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Narada Bhakti Sutra (Sutra 82) touches upon the advanced stages of devotion where the "bundle of worries" dissolves into the "Anuraga" (divine attachment) for the Supreme. While the world teaches us that "attachment" (Asakti) is a cause of suffering, Narada Muni explains that when this attachment is redirected toward the Divine, it becomes the path to liberation.
The 11 Forms of Attachment (Ekadasha Asakti)
Understanding "Rupasakti" (The Attraction to Beauty) Rupasakti is the state where the devotee’s eyes and mind are so captivated by the beauty of the Divine (Shri Ram, Krishna, or the Devi) that worldly attractions pale in comparison. In Rupasakti, the devotee sees the "Satchidananda" (Truth-Consciousness-Bliss) taking a physical form. The human mind is "Rupa-centric"—it clings to forms. By practicing Rupasakti, we replace "Asat-Rupa" (temporary, perishable forms) with "Sat-Rupa" (the eternal, beautiful form of God). The Mechanics of Rupasakti during Darshan in Temple When you stand before the deity, Rupasakti works through three specific stages:
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The thought that most purifies one’s life is this: 'Nothing belongs to me.' Everything that exists belongs to God. I reside in this position only as a Trustee, and I only have the right to ensure its righteous use (sadupayog)."
Body is a temporary residence for the soul, and true wisdom lies in using God-given gifts for the welfare of others. "The soul (Jiva) resides within this body like a dweller in a house. Reflect upon this: Does this body truly belong to us? Yet, an arrogant person constantly feels that he does. Figures like Ravana and Hiranyakashipu lived under the delusion that they were the masters of their physical bodies. However, Prahlada revealed the truth—that all strength and power belong to God. When virtuous people acquire knowledge (Vidya), they strive to enhance the wisdom of others through their own learning. They believe that God has bestowed upon them a priceless blessing (Prasad); therefore, it must be used for the benefit of society. If I possess strength, I must use it to protect the weak and the righteous." In the kingdom of Ayodhya, Lord Bharat (brother of Shri Ram) ruled for fourteen years as a Trustee (Nyasi) and believed that Shri Ram is the true ruler. Similarly, the Rajput never called themselves the true masters of the state; they regarded Lord Eklingji as the Sovereign. Ram Rajya – Gold Standard for Governance - Ram Rajya is not merely a historical or political era; it is the civilizational "Gold Standard" for governance in Hindu thought. It represents a state of society where the ruler is a servant of Dharma and the citizens are self-regulated by virtue. Ram Rajya is the "Corporate Vision Statement" for Bharat. It survives because it proves that: 1. Ethics is good for Economy: When people trust each other, trade and business flourish. 2. Decentralization: Power was in the Gram (Village) and the Kula (Family), not just the Palace. 3. Spiritual Foundation: When the Deity is the head, the King cannot become a tyrant. Seven Principles of Foundation of Ram Rajya - Ram Rajya was built on seven foundational secrets that ensured the kingdom never "died" like other empires.
Four Pillars of Ram Rajya –
Ram Rajya in Ancient Bharat - In ancient Bharat, the concept of sovereignty was vastly different from modern secular or political models. The Deity (Devata) was not just an object of worship; they were legally and spiritually regarded as the ultimate head of the family, the community, and the Nation. This was governed by the philosophy that the King was merely a custodian (Trustee) of the Divine's property. By placing a God at the head of the family and the nation, the ancients ensured that power was always tempered with humility and accountability. In ancient Indian jurisprudence (which still influences Indian law today), a Deity is considered a Jurisprudential (Legal) Person.
1. The Kingdom of Travancore (Lord Padmanabha) - In 1750, King Marthanda Varma surrendered his kingdom, his sword, and his crown at the feet of Lord Padmanabha in Thiruvananthapuram. From that day on, the Kings stopped using the title "Maharaja" in a sovereign sense. They called themselves Padmanabha Dasa (Servant of Padmanabha). The state's wealth and land were legally declared as the property of the Temple. Every morning, the King would report to the temple, symbolically "checking in" with his Master. 2. The Mewar Kingdom (Eklingji Mahadev) - The Maharanas of Mewar (including the legendary Maharana Pratap) never considered themselves the true Kings of Chittor or Udaipur. The real King of Mewar was Eklingji (a form of Lord Shiva). The Maharana was officially titled the Dewan (Prime Minister) of Eklingji. Before going to war or making a major administrative decision, the Maharana would visit the Eklingji temple to seek "permission" or "orders." 3. The Puri Kingdom (Lord Jagannath) - In Odisha, the relationship between the King and the Deity reached its peak under the Ganga and Gajapati dynasties. Lord Jagannath is the "King of the Universe" (Chaka Dola). During the famous Ratha Yatra, the King of Puri performs the Chhera Pahanra—the ritual of sweeping the chariots with a gold-handled broom. By acting as a sweeper, the King publicly demonstrates that in the eyes of the True Head of State (Jagannath), the earthly King is a humble servant. 4. The Vijayanagara Empire (Lord Virupaksha) - Even one of the most powerful empires in Indian history followed this model. The Emperors of Vijayanagar, like Krishna Deva Raya, did not sign their royal edicts with their own names. They signed as "Sri Virupaksha" (the presiding Deity of Hampi). Ram Rajya in HUF Structure - The HUF mirrors the structure of the ancient kingdoms, where one person manages the estate on behalf of the whole lineage (and the lineage deity).
The "Sermon" of the HUF is Unity and Continuity.
The longevity of Hindu business houses—often spanning four, five, or even more generations—is a phenomenon that economists and sociologists attribute to the intersection of Dharma and Family Structure (HUF). While many global businesses follow the "Buddenbrooks Phenomenon" (the first generation creates, the second manages, the third destroys), many Indian family businesses (like the Tatas, Birlas, or the Murugappa Group) have survived for over a century by treating the business not as an asset, but as a Trust. The primary reason these houses survive is the psychological shift from Ownership to Trusteeship. You have to realize that you are drunk, drunk with many things: with greed, with anger, with ambition, with ego. Nobody thinks that these are all intoxicants: ambition, greed, lust for power & prestige.
We search for peace, happiness, satori (spiritual awakening), samadhi, enlightenment. There is no need to search for God. Peace is our nature, Bliss is our nature, Satori is our nature, Samadhi is our nature, God is our nature. In fact, our lives are rooted in the dead past; we are conditioned in the past. The past is very powerful. To become a Buddha means to get rid of the past and to live in the present. Nothingness is the ultimate truth. The intelligent person is not ambitious; he simply lives with no hankering to compete with others because he knows everybody is unique. There is no question of competition. He never suffers from a superiority complex or an inferiority complex – which are two sides of the same coin. The mind (Manas) is a vast processing centre. It is responsible for sensory input, memory, imagination, and logic. It is essentially a neutral tool—it doesn't "care" what it thinks about; it simply processes whatever data comes in. It records experiences and generates thoughts. The ego (Ahankara) is the "I-maker." It is the specific function of the mind that takes a neutral thought and claims ownership of it. The mind thinks a thought about a car. The ego adds: "That is my car" or "I want that car." I am rich. I am IAS or General Manager. I own bigger house. I am renowned saint. I hold high degrees, etc. The ego is not a physical thing, but rather a persistent mental activity. The mind constantly creates a story of who you are based on past memories and future anxieties. This "story" is the ego. The ego tells you where "you" end and the "rest of the world" begins, which often leads to a sense of isolation or conflict. If you become playful and take things in fun, you cannot be dominant, you cannot have any ego trips. Ego functions only in the climate of seriousness. The first condition is: be calm, quiet, contended. Desire keeps you away from the present moment. The interplay between the ego and the mind is often the primary barrier to the "peace". The goal in most meditative traditions is not to stop the mind, but to disarm the ego. When you realize that the "mind" is just producing thoughts and the "ego" is just trying to label them, you stop taking your thoughts so seriously. When the ego is at a "low ebb," the mind remains clear. You can still think, plan, and remember, but you no longer suffer because the "I" is no longer attached to the outcome. Passion is lust, compassion is love. Passion is desire, compassion is desirelessness. Passion is greed, compassion is sharing. Passion wants to use the other as a means; compassion respects the other as an end unto himself or herself. Meditation is the key to transform passion into compassion. Why Ego Cause Restlessness The "trouble" begins when the mind becomes a servant to the ego’s demands.
It acts as the bridge between the turbulent, ego-driven mind and the state of natural, effortless peace. It is not merely an activity, but a process of shifting your identification from the "storyteller" (the ego) to the "witness" (the consciousness).
Integration with Philosophical Inquiry In traditions like Advaita Vedanta or Zen, Dhyana is the tool used to peel back the layers of the "false self." By asking "To whom does this thought arise?", Dhyana becomes a sharp instrument of inquiry that cuts through the ego's illusions. You realize that peace is not a destination you reach, but the very nature of your being when the ego stops interfering. Since the Yoga Vashistha and Tripura Rahasya are two of the most profound texts on non-duality (Advaita), they offer very specific, practical methods for using Dhyana to dissolve the ego.
Let consciousness be your master and mind your servant. It happens through awareness. Be watchful. The essence is to slip out of the mind, to get out of the mind. The mind is the world. The mind is full of desires, full of clinging, attachments, longings. Mind lives in the duality of the positive and the negative. It lives like a pendulum, from yes to no, from no to yes. God means absolute. Either say absolute yes and your mind disappears, or say absolute no and your mind disappears. Get out of the mind! Create a little distance between you and the mind. Be a watcher, a watcher on the hills, and you will be surprised: as you watch the mind, the distance becomes bigger and bigger. Dhayan means a state of absolute silence, of thoughtless silence, but full of awareness. Concentration is not meditation. By zazen we can obtain directly the ultimate truth. Zazen means just sitting and doing nothing. Zen is another name for meditation. Zen comes from the Sanskrit root Dhayan. The man of Zen goes nowhere; he simply rests in himself. Zen doesn't necessarily seek to "destroy" the ego—as that would be another ego-driven goal—but rather to see through it.
Practical Stages to the Egoless State Hindu philosophical texts suggest a progression in how Dhyana transforms your internal landscape:
In Hindu Dharma, numbers are not just mathematical values; they are scientific truths and philosophical enumerations that map the architecture of the universe. The significance of numbers in Hindu Dharma is primarily rooted in Sankhya Shastra (the science of enumeration) and is detailed across the Vedas, Upanishads, and Agamas. These scriptures teach that the universe is not random but follows a precise mathematical and rhythmic order called Rta.
Here is the significance of numbers, as they represent the layers of reality. 1 – Ekam (Unity, Absolute, Source)
24 - The "Twenty-Four" (Chaturvimshati) - The Framework of Reality
In Hindu tradition, Dharma is often personified as a Bull (Vrishabha). The "four legs" of this bull represent the foundational virtues that sustain cosmic and social order. As time progresses through the four Yugas (cosmic ages), these legs are metaphorically broken or lost due to the rise of negative traits in humanity.
In the Srimad Bhagavatam, there is a famous story where King Parikshit encounters a dark figure (the personification of the age of Kali) beating a bull that has only one leg left. The King protects the bull, realizing that while the age of darkness has begun, the duty of a righteous leader is to protect the remaining "leg" of truth at all costs. In Hindu philosophy, the four Yugas are characterized by a gradual "deterioration" of physical, mental, and spiritual capabilities. As the "legs of Dharma" are lost, the tools and lifestyles available to humans change to reflect their decreasing capacity. The Four Legs of Dharma Each leg represents a specific moral pillar that humans must uphold to maintain a righteous society.
The Decline Across the Yugas The loss of these legs explains why the world becomes increasingly chaotic and difficult as cycles move forward. 1. Satya Yuga (Golden Age): The Bull stands on all 4 legs. Humanity is naturally virtuous, truthful, and spiritually inclined. Lifestyle: There were no wars, diseases, or mental suffering. People were "self-satisfied" and lived in total harmony with nature. There were no cities or social hierarchies; everyone was naturally enlightened. Available Spiritual Practice: Dhyana (Meditation). Because minds were pure and lives were long, people could meditate for thousands of years to attain God-realization. 2. Treta Yuga (Silver Age): The Bull stands on 3 legs. The leg of Austerity (Tapas) is lost. People begin to act out of personal desire, requiring formal rituals and sacrifices to maintain connection with the divine. This is the era of Lord Rama. Lifestyle: Agricultural labor and social structures (kings, subjects) began. For the first time, human "desire" and "ego" appeared. Houses were built because weather became variable (seasons started). Available Spiritual Practice: Yajna (Fire Sacrifices). As mental focus declined, elaborate rituals and sacrifices were introduced to help humans connect with the divine. 3. Dvapara Yuga (Bronze Age): The Bull stands on 2 legs. The leg of Purity (Shaucha) is lost. Values become complex and "grey," as seen in the Mahabharata. This is the era of Lord Krishna. Lifestyle: Society became complex. Diseases and major conflicts (like the Mahabharata) emerged. People became interested in wealth and trade. This is the era where the Vedas were divided into four parts by Vyasadeva because human memory was weakening. Available Spiritual Practice: Archana (Deity Worship). Because people could no longer perform perfect sacrifices or meditate for ages, temple worship and serving the physical form of God became the primary path. 4. Kali Yuga (Iron Age): The Bull stands on only 1 leg—Truthfulness (Satya). Even this last leg is currently under attack by deceit and hypocrisy. Lifestyle: Characterized by hypocrisy, greed, and short tempers. Truth is hidden, and materialism is the main goal. People are physically and mentally weak compared to previous ages. Available Spiritual Practice: Nama-Sankirtana (Chanting). In this age, humans lack the lifespan for long meditation, the wealth for grand sacrifices, and the purity for perfect temple worship. Therefore, the simplest path—chanting the names of God—is the only "available" effective practice (Kalauma kirtan). The Significance of the Last Leg The reason Truth (Satya) is the last leg is that it is considered the most fundamental. Ancient texts suggest that even if a person lacks austerity or purity, as long as they remain strictly truthful, they can still find a path to salvation. Hinduism is the oldest religion of the world which is mother of many religions and sects. Hinduism is the most organic religion which has been developing and transforming according to the needs and circumstances of the society. So far as the castes are concerned, it catered the society’s needs which developed excellent ecosystem for growth of the nation during Vedic period. Subsequently, due to invasion and large-scale industrialization, the categories of people modified.
It is observed that the Rig Veda and other early Vedic texts do not mention any group as “untouchable” or birth-based caste hierarchy (Jati). Society was organized into varna based on profession and qualities, not birth. Medieval Bhakti movements (devotional schools) emphasized that devotion to God makes all pure. Many prominent saints came from lower castes or "untouchable" communities (e.g., Ravidas, Nandanar, Chokamela). Caste System was reinforced by the British who were obsessed with Jati classification. In censuses (from 1871 onward), they fixed caste identities by birth. People had to declare their caste for jobs, education, and legal purposes. This froze fluid boundaries — many intermediate and mobile groups became permanently labelled as “low” or “untouchable.” Hence, it created divides in Hindu Society. Modern reformers like Mahatma Gandhi (who called the untouchables Harijans - "children of God") and Swami Vivekananda unequivocally rejected the practice, asserting that it is contrary to the spirit of Hinduism. Scriptures in Hinduism - The Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita emphasize the spiritual equality of all humans:
Episodes disproving untouchability in Hinduism -
The purpose of this article is to explain soul, its journey through various bodies and gradual empowerment.
As Lord Buddha has rightly said, life is full of miseries. Even if you desire to take birth in a super-rich family and if the Creator grants your request, don't think that you will be free from miseries. There, miseries will be plethora and, as a human being, you will have to undergo misery for innumerable births. Everyone has a karmic account and the better we understand it, the easier our lives will be. The soul gets liberation upon the karmic account is being exhausted. Soul & Bondage – According to Hinduism, souls are eternal and are not created, but are rather part of the supreme soul, Brahman. The soul, or Atman, is the essence of a living being and is present in all living things. The Atman is the basis of every living creature, and without souls, everything would cease to exist. Due to actions (Karmas) done in past lives, Soul is burdened and is in bondage with physical body. The bondage creates ignorance (Avidya) of its true nature of Sat-Chit-Ananda (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss). According to Vedanta Darshan or Brahma Sutra of Shankaracharya (around 5th century BC), Soul is agent of Brahman (Supreme Consciousness, commonly known as God or Parmatama). Shree Krishna has explained the attributes in Chapter 2 of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita as under:
Soul & Consciousness – Taittiriya Upanishad has described that soul has five sheaths or layers which is called as Panchkosh viz. Annamay kosh (Food Sheath), Pranmay kosh (Energy Sheath), Manomay Kosh (Mind Sheath), Vigyanmay Kosh (Intelligence Sheath) & Anandmay Kosh (Bliss Sheath or Casual Body). Due to ignorance, the soul identifies itself with the physical body and its constituents – mind, ego and Intellect which are products of Prakriti. Everyone has three levels of mind - Conscious, subconscious and the Super conscious. Consciousness is the awareness of internal and external existence of the physical body. The subconscious mind is the hidden consciousness which records every thought, action and past deeds the individual soul. The Subconscious mind of all individuals is interconnected. Super conscious mind is the level at which each individual soul is aware of its relationship to God. This is what we try to tap into through meditation. Soul & Karmic Account – All souls are linked to other souls through a vast and complex network of karma, desires and debts. Our interactions with others are largely determined by these three factors. As a result, sometimes we like or dislike a person in an instance because of the karmic bonds that extend across several life times. When we meet someone new, intuition kicks in and all the shared experiences we have had with that soul resurface to recreate the emotions we felt at our last meeting. Whether we understand it or not, those deep-seated emotions will try to drive our relationship in this life as well. According to Patanjali Yoga Sutras 12, 13, 15 & 31 -
Soul Journey & Rebirth - Depending on the sort of life we desire, the things we want to do, the sort of people we want to be with, provided we have the requisite karma balance, we take birth to carry on enjoying what we have enjoyed in the past. Depending on the karmic link between the souls involved, the child can be friend, foe, debtor, creditor, advisor or indifferent to the parents. Some children bring happiness, success and wealth to their parents because that is what they are destined to deliver to their parents. That is the karmic debt they have to pay off. Some children cause unending misery to their parents, costing them time, money, anguish and worries because that is the relationship they have to fulfil with their parents. We have to accept that nature is delivering the right results of our karmic debts. If a soul has sufficient karmic bonds to be ‘born’ of a couple but not enough bonds to stay with them, the resulting child can be born to a couple but won’t remain with that couple. Bound by debt, and karma, the soul moves from one family to another. Sometimes, the karmic links are such that a soul is born to poor, unmarried couple in one part of the world, spends some time in an orphanage, gets adopted and ends up living with a rich family in another part of the world. Karmic links propel the soul from one stage of life to another till it is sufficiently mature enough to start creating new karmas. According to Madhva, souls are different in the stage of evolution as under -
Soul Empowerment – Souls who are receptive to spiritual values, and through repeated embodiments they evolve into better and better person, and finally through concentrated spiritual disciplines and God’s grace gain salvation. According to the chapters 23, 26 & 27 of Section 5, Uma-Samhita of Shiva Purana discuss about impure body and means purify it. Performing Japas, sacrifices and eulogies after purifying the soul with pure emotions a man acquires perfect knowledge and after death, he attains the worlds of persons who perform many sacrifices. In Mahabharata epic, Yudhishthra, the eldest of Pandavas informed as under:
In the series of articles on Sanatan Dharma, another article on the Gender & Caste Equality is posted.
World Equality & Peace: The concept of World Equality in Sanatana Dharma is based on the premise that each one and everyone cannot grow unless there is equality and all are treated as one family. When world is treated one family, there will not be exploitation to harm one and gain of other. In this situation, people will not contribute to their best and world will not grow optimally and earn peace. A few verses from Vedic system are as under:
Gender Equality in Vedic System: Gender equality etc. are the terms evolved in last few hundred years. But in Hindu's ancient literature one can find, we come across the names of many Brahmavadini ladies like Lopamudra, Gargi and Maitreyi who took part in the great discourses and expressed striking knowledge of Supreme Self. Women during the period of Vedic India was never treated as inferior to male personalities, but was always regarded only as two different forms inherently built in one singular entity. So, in the Vedic age men and women both played equal part in social and cultural life. Many Ṛigvedic mantras were revealed to women. A virgin daughter inherited paternal property. In the Ṛigvedic period woman had the right to choose her husband. A girl was honoured in her husband's house. Altekar said a girl in the Vedic age was married when she was fully grown up. It is in Atharvaveda that maiden was eligible to get married if she had proper educational training during her time of Brahmacharya (brahmacharyeṇa kanyanaṃ yuva vindate patiṃ). In the Vedic and post Vedic literature there are many such evidences when young maidens were given equal opportunity of receiving education and studying the different branches of knowledge. It is also described in this literature that there were families of teachers known as Gurukuls where female students used to reside with their Acharyas and received education along with their brother pupils. The Vedic ladies were much respected in the society and this respect attained to such a height that they were personified with veneration as goddess Saraswati, the symbol of ultimate knowledge and also were named after other goddesses like 'Kāli', 'Lakshmi' representing the wealth and Shakti respectively. In had been found in the Ṛigveda that both husband and wife together were performing and reciting sacrificial ceremony (ya dampati samanasa sunuta a ca dhavataḥ/devaso nityayasira''). Brahmaṇa girls were taught Vedic lore and kshatriya girls were taught the use of the bow and arrow (parivṛkteva patividyamanaṭ pipyana kṛcakreṇeva sincan / eṣaiṣya cidrathya jayema sumangalaṃ sinavadastu satam//''). There were many educated ladies who had chosen teaching as a profession. Sanskrit language coined a special word to distinguish between the lady teacher and the wife of a teacher. This is evident from several mantras mentioned here: -
Meaning: The family in which women folks (such as mother, wife, sister, daughter etc.) are full of sorrow that family meets its destruction very soon; while the family in which they have not to grieve is always prosperous. Caste Equality: In today’s society, there broad classification as teacher, professor, industrialist, merchants, traders, service class, army man etc. likewise, in ancient India the society was divided into four principal varnas (castes), namely Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra, according to the avocation. Many of India's major empires and dynasties like the Mauryas, Shalivahanas, Chalukyas, Kakatiyas among many others, were founded by people who would have been classified as Shudras, under the Varnas system. An article by Padmanabh Samarendra published in Economic & Political Weekly dated 13th August, 2011 mentioned that between 1860 and 1920, “the British incorporated the Indian caste system and listed the castes. The birth of caste is directly linked with the census operations in colonial India. The purpose of the census was to count the population and classify it under different heads – age, sex, religion, caste, occupation, etc. The introduction of caste in census was accompanied with serious problems of identification and classification. The enumerators discovered during the surveys that society was not patterned according to the fourfold varna division comprising brahmin, kshatriya, Vaishya and shudra. Instead in their localities they encountered jatis – communities with unfamiliar names, uneven status and unalike characteristics.” The most revered Hindu scripture, in Shrimad Bhagavad Gita (BG, chapter 15, verse 1 & 2 of Purushottam Yoga), Shree Krishna advised that all human beings are created formerly by Brahma. Hence, there is no distinction of Varnas. This whole universe is Brahman. The Shrimad Bhagavad Gita thereafter recites a behavioural model for Varna based on attributes (gunas) of the persons. These attributes arise from Prakriti (Nature). Prakriti is the conceiving Mother, of which, three gunas viz. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are arise and tie down the imperishable soul to the body (chapter 14, verse 5). There is no entity on earth, or again in heaven among the Devas, that is devoid of these three Gunas, born of Prakriti. The pre-dominance of the particular gunas say sattvika are to be of category Brahmanas irrespective of birth. The work or duties should be adopted according to in-born Gunas of the persons and the categories of work are described as Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras. BG -15.1 & 15.2 - ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् । छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ॥ १५-१॥ अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः । अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके ॥ Shudra is the name of a Caste considered of equal nature as any other caste. According to the Svacchanda-tantra (verse 4.539c-545) - all those who have been initiated by this ritual are of equal nature, whether they be Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, or others. They have been brought into a state of fusion with the nature of Shiva. Social researchers discovered that proficiency in any field of human activity is directly correlated to two virtues of the personality. One is the intellect and the second is the willpower. Now, the intellect is somewhat innate—there is not so much one can do to expand it. But willpower is something that is very much in our hands. Ordinary individual in his own egoistic limits, follows in his aims governed by desire, habits of thought or obscure subconscious impulses.
The central part of our body is mind. Mind designs our life. It is the chief architect of the life. Desires, intentions and expectations generates thoughts in the mind and in turn mind becomes the agent to mobilise our senses to fulfil them. Desire and will are different things altogether. 'Desire' is a longing for certain possessions, while 'will' is the power of determination (Sankalpa) without any motive whatsoever to enjoy anything. Desire is sensuality which pertains to the mind; Will-Power is the power of conscious being and is effective behind the workings of mind and body. Behind the Will-Power, Divine Will-Power stands. To achieve successes in both, material world and spiritual life alignment of Human Will and Divine Will is essential. Divine Will creates in us the divine strength of impulsion, an illuminated and un-decaying force and flame described as the steed of the plenitude, which brings us that goo and carries us to that goal. By invocation of divine Will-Power, ordinary mind is transformed into intuitive & inspired mind which leads us into blissful state. This article is attempted to highlight roles of the Will-Power or Sankalpa & Divine Will-Power and modus operandi to attain enlightened mind. Human Will-Power: Human Will-Power is the strong determination that ensures achievement of difficult goals or even plausibly impossible goals. Will-power has been termed ‘the greatest human strength. According to most psychological scientists, Human Will-Power can be defined as:
Human Will-Power & Divine Will-Power: Human Will gave the world its prosperity and glory. The Divine Will-Power which acts always with a perfect knowledge, divine wisdom and builds up the worlds. The divine will shall give us what we eternally have and what we eternally are. What we eternally have is God’s Concern, and what we eternally are is God’s Perfection and God’s Manifestation. Swami Sivananda said: As the lower mind emerges into the higher, and the higher into that which is wisdom, the aspect of Divine or pure 'will' emerges as the power of the spirit, self-determined, self-ruled, in perfect harmony with the Supreme Will. Paramhansa Yoganand said: Whatever your position in life, it is you who put yourself there. The human will, when led by ignorance, causes nothing but confusion and trouble; but if it is tuned in with wisdom, it is guided by the Divine Will. Constantly carrying a thought with dynamic will power will strengthen that thought until it becomes an outward force. When your will power is developed to that extent, you can control your destiny. Always be sure what you want is right for you to have, then use all the forces of your will power to attain your objective, continually keeping your mind on God. Your efforts will then be crowned with success. In order to develop will power, you must realize that behind your will is the will of God. As often as possible, determine to do one little thing which you think you cannot do. When you have accomplished that goal, go on to something slightly bigger. Keep on exercising your will power in this way. Use your will power in the routines of everyday life, in business, and in meditation. It is Will power that has created everything, even your body. The stronger the will, the greater the force of energy and the greater, consequently, the energy's impact on material events. A strong will, especially, combined with awareness of energy, can affect miracles. It can cure diseases, and make a person well. It can ensure success in any undertaking. The seasons are obedient to the man of strong will power and of deep faith. Ramana Mahrishi said: It is true the divine Will prevails all times and under all circumstances. Recognize the force of Divine Will and keep quiet. Sri Aurobindo said: The ultimate spiritual source of our human Will is the Divine Will, which governs the world. We can immeasurably enhance the power and effectiveness of our human will by aligning it with the Divine Will. Will, as it is usually conceived, is the elaboration of a thought, to which is added a force, a power of fulfilment accompanied by an impulse to carry it out. That is the description of human Will. Divine will is quite another thing. It is a vision united with a universal power of realisation. Human Will is uncertain, often wavering, always in conflict with opposing wills. It is effective only when for some reason or other it is in accord with the Divine Will, as a result of Grace or Yoga. Agni, the Divine Will: Vedas affirms that Vedic gods in cosmic body are physical Nature-powers and in human body, the psychic conscious forces behind. Adi Shankara explained that Hindu deities live or rule over the cosmic body as well in the temple of human body. The same deities were at once internal and external Powers of universal Nature, and they managed its expression through a system of double values by which the same language (Vedic Mantras) served for their worship in both aspects. But the psychological sense predominates and is more pervading and coherent than the physical. The second most important Vedic Gods in Rigveda is Agni. The flame of Agni is the Divine Will-Power. Agni is the immortals in mortals, the divine power in man to fulfil their work in him. Agni, the divine force be kindled in front as head of the universal Power and human soul, will extend in harmony the effective inner action on the plane of the pure intelligence so that it may enrich itself there and attain beyond. Agni as the light and flame of its far-extended existence, breaks the limitations of the material being and he is full of the joys of this new and rich supra-physical life. Now the third state, the free mental being, is to be perfected by a richly varied and luminous play of thought and word ending in the manifestation of the highest reach of the mental realms, the power of the supramental Light in the mentality; there begins the manifestation of the intuitive and inspired mind. Agni has to create the vastness and light and divinity of the Truth-knowledge and so crown with it the already attained free swiftness of force and wide range of life and enjoyment proper to the perfected and God-filled vitality. Invocation & Manifestation of Divine Will-Power: The divine Will is invoked to complete the manifestation of the divine powers after second state of soul when it has passed beyond the physical being and is full of the perfect energy of the vital plane. The Rishi speaks of the birth of the divine Will by the working of the pure mental on the material consciousness. A state arrives in which man goes beyond the mere subtlety and fineness of the intelligence and reaches to a rich and manifold largeness of soul. Even though he is on right foundation, he needs a force greater than his to lead him; for largeness and multiplicity of soul-force and knowledge are not enough, there must be the divine truth in thought, word and act. For we have to attain beyond the enlarged mental being to the beatitude of a state beyond mind. Agni has the light and the force, the Word and the true impulsion, the embracing knowledge and the achieving power. He shall carry us towards the blissful state and the supreme good. Agni, the Divine Will-Power generates the Maruts, the nervous forces of Life that become forces of thought; they, upheld by Agni, prepare the action of Indra, the luminous Mind, who is finder of the Truth and Right. Indra slays Vritra, the Coverer, dispels the darkness, causes Surya to rise upon our being and go abroad over its whole field with the rays of the Truth. Surya is the Creator or manifester, Savitri, who manifests in this mortal world the world or state of immortality, dispels the evil dream of egoism, sin and suffering and transforms Life into the Immortality, the good, the beatitude. The Vedic gods are a parable of human life emerging, mounting, lifting itself towards the Godhead. A few Rigvedic hymns (with English Translations) are illustrated here regarding flame of Agni which gives birth to Divine Will-Power: यो अध्वरेषु शन्तम रतावा होता तमू नमोभिरा कर्णुध्वम | अग्निर्यद वेर्मर्ताय देवान स चा बोधाति मनसायजाति || (Rig Veda I.77.2) The learned person, who in the sacrifices is the priest of the offering, full of peace, truthful in thought, word and deed, is the giver of great bliss in yajnas (non-violent sacrifices) & giver of knowledge (Agni). He brings divine virtues and wisdom to men (helps in their attainment) as unite men with them with the aid of knowledge. स हि करतुः स मर्यः स साधुर्मित्रो न भूदद्भुतस्य रथीः | तं मेधेषु परथमं देवयन्तीर्विश उप बरुवते दस्ममारीः || (Rig Veda I.77.3) For he is the will, he is the strength; he is the effecter of perfection, even as Mitra he becomes the charioteer of the Supreme. To him, the first, in the rich-offerings the people seeking the godhead utter the word, the Aryan people to the fulfiller. एवाग्निर्गोतमेभिर्र्तावा विप्रेभिरस्तोष्ट जातवेदाः | स एषु दयुम्नं पीपयत स वाजं स पुष्टिं याति जोषमा चिकित्वान || (Rig Veda I.77.5) Thus has Agni possessed of the Truth been affirmed by the masters of light, the knower of the worlds by clarified minds. He shall foster in them the force of illumination, he too the plenty; he shall attain to increase and to harmony by his perceptions. यस तवा हर्दा कीरिणा मन्यमानो ऽमर्त्यम मर्त्यो जोहवीमि | जातवेदो यशो अस्मासु धेहि परजाभिर अग्ने अम्र्तत्वम अश्याम || (Rig Veda 5.4.10) O highly learned king, you are purifier like a fire, and with admiring heart we call upon you. I being an ordinary mortal and you being the immortal because of your glory know immortality of soul. I know emancipation along with all good people, those who are to be protected. Establish in us good reputation. सुसमिद्धाय शोचिषे घर्तं तीव्रं जुहोतन | अग्नये जातवेदसे || (Rig Veda 5.5.1) To the Will that knows all the births, to the Flame highly kindled, purely luminous offer a poignant clarity तवाम अग्न रतायवः सम ईधिरे परत्नम परत्नास ऊतये सहस्क्र्त | पुरुश्चन्द्रं यजतं विश्वधायसं दमूनसं गर्हपतिं वरेण्यम || (Rig Veda 5.8.1) Will who are by force created in us, you the pristine Power the pristine seekers of the Truth kindled entirely that they might grow in their being, the god in the sacrifice, who because he has the multitude of his delights establishes the all, domiciled in us, master of the dwelling, inmate supremely desirable. अग्निर देवेषु राजत्य अग्निर मर्तेष्व आविशन | अग्निर नो हव्यवाहनो ऽगनिं धीभिः सपर्यत || (Rig Veda 5.25.4) The Will is that which shines out in the gods, the Will is that which enters with its light into mortals, the Will is the carrier of our oblation; the Will seek and serve in all your thoughts All of us have already attained degrees of will-power, the more the will-power directed Godward, the nobler the human being we shall become. Human personality is of triple qualities (Trigunatmic) viz. Satvika, Rajasika & Tamasika. Satvika (सात्विक) person refers to one who is full of purity (sattva). Satvika attribute is intellectual, pure, strong, healthy, possessing long life and equanimity. Rajasik quality manifests emotional, passionate, fiery and restless. Tamasik quality is evident as vegetative, lustful, ignorant and dull (comparable to dumb-witted, whose extreme form would be mental retardation). Everybody is mixture of the three qualities in different proportions and at different timings. This world remains in the continuous illusion with rajasa and tamasa natures. Men born with the satvika nature of goodness like yourself, easily lay aside this inveterate illusion, as a snake casts off its time-worn skin (slough). Absolute Satvik nature leads to liberation from re-birth.
Absolute fearlessness, perfect purity of mind, constant fixity in the Yoga of meditation and knowledge for the sake of Self-realization, and even so, charity in its Sattvika form, control of the senses, austerity, worship of God and other deities as well as of one’s elders including the performance of Agnihotra (pouring oblations into the sacred fire) and other sacred duties, study and teaching of the Vedas and other sacred books as well as the chanting of God’s names and glories, suffering hardships for the discharge of one’s sacred obligations and uprightness of mind as well as of the body and senses. Non-violence in thought, word and deed, truthfulness and geniality of speech, absence of anger even on provocation, disclaiming doer-ship in respect of actions (renunciation), peacefulness/quietude or composure of mind, abstaining from slander or crookedness, compassion towards all creatures, absence of attachment to the objects of senses even during their contact with the senses, gentleness, modesty, a sense of shame in transgressing the scriptures or social conventions, and abstaining from frivolous pursuits; Sublimity, forgiveness, fortitude, external purity, bearing enmity to none i.e. absence of hatred, absence of fickleness (indecisiveness), Vigour, and absence of self-esteem/pride these are the marks of him, who is born with the divine endowments or Satvik attributes. Triple qualities of Human Nature:
Instincts or Tendencies: Sage Patanjali in Yoga sutras explained the all the afflictions causing all sufferings in our life are classified into five types. (अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः ||2/3) These are:
Divine Qualities: Bhagwan Shree Krishna in Shrimad Bhagavad Gita (verses 1-3 of Chapter 16) described godly divine possessions in detail about our harmony, virtue and good tendencies as follows: (अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः । दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम् ॥ 16.1॥ अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम् । दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ॥ 16.2॥ तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता । भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत ॥ 16.3॥)
Bhavanti Sampada Divimbhijatasya Bharat: (भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारतः) - Shree Krishna says to Arjuna that all these divine virtues are good. From them, the goal of attaining God is achieved. These qualities are obtained only by the grace of God. If we consider these qualities to be personal, then pride comes, which is a symptom of demonic wealth. There is no pride when this is a divine quality. There is exclusive love in God. |
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