The true significance of Birthday Celebration

 The true significance of Birthday Celebration

Love Offering to Shri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj on his 106th Birth Anniversary - 24.9.2022  (Prime Disciple of Swami Sivanandaji and Ex President of The Divine Life Society

Every human being regards a birthday as a special day in one’s life and celebrates it annually withgaiety and zest. The birthday of leaders is also celebrated by their followers to share joy. The mode of celebration changes with time and place but the spirit of celebration remains intact. What makes a birthday such a special day in one’s life? Bhagavad Gita expounds the explicit truth that death is certain for a born and rebirth is inevitable for the dead and one should not grieve over the inevitable. But why should we rejoice and not stay neutral? 

First of all, birth as living being marks the arrival of life on earth and Lord Krishna holds that I am life in all beings jivanam sarva bhuteshu and life perpetuates as long as it can because it has a mission to fulfill. We can perceive the divine more readily in sentient than in any insentient being.

Life is an annual reminder that human birth is unique among all the species biologically and spiritually; Homo sapiens is the most evolved species biologically but at the same time it is the first rung of a spiritual ladder and the human being is the only species eligible for spiritual advancement. Other species lead a structured life and even deities in heaven can rejoice due to their virtuous past deeds butcannotevolve further. Birthday reminds us of the lofty purposes of human life and gives us an opportunity to take stock of our endeavors and accomplishments versus the set goals in the bygone year andfine-tune them for future life. Birthday marks forward onward movement in our life journey from Brahmacharya ashram (student life) to Grihastha ashram (house holder’s life), to Vanaprastha ashram (life of seclusion) to Sannyas ashram (life of renunciate)

A birthday is an occasion to thank God and its creation for keeping us alive for one full year providing all needs of our life with many gains and some incidental losses with some hidden messages for the remaining life. A birthday is a day of good wishes, hope, and prayers. One should aspire to become a wiser and better individual with every passing year. While we receive gifts in many forms, we ought to give return gifts by consolidating our friendship with God and its creation to build harmonious, transparent, and loving relationships with the self and world around us.

Birthday also sounds a word of caution that life is shortened by one year that was probably more vigor filled than the years to follow and unlike the T20 match we are not very sure of the remaining lifespan although one should aspire to live for 100 years in the spirit of karma yoga as enunciated in Isa Upanishad and reset the priorities and strategy of life from time to time.

The question often arises in our mind why do we celebrate the birthday of ascetics and wise men when birth belongs to the body and they recognize that their true self is immortal Atmanthat is beyond body-mind- intellect apparatus? It will be interesting to ponder their own thoughts.

Birthday celebration of great men is akin to worship of God. A spiritual wave is created that gives impetus and enhances zeal to attain the Goal of life viz,. God- realization, says Swami Sivananda. All that you havelearned, believed, reflected, and meditated upontill now must be lived with a calm resolution, strong determination, and firm faith, says Swami Chidananda.

Mata Amritanandamayi holds that she is happy to see her children happy in rendering social service and loving one another on the occasion. She is happier when children regard her birthday as a day of wiping tears of those who are suffering. While celebrating the birthday of great souls like Christ and Krishna, we recite prayers to bless us to realize the eternal ‘I’ in me and to make this prayer part and parcel of our spiritual life.The implication is that an individual transforms into a Universal and a state of absolute unity, peace and bliss prevails.

Swami Krishnannada said that incarnations of God are supposed to come with power of divinity and hence we celebrate birthday of incarnations. As against this, sages, siddhas and spiritual masters depart with the power of divinity, and celebrating their punyatithi (death anniversary) is even more relevant.Maharshi Aurobindo explains that taking birth on this earth is a golden opportunity to grow with the unique divine portion in a man called ‘the Psychic being’ whereby a man can aspire, surrender to the divine and achieve the higher state which is difficult even for the gods. A birthday is an occasion to renew this realization and endeavor to accomplish the vision and mission of one’s life.

Jayant B Dave

 

FUSION OF SCIENCE & SPIRITUALITY- PRUDENT WAY TO TIDE OVER CORONA PANDEMIC

 

FUSION OF SCIENCE & SPIRITUALITY- PRUDENT WAY TO TIDE OVER CORONA PANDEMIC

 

Novel Corona virus SARS COV2 is third highly pathogenic human corona virus after Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The Corona virus disease (Covid 19) is turning out to be a real psycho-physical and social crisis of global magnitude. Its rapid spread is facilitated via droplets, contaminated hands and surfaces. With WHO declaring this as global pandemic, authorities and communities world over have responded to the challenge by engaging in tough and right course of action to contain the ominous threat. While search for new vaccine and drug is actively in progress, WHO has launched global mega trial of four most promising corona virus treatment from existing drugs (Remdesivir, Chloroquine & hydroxychloroquine, HIV drugs Lopinavir & Ritonavir combination with and without interferon beta)

 

Fortunately, India as a Nation has been able to do well but is slowly slipping to stage 3 marked by community transmission. Stage 4 is endemic and leads to mass devastation as witnessed in China & Italy.

 

The President of India Ramnath Kovind has highlighted medically mandated and self-imposed quarantining as an opportunity for self-examination and evolution. He held sanitation and cleanliness personified by Mahatma Gandhi particularly during plague outbreak as humblest of civic virtues. He also held that major crisis has reassured our cultural ethos of ‘world as one family’- Vasudhaiva kutumbakam and quintessential equality and interdependence of mankind. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a plethora of measures to wisely deal with the pandemic and preparing for a war like situation symbolized by Janata curfew and stressed upon the mantra of resolve and restraint. Ms Mami Mizutori, Head of UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has held that pandemics do not recognize borders and united international response is vital under guidance of WHO. The pandemic has also underlined interconnectedness and interdependence of mankind and importance of multilateral institutions like WTO. The lead banks and financial institutes are playing their part to neutralize economic slowdown. Notwithstanding this, some world leaders are sadly engaged in mudslinging on others. Wisdom lies in expressing solidarity and working for collective good in and through individual good.

 

Science and spirituality have different viewpoints on its etiology and cure. But both are significant and complementary to our understanding and wisdom filled actions. Science traces emergence and isolation of unknown beta corona virus, 7^th member of the family of Corona virus that infects humans in Wuhan, China. For the third time in as many decades, a zoonotic corona virus has crossed species to infect human population. It is round or elliptical often pleomorphic form (ability of microbes to change morphology, functions and reproductive mode in response to environmental conditions) with diameter of .06- 0.14 micron. The genome of the virus has now been sequenced. It is now established that this is a normal natural variant and is not genetically engineered in a laboratory with any evil design.

 

From one spiritual perspective, this kind of catastrophe takes place when human society as a whole goes off track in its achar-vichar (thoughts & conduct) and lowers its collective vibrations to coincide with some negative force. We are witnessing adhibhautik affliction caused by a tiny microbe that also has adhidaivik (attributed to some deity) and adhyatmic (subjective individual) ramifications. This is referred to as samasti prarabdh (collective fate) of mankind. This can be attributed to some mysterious play of the Supreme reality as some kind of compensatory mechanism to restore the balance and stability in the universe.

 

Science and spirituality also converge on several points.

1.    Transitory nature of all objects & beings- Change is inherent in nature but constant change of structure and biological function makes design of vaccine and drug a daunting task. Scriptures describe changing nature of gross and subtle matter as asat or Mithya (having transitory & dependant existence). Science probes very subtle nature and function of matter in viral and host cell and is content with this. Spirituality exhorts still deeper to find the one and non dual substratum that pervades entire existence.

 

2.    Cleanliness & sanitation- Virus emitted from infected person while sneezing, coughing or nose blowing as fine droplets survives for few hours and for 2-3 days after settling on inanimate surface like stainless steel or plastic. This can be transmitted by touching of infected hand to mouth, nose or eye. Virus like COV, HIV, ELOBA, ZIKA are encapsulated with lipid-bilayer. Soap or alcoholic sanitizer is able to bind with lipid bilayer and inactivate the virus, This makes cleaning/sanitation a very effective mechanism to help arrest spread of virus any further. Most religious and spiritual practices are aimed at cleansing the body and antakkaran (mind, intellect & sub conscious) of all impurities so that it can perceive and realize the atman or brahman, the ultimate reality.

 

3.    Following advisory and wise course of actions-Global institutes & Government lays down advisory and action plan based on scientific & ethical considerations much like code of conduct prescribed by religious and spiritual texts or wisdom sayings of saints.

 

4.    Realizing uniqueness, interconnectedness, equality of every individual & nation state- Every individual is unique as a biological creature and can contribute to both spreading and arresting the disease. Likewise, every individual can pollute or purify his neighborhood by his motives, thought processes and actions. Man can raise himself to the highest heaven or damn himself to the lowest hell. It is all in his hands, says Swami Chidananda.

 

5.    Serving mankind while practicing social distancing- Isolation/quarantining of infected/suspect person is the most primary and effective means to contain the disease. Many countries have effectively done this. Isolation is also a means of service by protecting the others. Solitude leads to expression of our unconscious personality that has many good and bad aspects. “Solitude has its own charms. The spiritual vibrations in solitude are wonderfully elevating. Meditation will come by itself without exertion. All saints and sages who have achieved Self realization have remained in solitude for a number of years” says Swami Sivananda.

 

6.    Submitting to nature and supreme reality- Science relies on genomics and proteomics for probing the cause, effect and solutions. This has to be supplemented with abiding faith in all pervading and compassionate supreme reality. “We have to have the faith that in spite of our ignorance, errors & weaknesses and in spite of attacks of hostile forces and in spite of any immediate appearance of failure, the divine will is leading us, through every circumstance, towards final realization, inspires Sri Aurobindo.

 

Jayant B Dave

Action sustains hope, knowledge fulfils hope

 FROM TOI PRINT EDITION

Action sustains hope, knowledge fulfils hope

May 30, 2021, 8:01 PM IST Speaking Tree in TOI Edit Page, Edit Page, India, Spirituality, TOI

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By Jayant B Dave

It is wise to entertain hope than despair in all conditions and at all times. Hope is a prerequisite to success in material and spiritual life. Ichchha shakti, will, germinates hope; kriya shakti, action, sustains hope; and jnana shakti, knowledge, fulfils hope. Hope stems from one’s samskaras, latent cravings, aspiration for progress and possibility of attaining God-head in this life as assured by scriptures and demonstrated by lives of great men.

Hope is like prana in our psycho-physical self that nourishes body and mind. It is prevalent in all living species. A lion hopes to catch a prey and a deer hopes that it will escape the predator. The virus mutates because it hopes to thrive on the host and the host hopes to drive away the ‘unwelcome guest’ by activating its immune system. Bowler, batsman, fielder and skipper all have hope. The winner is the one who sustains hope.

God too hopes that all elements in cosmos will play their part in sustaining the order in creation. He hopes that man, who has forgotten his true identity, will regain it and return to his divine abode. It was perhaps hope that inspired one and non-dual Ishvara to manifest as many.

If hope is the summum bonum of life, spirit behind our existence, what causes hope to extinguish?

One, many times we entertain unjust and excessive hopes leading to discontent and despair. Exercising moderation and wisdom in expression of our desires is the way out.

Two, often we do not have a set vision in life. Absence of short-term or long-term goals of life invites tamas, inertia, to set in. Setting swadharma, the right course of life, and reviewing it from time to time is the way out.

Three, at times when we are afraid to face a likely failure, we try to create a protective wall by diminishing hope. One should try to optimise benefit to risk ratio in any critical situation, focus more on benefit and not overestimate the risk. Emergency approval granted to Covid vaccines and therapeutic drugs focussed more on life-saving prospects rather than avoiding any likely insignificant adverse event.

Four, lack of hope that may extend to fear stems from ignorance. This is best exemplified by vaccine hesitancy because of undue fears of side reactions to Covid vaccines. Spiritually speaking, in ignorance of our true self, we conceive ourselves as ahamkar, ego. But when ego is transcended, ignorance has lifted itself like a mist, finite ego merges with the Self.

Five, lack of hope stems from lack of faith in relative and absolute truth. Krishn has assured in the Bhagwad Gita that untruth has no being and truth does not cease to be. Relative truth is the beauty and immediate goal of life that leads to absolute truth. Scientific truth is also unravelled with faith in the present and hope for the higher principle. Man’s aspiration for eternal happiness, knowledge and truth stems from this innermost reality. A sthitprajna, man of steady wisdom, is ever content and satisfied – ‘Atmani eva atmana tushtah’, self-satisfied in the self. This is the culmination of the highest hope called mumukshutva, aspiration.

The writer is president, Divine Life Society, Vadodara

 

Anatomy of the divine spiritual fire

 

 

Anatomy of the divine spiritual fire

May 23, 2020, 2:00 AM IST Speaking Tree in TOI Edit Page | Edit Page, India, Spirituality | TOI

   

By Jayant B Dave

Spiritual fire refers to the flame of knowledge in the heart, the Jnanamaya Pradeep says the Bhagwad Gita’s Dhyana verse. This is your essential and innermost Self, that is of the nature of peace and bliss. The phrase spiritual fire is also common in Christianity and is deemed to cleanse, illumine and uplift one’s being. While evolved souls keep this fire burning, in ignorant persons, this divine flame fades under the influence of maya/ avidya and gets extinguished.

Just as physical fire requires certain ingredients to keep the flame going, spiritual fire requires three ingredients to initiate and sustain it. Noble thoughts crossing the mind, latent spiritual impressions embedded deep in chitta, subconscious, and wisdom in buddhi, the intellect – due to discretion and dispassion – serve as flammable materials.

Satsanga and svadhyaya serve as oxygen. They keep the mind in elevated subtle state and keep the spiritual fire burning. If satsanga is not continuously kept up, the fire of spirituality goes out. Adi Shankara in Bhajagovindam Stotra says that satsanga leads successively to non-attachment, freedom from delusion, abidance in Self and finally, liberation while living. Whenever there is excessive influence of satsanga and svadhyaya, spiritual fire becomes more voluminous and energetic. We normally experience this spurt in spiritual fire in the company of spiritually evolved souls, during a sadhana camp or concentrated spiritual practice in seclusion like anushthan.

One has to transcend physical and psychological consciousness to cosmic, divine consciousness at least for a moment, to enable ignition to occur. Joy derived from rendering selfless service, devout worship of chosen deity, tranquillity of mind in a meditative state or flash of intuition emanating from reflection on wisdom teaching provides a proverbial spark. Once the fire is lit, flammable materials and oxygen are required to keep the fire burning.

A strong spiritual impulse has to be generated for fire to proceed. For realised and evolved souls there is a steady flow of brahmakara vrittis, divine thoughts, with extinction of vishayakara vrittis, worldly thoughts. This state is tantamount to auto-ignition temperature where no ignition spark is required. In fact, they abide in divine nature forever and spiritual fire is alive forever and there is no need for any ignition to take place.

The products of physical fire are oxide gases of various elements and remnant inorganic ash. Gases such as carbon dioxide have many undesirable effects like causing global warming as they promote the greenhouse effect. The products of spiritual fire are innocuous and disseminate perennial peace and unalloyed bliss.

Scriptures refer to spiritual fire as fire of knowledge or a well-lit lamp. The Gita conveys that just as blazing fire reduces fuel to ashes, fire of knowledge turns all present and accumulated actions to ashes. This means that all accumulated deep rooted samskara, impressions and vasanas, subtle desires, are burnt so that they do not germinate again and a seeker becomes free from transmigration circle of birth and death.

Equally important, the realised soul, knower of the Atman, passes beyond sorrow in this very birth – Tarati sokam atmavit iti, says the Chhandogya Upanishad. Shvetashwatara Upanishad regards spiritual flame as identifying oneself with nitya nija svarupa, own essential nature, whereby enlightened soul attains realisation of oneness with Brahmn, Paramatma. Spiritual fire can be taken as both the means and end, the goal of divine life.

 

What kind of nature do you have? JAYANT B DAVE analyses your personality type

 

What kind of nature do you have? JAYANT B DAVE analyses your personality type

 

We often read about demons, animals, humans, rishis, saints and divine or realised souls in stories and often come across similar characters in real life too. The difference between gross and divine personalities lies not so much in their biological or physiological make up as in their psychological or intellectual make up — the antahkaran chatushtya or four-fold inner instrument of perception that the Vedanta school of thought says comprises the mind, intellect, chitta and ahamkar.

 

The grossness or subtlety of the mind and intellect that show up as vrittis or instincts, emotions and experiences, is the transforming factor. It is not so much what one experiences in life, but how one reacts to experiences that determines a person’s fate. All ethical and spiritual practices are aimed at transforming this inner being from impure to pure, gross to subtle so that one moves from darkness to light.

 

The quality and state of our inner Self can be perceived by us during honest and impartial introspection in moments of silence. Our state of mind is also revealed in our external objective life and behaviour and this is perceived by others around us in the way we interact with them. Let us examine how our inner state of being gets reflected in the life that we live as human beings. Our behaviour is never constant as it varies from time to time based on our subjective perceptions and objective realities outside.

 

Many times, we cannot change our external circumstances much and the only option available to us, however, unjust it may seem is to tame our own mind to accept what happens to us. The world is neither good nor evil — it is the mind that creates good and evil.

 

The quality of our life can be judged from the relationships we forge with our fellow humans. The lowest state of mind is a deluded mind dominated by tamas with rajas and sattva being virtually absent. This is a state of slumber or avidya, and is a form of spiritual death. It manifests as a demoniacal way of life, where one is totally self-obsessed and is constantly engaged in finding faults with others. Such a person reacts violently at all opportune times to establish a sense of supremacy. Such a being does not accept anyone as being superior to him.

 

A being with a little higher state of mind is dictatorial and full of rajas and tamas, with sattva still taking a back seat. One continues to live in a state of slumber or avidya, but there are occasional flashes of intellect, but these soon translate to territorial authoritarianism. Such a person may accept another as being equal or even superior to him, but there is displeasure from within at this fact and the person awaits an opportunity to hit back and take control.

 

Then, there is the third kind of personality characterised by rajas and sattva. One continues to be in avidya but there is discerning intellect.

 

Dharma begins here, and one sometimes begins to think of the well-being of others and shows compassion for people not as lucky as him. Such a person regards others as equals and is friends with them. He even accepts others superior to him, albeit with reservations. Such a person abides to social codes of conduct to superiors at the workplace or in society and is pragmatic enough to accept them in situations that one can’t change.

 

An even better being, however, is the contemplative and compassionate mind characterised by sattva. One is in a refined state of intellect such as manifested by rishis or in people who follow a saintly or yogic way of life in whom dharma predominates and transforms into spiritual values. One regards others with compassion, as equals with respects and reverences; superiors with a sense of surrender and gratefulness.

 

The highest mind is, however, in a state of niruddha, a dissolved mind that has transcended sattva, rajas and tamas and has merged into the Atman of a being who is characterised by sat-chittaananda. This is an enlightened mind whose life manifests as a divine life who regards entire creation and its inhabitants as manifestation of one, nondual supreme reality. This enlightened person lives in the spirit of oneness with existence and regards his guru with the highest reverence.

 

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Light Of Knowledge

 

Sep 03, 2021, 20:10 IST

Light Of Knowledge

Editorial by JAYANT B DAVE

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Schools are reopening to enthuse and educate children for a better future. Both secular and spiritual knowledge are essential for everyone's welfare and evolution, writes JAYANT B DAVE

Knowledge has been assigned the highest value both in ancient and modern times. Expert knowledge is an inherent attribute of professional behaviour. Educational institutions often have slogans such as: Jnana Vijnana Vimuktaye, knowledge and wisdom liberate; and Vidya Viniyoga Vikas, education for development and enlightenment.

Ignorance or perverted knowledge is the ultimate root cause of all our problems. Knowledge alone is the remedy for all three types of afflictions — adhibhautika, adhidaivika and adhyatmika. Severe Covid-19 infection and the side effects of medication used for its treatment are recent examples of adhibhautika factors; inexplicable mutation and rapid transmission of the virus represents adhidaivika, and psychological breakdown due to fear and onset of the disease exemplify adhyatmika factors. Knowledge alone is the antidote that gradually leads to happiness, and at times is blissful simultaneously.

Knowledge is of two types, that of the objective world and knowledge of the perceiving self, that is secular and spiritual knowledge, also known in scriptures as apara, lower knowledge, and para, the higher one. Both types of knowledge are conducive to happiness and success.

Apara vidya refers to all types of arts and sciences in formal education. It can be known through perception or inference by the senses, mind and intellect. But it cannot become a matter of one’s own experience as the known objects are outside and not part of one’s constitution. Knowledge of the Self, indwelling God, imparted by scriptures is also considered apara vidya until it is subjectively and intimately experienced. The triad of knower, known and knowledge then coalesces into one blissful self.

According to Adi Shankar, scriptural knowledge is jnana, and aparoksha jnana, the actual experience of perfection, is called vijnana in the Bhagwad Gita, Chapter 7. Knowledge is transformed into wisdom. Krishn promises Arjun not only a theoretical explanation of divine life but an immediate subjective experience of absolute knowledge and bliss that is the summum bonum of life. Only a few can comprehend knowledge, fewer apply it in life, and an even lesser number realise that, says Krishna.

The dilemma is how can a finite mind comprehend the infinite? When a mind is rendered pure and subtle by various spiritual practices, it transcends its limitations and befriends the intellect. A transformed, integrated and still mind is no longer one’s enemy but a close ally that becomes a fit instrument for the reception of all types of knowledge.

Any type of knowledge is subject to error. When knowledge occurs rightly, as it is, it’s called prama, cognition; conversely, when it happens wrongly, it becomes perverted knowledge. Any error in perceiving objective knowledge can be corrected through authentic primary reference, proper teaching and learning tools, functioning senses, concentrated mind, and discerning intellect. But these tools are not enough when we assume all types of limitations about our very self. The only recourse from self-imposed bondage is the study of scriptures with the aid of a qualified and realised teacher, guru, and self-effort on the part of the aspirant for the highest purusharth called moksha.

A realised teacher can be a vyavhar jnani, or a samadhi jnani, depending upon his prarabdha, fate, says Swami Sivananda. The former has a desire for vyavhar, worldly activities, and works for the welfare of all with a balanced mind, such as eminent scientists, social reformers and scholars, who are equipped with apara vidya and focus on outer forms and reality, addressing only a part of human predicaments. Whereas a samadhi jnani is ever absorbed in Brahmn, displays equanimity transcending all names and forms.

A synthesis of the knowledge of object and subject, call it prakriti and purusha, or secular and spiritual, is the way to the welfare of the world and evolution of the self, as both are inseparable like two sides of a coin. ■

The writer is president, Divine Life Society, Vadodara

 

A Slow And Steady Ascent Of Spiritual Awakening

 

Apr 25, 2022, 10:15 IST

A Slow And Steady Ascent Of Spiritual Awakening

Editorial by Jayant B Dave

 

Just as a little baby slowly grows into an educated and cultured being, religious or spiritual consciousness too evolves gradually, starting from inanimate objects in nature. Religion and spirituality focus on the substratum of every object or being. Spirituality is that condition of consciousness which focuses on the spirit of things, rather than forms or bodies of things, says Swami Krishnananda.

Matter is the lowest rung of the evolutionary ladder in nature, and it is characterised by a total absence of perceptible consciousness. All-pervading consciousness is present here but in a dormant form due to the absence of the mind, subtle body, principle required for its manifestation. Matter though inert reacts and transforms as per its inherent characteristics due to the chit, latent consciousness, present therein.

Matter effloresces into microbial and plant kingdom consciousness. Life is pulsating here, but there is a complete absence of thoughts, instincts, and self-consciousness. Here we find dream-type intermediate consciousness.
The animal kingdom is the next stage of evolution, where we find thoughts and instincts due to the mind principle that helps manifestation of consciousness. But instinct is about living in the present without regard to the past or future, due to the absence of logic or reasoning attributable to intellect. Consciousness does not manifest as self-consciousness.

The topmost rung of the evolutionary ladder is the human being, characterised by a well-defined mind and intellect that distinguishes pros and cons and correlates past, present and future.  Consciousness manifests here as self-consciousness, which means ‘I know that I Know’. The human being is at the highest stage of evolution that nature has reached in the world.

Religious consciousness is quite different from this natural evolution. It starts from human status. There is a universality behind it due to the perception of Atman, pure Self, beholding all things in terms of pure Self existing in all.

Religious or spiritual consciousness is usually absent in humans, because self-consciousness is blended with ego and reason, due to attachment with the gross and subtle bodies. Hence, there is difficulty in arousing religious consciousness that aims at the integration of all existence.

Religious consciousness is one degree of God consciousness. The lesser the connection we feel between ourselves and another, the lesser we are religious or spiritual. Total independence or non-connection with objects outside is opposite to religious consciousness.

Friendliness is a good quality, but it is only an ethical manifestation, to be one with the existence and characteristics of an object. We impose characteristics of inner uniformity outwardly with the code of law, regulations, and rules. This is just the foundation. Once this psychological affirmation of innate unity is clear, we have to put this into practice in our daily life.
Yog is a way that enables us to gradually transform our physical, mental, and psychological consciousness into religious or spiritual consciousness. Religious consciousness is a gradual blossoming of the longing for perfection. One need not reject the body, society, or the world but transcend these relative manifestations to merge into the ocean of satchidanand, one and non-dual reality.

(The writer is president, Divine Life Society, Vadodara)

April 25 is Swami Krishnananda’s birth anniversary