, and wishing to secure order therein He first created the Prajapatis (Lords of creatures) such as Marichi and caused them to adopt the Pravritti Dharma, the Religion of Works. He then created others, such as Sanaka and Sanandana, and caused them to adopt the Nivritti Dharma, the Religion of Renunciation, characterised by knowledge and indifference to worldly objects. It is the two fold Vedic Religion of work and renunciation that maintains order in the universe. This Religion, which directly leads to liberation and worldly prosperity, has long been practised by all.

Right path is to know the nature of reality and reality as such. The "real" is the "truth." The "truth" is the "real." Man since time immemorial has been in search of discovering, finding, understanding, and identifying the real and the truth.

Reality is the manifestation of truthfulness, right ways, right order, and the divine laws governing as such. “The object of physics is to know the nature of reality in the physical realm. All scientific explorations aim at discovering certain secrets behind the forces and phenomena of Nature and understanding the laws underlying them. Similarly, Advaita (oneness) philosophy explores both realities, mundane and transcendental, but all the established Indian philosophical systems, such as Advaita Vedānta (scriptures), Vishistadvaita, Sāmkhya, Nyaya, and Vaisesikas, impart explanations on these two realities with their own methods of logic to justify them”.

Human being gets bewilder in the quagmire to find the right path to make his right movement. In the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna also advised Arjuna.

tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśhnena sevayā

upadekṣhyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśhinaḥ

Learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him with reverence and render service to him. Such an enlightened saint can impart knowledge to you because he has seen the truth.

Self-realisation is the realisation of the Self. It moves from the lower self to the higher Self, the realisation of divine consciousness. Self-realisation is an intrinsic part of elevating experiences.

In our ancient scriptures there are highlights on both the path and the followers who follow the path. The followers need to adopt certain characteristics features called the eight noble path.

The eight elements of the noble path are:

(i) correct view, an accurate understanding of the nature of things, specifically the Four Noble Truths ( (a) the truth of misery or suffering, (b) the truth that misery originates within the craving for pleasure, (c) the truth that this craving can be eliminated, and (d) the truth that this elimination is the result of following a methodical way or path.),

(ii) correct intention, avoiding thoughts of attachment, hatred, and harmful intent,

(iii) correct speech, refraining from verbal misdeeds such as lying, divisive, speech, harsh speech, and senseless speech,

(iv) correct action, refraining from physical misdeeds such as killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct,

(v) correct livelihood, avoiding trades that directly or indirectly harm others, such as selling slaves, weapons, animals for slaughter, intoxicants, or poisons,

(vi) correct effort, abandoning negative states of mind that have already arisen, preventing negative states that have yet to arise, and sustaining positive states that have already arisen,

(vii) correct mindfulness, awareness of body, feelings, thought, and phenomena, and

(viii) correct concentration, single-mindedness.

The eight fold noble path the followers need to follow for realisation of divine consciousness.

2. Scriptures

Our ancient scriptures and the sayings of the sages are ingrained with the concept of truth. Sanatana Dharma is about “Eternal Order” or “Eternal Path.”

2.1. The Vedas

The Vedas are eternal knowledge of God and believe to have always existed since time immemorial and revealed in shruti (oral) tradition from the creator to the first created, Brahma, and through Brahma to the sages. The Vedas are received by sages in deep meditative states for further onward transmission to the qualifed ones. Vedas deal with mantras, benedictions, rituals, ceremonies, and sacrifices.

The Vedas, according to Swami Sivananda, consist of three portions viz., the Karma Kanda which deals with sacrifices or ceremonial rites, the Upasana Kanda which treats of Upasana (worship) and the Jnana Kanda which deals with knowledge of Brahman. Karma Kanda represents the feet of a man, Upasana Kanda the heart, and the Jnana Kanda the head. Just as the head is the most important portion of a man, so also the Upanishads which treat of the knowledge portion of the Vedas are the head of the Vedas. Hence it is said to be the Siras (head) of the Vedas.

There are four types of Vedas: Rig Veda ("praise" “Knowledge”), Sama Veda (“Song" “Knowledge”), Yajur Veda (“Worship Knowledge” or “Ritual Knowledge) and Atharva Veda ("Knowledge storehouse of atharvāṇas” or  “the procedures for everyday life")

Each of these is further divided into types of text included within them:

·     Aranyakas - rituals, observances

·     Brahmanas - commentaries on said rituals

·     Samhitas - benedictions, prayers, mantras

·     Upanishadas - philosophical narratives and dialogues

“All that is called knowledge is in the Vedas. Every word is sacred and eternal, eternal as the soul, without beginning and without end....the accumulated treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons in different times. Just as the law of gravitation existed before its discovery, and would exist if all humanity forgot it, so is it with the laws that govern the spiritual world. The moral, ethical, and spiritual relations between soul and soul and between individual spirits and the Father of all spirits, were there before their discovery, and would remain even if we forgot them....The Vedas cannot show you Brahman, you are That already; they can only help to take away the veil that hides the truth from our eyes...The Vedas teach that the soul is divine, only held in the bondage of matter; perfection will be reached when this bond will burst, and the word they use for it is therefore, Mukti — freedom, freedom from the bonds of imperfection, freedom from death and misery. ”

2.2. Prasthāntrayī

Vedanta texts speak about the one and only Brahman, who is the sole cause of the universe, and of His nature as the essence of eternal consciousness and bliss, sat-chit-ananda. The Vedas deal with mantras, benedictions, rituals, ceremonies, and sacrifices.Vedanta philosophy acknowledges the Prasthanatrayi as its three authoritative primary sources: 

2.2.1. the Upanishads (the sruti prasthana, the revealed texts),

2.2.2. the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita (the smriti prasthana, composed by sages based on their understanding of the Vedas) and

2.2.3. the Brahma Sutra (the nyaya prasthana, the logical text that sets forth the philosophy systematically).

2.2.1. the Upanishads

The Upanishads deal with meditation, philosophy, consciousness, and ontology. The Great Sayings" or the Mahāvākyas of the Upanishadas tersely say Brhman is one and infinity, which have a profound significance as pointers to Reality.

i.     Prajnanam Brahma (प्रज्ञानम् ब्रह्म)– Consciousness is Brahman, Aitareya Upanishad, Rig Veda.

ii.    Aham Brahmāsmi (अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि) - "I am Brahman", or "I am Divine," Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Yajur Veda.

iii.  Tat Tvam Asi (तत् त्वम् असि)– That Thou Art, Chandogya Upanishad, Sam Veda.

iv.  Ayam Atma Brahma (अयम् आत्मा ब्रह्म) – This Self is Brahman, Mandukya Upanishad, Atharva Veda.

This “brahman is the Whole," "brahman is ātman" and  "brahman is this (very) self."

The opening prayer of Katha Upanishad states:

oṃ saha nāvavatu

saha nau bhunaktu

saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai

tejasvi nāvadhītamastu mā vidviṣāvahai

oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ..

May he (the Lord) protect both of us. May he nourish both of us (with knowledge). May both of us make effort for the capacity (for knowledge to take place). May what is studied by us, be brilliantly clear. Let not have any misunderstanding. Let there be freedom from three possible obstacles (the forces over which we have no control, adhidaivika; from the beings around us, adhibhautika; or from factors centred on ourselves, adhyatmika.)

2.2.2. Shrimad Bhagavat Gita

The Bhagavat Gita builds upon the Upanishadic conception of Absolute Reality and Atman is Brahman.

The science of knowing the Absolute Truth is called “Brahma Vidyā.” The purpose of the Bhagavad Gita, above everything else, is to impart Brahma Vidyā, the science of God-realization.

Knowledge that helps a person resolve immediate problems is one kind of enlightenment, while knowledge that dispels the root of ignorance to solve all problems in one strike is another kind of enlightenment. The Bhagavad Gita aims at the second kind of enlightenment by destroying the darkness of ignorance that has enveloped the soul for  endless lifetimes. Unable to deal with the immediate problem at hand, Arjun approached Sri Krishna for a palliative to overcome the anguish he was experiencing. Sri Krishna did not just advise him on his immediate problem, but digressed to give a profound discourse on the philosophy of life.

The Bhagavad Gita is not content with providing a lofty philosophical understanding; it also describes clear-cut techniques for implementing its spiritual precepts in everyday life. These techniques of applying the science of spirituality in our lives are termed “Yog.” Hence, the Bhagavad Gita is also called “Yog Śhāstra,” meaning, the scripture that teaches the practise of Yog.

There are three paths that lead directly to establishing a relationship with God. According to the authority of the Bhagavad Gita these paths have been designated as the yoga of perfect actions, the yoga of perfect devotion, and the yoga of perfect knowledge.

2.2.3. the Brahma Sutra

The Brahma Sutra is the third of the canonical texts and is regarded as the Nyaya-prasthana because it sets forth the teachings of Vedanta in a logical order. The work is known by other names, including Vedanta-sutra, Sariraka-sutra, and Bhiksu-sutra.

The Brahma Sutra is primarily about the nature of human existence and the universe, as well as ideas about the metaphysical principle of Ultimate Reality called Brahman. It distils and consolidates the extensive teachings found in a variety of Upanishads of Sanatana Dharma, summarizing, arranging, unifying, and systematising the Upanishad theories.

The Brahma Sutras, Swami Sivananda said,is the Science of the Soul.

The interpretations of the Sutras gave rise to various kinds of literary writings such as Vrittis (gloss) and Karikas. The different Acharyas (founders of different schools of thought) have given their own interpretations of the Sutras to establish their own doctrines. The Bhashya of Sri Sankara on Brahma Sutras is known as Sariraka Bhashya. His school of thought is Kevala Advaita. The Bhashya of Sri Ramanuja who founded the Visishtadvaita School is called Sri Bhashya. The commentary of Sri Nimbarkacharya is known as Vedanta- parijata-saurabha. Sri Vallabhacharya expounded his system of philosophy of Suddhadvaita (pure monism) and his commentary on the Brahma Sutras is known as Anu Bhashya.

3. Remarks

Divine knowledge requires divine grace to understand and comprehend. Whatever is attempted for understanding and comprehension is somehow arranged here. As it is squeezed, more and more nectar will come out. But for this, it requires divine grace to take the initiative.

In the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, it is well said:

adhiṣhṭhānaṁ tathā kartā karaṇaṁ cha pṛithag-vidham

vividhāśh cha pṛithak cheṣhṭā daivaṁ chaivātra pañchamam

The body, the doer (soul), the various senses, the many kinds of efforts, and Divine Providence—these are the five factors of action.

In this verse, adhiṣhṭhānam means "place of residence" and refers to the body, since karmas can only be performed when the soul is situated in the body. Kartā means "the doer" and refers to the soul. Although the soul itself does not perform actions, it inspires the body-mind-intellect mechanism with the life force to act. Further, it identifies with their actions due to the influence of the ego. Therefore, it is responsible for the actions performed by the body, and it is called both the knower and the doer. The Praśhna Upaniṣhad states: eṣha hi draṣhṭā spraṣhṭā śhrotā ghrātā rasayitā mantā boddhā kartā vijñānātmā puruṣhaḥ sa pare ’kṣhara ātmani saṁpratiṣhṭhate (4.9)[v3] "It is the soul that sees, touches, hears, feels, tastes, thinks, and comprehends. Thus, the soul is to be considered both—the knower and the doer of actions." The Brahma Sūtra also states: jño ‘ta eva (2.3.18)[v4] "It is truly the soul that is the knower." Again, the Brahma Sūtra states: kartā śhāstrārthavattvāt (2.3.33)[v5] "The soul is the doer of actions, and this is confirmed by the scriptures." From the above quotations, it is clear that the soul is also a factor in accomplishing actions.

-Asutosh Satpathy