When I write about Man as a Spiritual Being, the concern is not about glorifying people as saints. The issue is about man’s true or real nature. My theory of Spirituality is about “The Art of Knowing” that can provide tools to all people to know themselves in an objective manner. This is a simple challenge that can be accomplished without forcing people to attend Church or any other place of worship. The Art of Knowing does not involve what most people tend to recognize as spiritual practices such as Prayer, Meditation, Yoga, or Mysticism. The Art of Knowing simply involves training people to know what they know about others or about themselves. It must be noted that Life is essentially a state, a condition, or an act of knowing.
WHOLE INTUITION VS WHOLE MYSTICISM :
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ART OF KNOWING : HENRI BERGSON(1859 – 1941), FRENCH PHILOSOPHER, WAS AWARDED THE 1927 NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE . HE DESCRIBED INTUITION AS THE HIGHEST FORM OF KNOWING.
Henri Bergson, French philosopher, Professor at the College de France, was awarded the 1927 Nobel Prize in Literature. His famous works include Time and Free Will(1889) and The Creative Mind(1934). Bergson’s dualistic philosophy holds that the world contains two opposing tendencies, the life force and the resistance of matter against that life force. The individual knows matter through intellect but through intuition perceives the life force and the reality of time, which is not a unit of measurement but duration in terms of life experience. Bergson considered intuition to be the highest state of human knowing and held that mysticism is the perfection of intuition. Bergson emphasized the value of intuition in scientific thinking and argued that reality is beyond rational understanding. He formulated a Theory of Knowledge in which intuition plays a central role. He contended that the expansive and creative thrust of Life explained by Darwinian mechanism. Bergson claimed that ‘Evolution’ is creative and is not based upon mechanistic principles. For similar reasons, I shared my arguments to oppose Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. I formulated my theory of ‘The Law of Creation and Individuality’ for all known living things primarily exist as Individuals with Individuality and they have no choice other than that of existing as Individuals. In this article, I would like to recognize knowing as a basic cognitive function and this biological characteristic can be attributed to a popular term called ‘Spirit’ or ‘Soul’. In this context, I would like to interpret Bergson’s views about Knowing, Intuition, Mysticism, and the Reality of Time.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ART OF KNOWING : HOW DO PLANTS KNOW WHAT THEY KNOW ??? PLANTS KNOW ABOUT LIGHT, THE LENGTH OF DAY, AND THE DURATION OF DARKNESS CALLED NIGHT. THERE IS NO “INTELLECT” INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS OF KNOWING. THE ABILITY OF KNOWING LIGHT OR PHOTORECEPTION IS EXPLAINED BY PHOTOCHEMISTRY.
Intuition provides immediate understanding and it describes the ability to perceive or know things without conscious reasoning. Intuition is about direct knowing or learning of something without using the faculties of mind such as Intellect. The doctrine of Intuitionism claims that things and principles are truly apprehended by Intuition. The doctrine called Ethics describes that fundamental moral principles or the rightness of acts is apprehended by Intuition. In Biology, I would like to use the term Intuition to things apprehended by ‘Innate Knowledge’, the Knowledge that is inherent and not acquired, the Knowledge that is implanted in the Substance or Material called Living Matter. Plants know Light not because of intellectual ability but on account of an innate ability or intuitive power.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ART OF KNOWING : AT A FUNDAMENTAL LEVEL, LIFE AND LIVING IS ABOUT KNOWING MATTER AS SELF OR NON-SELF. THIS IDENTIFICATION OF MATTER INVOLVES THE ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE MOLECULES OF MATTER . TO LEARN THE ART OF KNOWING, MAN HAS TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOLECULAR BASIS FOR EXISTENCE .
To learn the Art of Knowing, man has to know that the physiological basis for existence is dependent upon Innate Knowledge with which the human organism recognizes matter( such as molecules of Oxygen, or energy-yielding molecules of food substances) and further exploits matter and energy to support and maintain its living functions. To the same extent, the human organism defends its own existence by recognizing the molecules as Self or Non-Self. The immune defense mechanisms that the human body uses to recognize viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and other foreign antigens involve the recognition of molecules.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ART OF KNOWING : WHAT IS THE MYSTERY OF LIFE ??? CAN MYSTICISM HELP TO KNOW THE HIDDEN TRUTHS ABOUT LIFE ??? WHAT IS THE MYSTICAL INFLUENCE OF TIME THAT DRIVES THE AGING PHENOMENON ???
What is the Mystery of Life ??? Can Mysticism help to know the hidden truths about Life ??? Mysticism is the doctrine about knowing reality through intense contemplation and other secret practices that involve mental concentration. Mysticism is found in several religions of the world. The criteria and conditions for mystical experience vary depending on the cultural traditions, but there are three common attributes of Mysticism : 1. The experience is immediate and overwhelming, divorced from the common experience of reality, 2. The experience or the knowledge imparted by it is self-authenticating, without need of further evidence or justification, and 3. The experience is ineffable, its essence incapable of being expressed or understood outside the experience itself. The focus of Mysticism is not about the physical reality called existence but it is about a direct and immediate experience of the sacred, or the knowledge derived from such an experience. Mysticism is about the practices of those who are initiated into the mysteries, the practice of putting oneself into direct relation with God, the Absolute or any Unifying Principle of Life. Mystics believe that it is possible to achieve communion with God through their mystic practices. There are two general tendencies in the practice of Mysticism; 1. To regard God as outside the ‘Soul’ which rises to God by successive stages, and 2. To regard God as dwelling within the ‘Soul’ to be found by delving deeper into one’s own reality. Mysticism is extended to Magic, Occultism, and the Esoteric. Magic may involve the use of charms, spells, and rituals in seeking or pretending to cause or control events or govern certain natural and supernatural forces. Occultism is about hidden, concealed, and secret information that could be beyond human understanding. The Esoteric is about confidential, private, or withheld information that is intended for or understood by only a chosen few and as such the knowledge or information is beyond the understanding of most people. The rituals of Mysticism include meditation, prayer, and a variety of ascetic disciplines. If Mysticism is about Knowing the Secrets of Life, it does not demand the learning of Human Anatomy or Human Physiology, or any of the principles of Biology.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ART OF KNOWING : HOW DOES THE HUMAN ORGANISM KNOWS ABOUT ITS OWN LIFETIME ??? THE AGING PHENOMENON IS RELATED TO MAN’S PERCEPTION OF TIME. HOW IS TIME CONTROLLING OR OPERATING LIFE EXPERIENCE ???
Bergson claimed that the Reality of Time is not a Unit of Measurement but duration in terms of life experience. How does the human organism knows about its own lifetime??? The human organism experiences the Aging Phenomenon which is related to man’s perception of Time. How is Time controlling or operating life experience ??? The physical reality called existence is controlled, is operated, or is directly influenced by events in man’s external environment, and the most important change in the environment is the alternating periods of light and darkness called Day and Night.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ART OF KNOWING : THE HUMAN ORGANISM RUNS ITS LIVING FUNCTIONS AS IF OPERATED BY A PRECISE TIMEKEEPING DEVICE OR BIOLOGICAL CLOCK. MAN’S EXPERIENCE OF TIME IS RELATED TO SUN’S APPARENT MOTIONS IN THE SKY. MAN KNOWS THE REALITY OF TIME BECAUSE OF AN ILLUSION THAT CAUSES DAY AND NIGHT GIVING MAN THE PERCEPTION OF SUN’S APPARENT MOTION WHILE CONCEALING THE REALITY OF SUN’S MOTION IN THE MILKY WAY GALAXY.
Bergson may have used the term life force to describe the vital, animating Principle called Spirit or Soul. In my view, Soul is an animating Principle for it is fundamentally related to the functional ability called Knowing. Soul is a vital Principle for it is fundamentally related to the functional ability called Nutrition, the power of a living organism to exploit matter found in its external environment. The functional attributes of Soul are related to Knowledge that is inherent or Innate and not acquired as learned experience. Soul describes man’s intuitive ability to know the fact of his own existence in a given environment and to maintain that existence while experiencing the aging process under the external influence called Time.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ART OF KNOWING : BLAISE PASCAL(1623 – 1662), FRENCH SCIENTIST AND RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHER CLAIMED THAT MAN IS INFINITELY REMOVED FROM COMPREHENDING THE EXTREMES ; THE END OF THINGS AND THEIR BEGINNINGS ARE HIDDEN .
While writing about The Art of Knowing, I would like to remind my readers that certain things could be hidden from the human perception and man has no ability to know things even if he knows the reality of those things. Blaise Pascal, the French scientist who founded the modern Theory of Probability had claimed : “Man is a nothing in comparison with the Infinite, an All in comparison with the Nothing, a mean between Nothing and Everything. Since he is infinitely removed from comprehending the extremes, the end of things and their beginnings are hopelessly hidden from him in an impenetrable secret; he is equally incapable of seeing the Nothing from which he was made, and the Infinite in which he swallowed up.”
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ART OF KNOWING : WHICH HAS COME FIRST ??? THE CHICK OR THE EGG ??? SPIRITUALITY IS NOT ABOUT KNOWING THE BEGINNING OR THE ENDING OF THINGS. IT IS ABOUT THINGS THAT EXIST IN THE PRESENT.
Which came first, the Chick or the Egg ??? Spirituality Science is not about knowing the Beginning or the Ending of things. Spirituality is about things that exist in the ‘Present’. The Physical Reality of Man’s Subjective and Objective experience of his lifetime is a functional attribute of Soul or Spirit which gives Man the cognitive ability called Knowing . If Devotion is used as a scientific method of Inquiry, ‘The Art of Knowing’ is about Knowing Man as a Spiritual Being.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY : THIS ARTICLE IS DEDICATED TO THIS INDIAN LADY WHO SYMBOLIZES THE PRINCIPLE OF UNITY THAT APPEARS AS THE VERBAL SOUND OR “SHABDA”CALLED “ASMI” WHICH MEANS ALWAYS PRESENT, OR EVER-EXISTING.
This article is dedicated to this Indian Lady who symbolizes the Principle of Unity that appears as the verbal Sound or “SHABDA” called “ASMI” which means always present or ever-existing.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY : ON THIS MOST AUSPICIOUS DAY, DECEMBER 05, 2014, INDIANS ARE CELEBRATING THE FESTIVAL OF “KARTHIGAI DEEPAM” . “KARTHIKAI DEEPAM” OR ‘KARTIKA DEEPAM’. SHOULD MAN SEARCH INWARDS OR SEARCH OUTWARDS TO FIND GOD??? I CAN SEARCH IF MY EXISTENCE IS SUPPORTED. FOR MY EXISTENCE, I DEPEND UPON THE ABILITY OF PLANTS CALLED PHOTORECEPTION.
Should man search inwards or search outwards to find God??? I can search, if and only if my existence is supported. For my existence, I depend upon the ability of plants called Photoreception. If God is Light, the Light that sustains Life is not about the human ability of sensory perception called Vision.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY : THE THOUGHTS OF VARIOUS INDIAN THINKERS HAVE TO BE CAREFULLY INTERPRETED. EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS IS NOT EXACTLY THE SAME OR IDENTICAL TO BRAHMAN. IT WILL BE CORRECT TO INTERPRET THE ABOVE STATEMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF UNITY BETWEEN ORDERS LIKE GOD, ENERGY, MATTER, AND LIVING THINGS. THIS UNITY OR EIKYATA IS THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIS FOR EXISTENCE AND IS CALLED “ASMI” TO DESCRIBE BRAHMAN AS THE ‘CAUSE’ OF EXISTENCE.
I am asking my readers, specially those who study Indian Schools of Thought, to recognize the need for careful interpretation of the insights provided by Indian thinkers. The concern is not about duality and differentiation. The problem is not that of establishing the exact Identity between God and orders like Matter, Energy, Time, Space, Man, and Living Entities. The concern is about the fact of existence. Everything that exists is not exactly the same or identical to Brahman. It may be correct to state that everything finds its existence because of Unity or “EIKYATA”, the fundamental basis for existence and this Unity becomes the verbal Sound known as “ASMI” which describes BRAHMAN as the Cause of all that exists.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY : IN THIS PRESENTATION I WOULD LIKE TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VERBAL SOUND CALLED “ASMI” THAT DESCRIBES THE UNITY BETWEEN GOD AND MAN. HENCE THE ISSUE IS NOT THAT OF IDENTITY OR DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN MAN AND GOD.
It is indeed true that man’s existence on planet Earth could be short-lived, ephemeral, transitory, and may even last only one day. Man is an organism with a brief life cycle. But, the Physical Reality of this existence demands the Unity described by the verbal Sound called “ASMI” which means ‘always present’, or ‘ever-existing’. The Physical Dimension of human life and human existence cannot be rejected as unreal and it is not an illusion for there are always both Subjective and Objective criteria to verify and to validate the physical form and physical appearance that is associated with existence. Man’s true or real Essence called Self or ATMAN cannot manifest itself in the physical world without Unity between the mortal nature of man’s conditioned existence and the eternal nature of Brahman which is always present, or ever-existing.
SPIRITUALITY SELF – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY : THE SPIRIT, SOUL, OR ATMAN HAS TO BE INTERPRETED AS THE VITAL, ANIMATING PRINCIPLE THAT IS PRIMARILY INVOLVED IN ESTABLISHING MAN’S PHYSICAL EXISTENCE IN THE WORLD AND THE ISSUE IS NOT ABOUT ITS EXISTENCE WHEN SEPARATED FROM HUMAN BODY.
I use the word Spirit, Soul, or ATMAN to describe the Vital, Animating Principle that is involved in establishing man’s physical existence in the world. The issue is not about Soul or ATMAN’s existence when separated from its human body. The human form, the human appearance, and the human existence at any given age or condition is always dependent upon the Unity between Body and Soul.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY : THE EXISTENCE OF SELF OR ATMAN REPRESENTS THE CONDITION CALLED “ASMI” THE VERBAL SOUND FOR UNITY BETWEEN BRAHMAN, ATMAN, AND MAN.
It should not be of any surprise to note that ATMAN could be Unborn, Eternal, Everlasting, Immortal, and Imperishable. Those are the fundamental attributes of all Physical Matter that exists in this Universe. Matter is made up of Chemical Elements and the Fundamental Laws of Conservation state that Matter is neither created, nor destroyed.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY : TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF UNITY AND UNIFYING PRINCIPLE, WE NEED NOT IGNORE THE BEAUTIFUL REALITY THAT MANIFESTS ITSELF IN NUMEROUS, COUNTLESS FORMS AND SHAPES. THERE ARE NO IDENTICAL LIVING THINGS. EVERY LIVING THING, EVERY MEMBER OF ALL KNOWN LIVING SPECIES SIMPLY EXIST AS INDIVIDUALS WITH INDIVIDUALITY AND THERE IS NO SECOND ONE OR A COPY, A TRUE REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL FORM.
To understand the concept of Unity and the Unifying Principle, we need not ignore the beautiful Reality that manifests itself in numerous, countless forms and shapes. There are no identical living things. Every living thing, every member of all known living species simply exist as Individuals with Individuality. The Statement about The Atman, “The One Without Second” is a mere reflection of the Reality that Science can experimentally verify. To know about Life, we have to know about each individual, living thing.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY : GOD IS DESCRIBED AS THE CREATOR, THE ARTIST, THE DESIGNER, AND THE ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE. EVERY CREATED OBJECT EXISTS AS AN ORIGINAL, UNIQUE, DISTINCT, AND ONE OF ITS OWN KIND OF OBJECT. AND YET THIS DIFFERENTIATION IS DEPENDENT UPON A MATERIAL SUBSTANCE AND NATURE THAT IS SHARED BY ALL CREATED OBJECTS.
Brahman or God is variously described as the Creator, the Artist, the Designer, and the Architect of the Universe. Every created object exists as an original, unique, distinct, and one of its own kind of object. For the Architect uses Imagination to draw a Plan or Design, there is Unity while there is Diversity, Variation, and Differentiation of various parts that come together in Harmony to give the Whole Experience.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY : THE MORTALITY OF ALL LIVING THINGS RELATES TO THEIR INDIVIDUALISTIC IDENTITIES. DEATH INVOLVES THE SPECIFIC FORM AND ITS APPEARANCE AND NOT THE SUBSTANCE AND THE CHEMICAL ELEMENTS THAT CONSTITUTE PHYSICAL MATTER.
The discussion about Life and Death need not involve the separation of human body into separate or distinct parts like the Body, and Soul. At no time, the Body exists without its operating Principle called Soul, or ATMAN. The phenomenon of Death involves the physical form and appearance and not that of the Substance and the Chemical Elements that constitute the Living Things.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY : IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO SPEAK OF ABSOLUTE, TOTAL IDENTITY BETWEEN GOD AND MAN FOR LORD KRISHNA IN THIS STATEMENT CLAIMS THAT HE IS THE CAUSE OF ALL THINGS, AND ALL THINGS EXIST IN HIM, WHILE HE NEED NOT DWELL IN THEM, OR CAN BE DETACHED FROM THEM.
Man’s mortal or conditioned existence demands the operation of Unity or Unifying Principle that allows man and other living entities to exist in relationship with God. At the same time, Lord Krishna in the above image(The Bhagavad Gita, Chapter IX, Verse #4) clarifies that God’s Existence is Unconditioned and God does not depend upon man and other living entities to maintain or sustain His own eternal, everlasting Existence.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY : I WOULD BE VERY CAREFUL TO INTERPRET THE ABOVE STATEMENT AS MAN HAS NO ABILITY TO SEPARATE THE LIVING ENTITY FROM ITS LIVING PRINCIPLE.. THE UNION OF BODY AND SOUL IS NOT ACCOMPLISHED BY MAN’S MENTAL OR PHYSICAL ACTIONS AND MAN EXISTS WITH NO CONTROL OR ABILITY TO RULE OR GOVERN HIS OWN EXISTENCE AT ANY GIVEN INSTANT.
Indian tradition such as the above image of a statement from Kathoponishad(KATHA+UPANISHAD) may suggest the separation of human body from its indwelling Soul, Atman, or PURUSHA, I would ask my readers to be very careful to make an interpretation after recognizing the simple fact that man has no ability to separate the living entity from its Living Principle. Man may kill himself, man can kill other men and other forms of Life. But, the Union of Body and its Soul or ATMAN, or PURUSHA is not accomplished by man’s mental, or physical actions. Man exists with no Control, or ability to Rule or Govern his own existence at any given instant.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY : MAN IS NOT THE CAUSE OF HIS OWN EXISTENCE. MAN MAY DESCRIBE HIS EXISTENCE AS THAT OF UNITY BETWEEN MAN AND PURUSHA, THE ETERNAL, COSMIC PERSON. MAN’S LIFE AND EXISTENCE HAS SEVERAL DIMENSIONS AND THE PRINCIPLE OF UNITY OR UNIFYING PRINCIPLE REPRESENTS THAT SINGLE, HARMONIOUS EFFECT THAT BRINGS STRUCTURAL, AND FUNCTIONAL UNITY BETWEEN VARIOUS INTERACTING PARTS.
Indian Tradition often describes the Identity between the Self, ATMAN, and PURUSHA, the Eternal Cosmic Person. For I recognize that man is not the Cause or Originating Seed of his own existence, man must carefully describe his existence as that of Unity between man, and PURUSHA, the eternal Cosmic Person. Man is the result of the harmonious effect that brings Structural, and Functional Unity between various interacting parts such as the trillions of individual, independent, living cells that constitute the human organism.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AHAM BRAHMASMI – UNITY VS IDENTITY : THE COMPLEXITY OF BRAHMAN, THE PURUSHA, OR THE COSMIC PERSON CAN BE UNDERSTOOD BY VIEWING THIS IMAGE OF “VIRAT PURUSHA” IN WHICH EVERY ENERGY, FORCE, OR POWER IS DEPICTED WITH A DISTINCT PHYSICAL APPEARANCE AND FORM. MAN’S OWN PHYSICAL FORM AND APPEARANCE IS SIMPLY ONE AMONG THE NUMEROUS MANIFESTATIONS.
The Complexity of BRAHMAN, THE PURUSHA, OR THE COSMIC PERSON can be understood by viewing the above image of “VIRAT PURUSHA” in which every Energy, Force, or Power is depicted with a distinct physical appearance and form. Man’s own physical form and appearance is derived from this Universal Form and it simply represents one aspect among the numerous manifestations. Hence I submit that the “MAHAVAKYA” or the Great Statement that appears in the Brihadarnyaka Upanishad, “AHAM BRAHMASMI” should be interpreted with a pinch of Salt and in Reality, man may speak of his Unity and not of Identity with “VIRAT PURUSHA.”
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – LIGHT OF LIGHTS – THE PHENOMENON OF ILLUMINATION :
WHOLE SPIRITUALITY – WHOLE ILLUMINATION: TRIBUTE TO DR. SARVEPALLI ANANTHA PADMANABHA RAO, M.S., PROFESSOR OF SURGERY AND FORMER DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.
Light is the source of illumination. Mind is the observer of illumination. Knowledge is the object of illumination. The phenomenon of Knowing involves Unity between source, object known and its Knower.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – LIGHT OF LIGHTS – THE PHENOMENON OF ILLUMINATION : LIGHT IS THE SOURCE OF ILLUMINATION. KNOWLEDGE IS THE OBJECT OF ILLUMINATION. MIND IS THE OBSERVER OF ILLUMINATION. THERE IS UNITY BETWEEN SOURCE, OBJECT KNOWN, AND KNOWER TO MANIFEST THE PHENOMENA OF KNOWING.
I am pleased to share an article titled “Light of Lights” published by Dr. Sarvepalli Anantha Padmanabha Rao, M.S. who served for many years as a Professor of Surgery, and as Director of Medical Education in the Government of Andhra Pradesh Medical and Health Services. It is important to know the views shared by the traditional thinkers of India. Indian Schools of Thought such as “ADVAITA”(NON-DUALISM) have formulated their theories about the true or real ‘essence of man or “SELF”(ATMAN) that may have independent existence while it is totally detached from the Body, and Mind of its thinker. While MYSTICISM is a part of various religious traditions, I am asking my readers to seek “WHOLE ILLUMINATION” by investigating and by exploring the basis for man’s existence in the natural world. Man needs connection, association, partnership, relationship, bonding, cooperation, assistance, patronage, or UNITY with a source of ENERGY that exists in the man’s external environment. Man can use introspection, meditation, or contemplative prayer in illuminating man’s “Inner World” or seek “Inner Vision”, a vision or illumination that describes Identity of man’s true or real “SELF'(ATMAN) and its perfect, complete, and wholesome Divine Nature.
THE PHENOMENON OF ILLUMINATION – THE PHENOMENON OF KNOWING:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – LIGHT OF LIGHTS – THE PHENOMENON OF ILLUMINATION : THE ILLUMINED MIND KNOWS THE KNOWER, THE KNOWLEDGE, AND THE SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE.
The term illumination describes lighting or light. It is often used as the act or process of making something clearer or brighter or as a device for doing so. The word ‘illuminating’ or ‘illuminated’ is often applied to a clarification or explanation that sheds light on a subject that needs careful interpretation of information. In Physics, illumination is about intensity of light per unit of area; the luminous flux per unit area at any point on a surface exposed to incident light. It is also called ‘ILLUMINANCE’. However, in Biology, the phenomenon of Illumination requires the study of Optics, Photoreception, and Photochemistry. The biological processes that involve the response of a living thing to the Light stimulus need to be stated as Photochemical Reactions which could be energy dependent and involve the use of chemical energy provided by molecules of Adenosine Triphosphate(ATP). The Phenomenon of ‘ILLUMINATION’ in Biology requires operation of three conditions; 1. The Source of Light or Lighting, 2. The Object that is Illuminated, and 3. The Observer who has the Sensory Perception called Vision, or the ability called Photoreception to acknowledge the phenomenon that is observed. Using the nature of photochemical reaction that is observed, living things can be broadly classified into two kinds; 1. Plants that respond to Light stimulus to trap its radiant Energy but have no Sensory Perception called Vision, and 2. Animals(man included) that have the Sensory Perception called Vision but do not have ability to trap the Light Energy. For human existence, we need all those three conditions, 1. The Sun as the Source of Light, 2. The Plants that trap the radiant energy of Sunlight using their ability called Photoreception, and 3. The man or Purusha who uses the ability called Sensory Perception or Vision and interprets that Light is God.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – LIGHT OF LIGHTS – THE PHENOMENON OF ILLUMINATION : FOR MAN TO DESCRIBE HIS EXPERIENCE CALLED VISION, OR INNER VISION, APART FROM A SOURCE OF EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL LIGHT, NEEDS THE SUPPORT OF THE VITAL FUNCTION CALLED BREATHING(PRANA) THAT ESTABLISHES MAN AS A BREATHING LIVING THING(PRANI OR PRANAVANTA).
The above picture image of a verse from Brihadaranyak Upanishad 4:5:11 helps us to understand the nature of the vital function of Breathing and Respiration which is the physiological mechanism that man uses to oxidize food substances and derive energy which he further uses for his physical and mental work. If Vedas and Holy Scriptures are seen as the Source of knowledge, transmission of that Knowledge involves the use of Breathing. If “Knowing” is compared to the phenomenon of ‘ILLUMINATION’, the act of Knowing will only be possible if there is Unity between God, the Source of Knowledge, Knower, the Individual called JEEVA who performs all his living functions because of the Knowledge implanted in his substance that makes him a Sentient or Sensible thing, or establishes him as the “Knowing-Self.” The natural phenomenon of Life and Living can be defined as ‘Knowledge in Action’. In Indian tradition the “SELF” or “ATMAN” is the source of Inner Light that illuminates the entire human body. I am suggesting that the Light called SELF or ATMAN illuminates by making it possible for man to maintain his connection with an external source of energy present in the environment even while man may find perfect Identity with God through the process called Inner Vision, Introspection, Meditation, or Contemplative Prayers with an attitude of “Whole Detachment” with all things present in the external world. I like the presentation “LIGHT OF LIGHTS” for it nicely explains the thoughts of Shankara. The author concludes his presentation with a final statement, “TAT ASMI PRABHO.” It describes the Unity(ASMI) between man(TAT) and the LORD(PRABHU). Man’s ability of Sensory Perception called Vision, and the ability of Inner Vision are of secondary importance as Existence depends directly on the act of Breathing and the LORD provided Knowledge by performing that act of Breathing.
Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada Ann Arbor, MI 48104-4162, USA BHAVANAJAGAT.ORG
LIGHT OF LIGHTS
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE LIGHT OF LIGHTS – THE PHENOMENON OF ILLUMINATION : DR SARVEPALLI ANANTHA PADMANABHA RAO, M.S., PROFESSOR OF SURGERY, DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH, MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – LIGHT OF LIGHTS – THE PHENOMENON OF ILLUMINATION : THE DIVINE SONG CALLED THE BHAGAVAD GITA ILLUMINATED THE MIND OF PRINCE ARJUNA WITH KNOWLEDGE AND THE SOURCE OF ALL KNOWLEDGE.
Light illumines manifold objects in varying degrees of darkness; that is its property. Sources of such light may be external or internal to us. Examples of the former class are well-known, such as Sun, moon, fire, various kinds of lamps etc; The latter class, the internal, would be the psychic apparatus of man, comprising the sense organs, intelligence, intuition and above all the transcendental ‘Oversoul’ of R W Emerson the American philosopher. Vedanta too subscribes to such a transcendental super-conscious entity, illumining all, comprehending all and all-encompassing supreme Brahman. Flashes of intuition reveal discoveries which remain obscure prior to such overpowering experiences. Archimedes, crying out ‘eureka – eureka’ and Newton, when the apple fell and the law of gravitation revealed are instances of such intuitions . A deeper mental cloud prevents one from knowing who one exactly is in the ultimate analysis.
There is, in Greek mythology, a river named ‘Lethe’ whose waters, when drunk, would make the drinker profoundly forgetful.. One would forget, who one was, the ‘whence and wherefore’ of one’s own very self. A great philosopher likened our human predicament, to such a state of congenital amnesia, in which we lost our moorings, our “original innocence” as it were. Nescience is the technical term used for this state of primordial ignorance, which is said to cover one’s wisdom, ‘like smoke shrouds the fire or as dust sullies a mirror or as the womb envelops an embryo’ as th bhagavadgiitaa puts it. This is the ultimate darkness which needs for its dispelling, no less a light than that of the ‘Lord’, quoted in the GITA chapterXI-12 ever so stunningly – “if the light of a thousand suns were to blaze forth in the sky all at once, that might resemble the splendour of that exalted Being” – nothing short of an ‘apocalypse’, as it were, a revelation, of something not previously known or realized. Oppenheimer, the nuclear physicist, whose name is associated with the first atom bomb and who was a witness to its detonation.was so awe-struck at the sight that this line of the gItA chapter XI-32 flamed in his mind ” I am the full-blown, the all-destroying Time “. It was an indubitable intimation from the depths of his being and not much later, his intuitive insight was proved right, by the nuclear holocaust, the mayhem and the destruction at Hiroshima and Nagasaki it was cataclysmic in proportion
To Sankara, that transcendental spiritual genius, is ascribed a one-stanza poem, by name, ‘ekashlokI’. In it, is encapsulated the pith, the quintessence of the celebrated “mahAvAkya’s or the four great Vedic statements, called as such in the Advaita Vedanta. They are culled one from each of the four Vedas those statements or rather ‘truths’ are
a) ” praGYAnam Brahma, (Rigveda) pristine consciousness is Brahman.
b) ayam aatmaa Brahma (Atharva veda) – consciousness in all its apparent transformations is Brahman,
c) “tat tvam asi” (Samaveda)- You are, in essence, that consciousness, the eternal nitya, the unsullied shuddha, the fully awakened buddha, and unfettered – mukta ; the corollary follows that you are not the ignorant embodied jiiva, which you imagine you are.
d) (“aham Brahma asmi ” (Yajurveda) I am indeed that all-encompassing consciousness
It is with considerable trepidation that I have dared to translate the ‘mahaavaakya’s for fear that they may suffer the ‘noble transmutation from gold to lead’, in the process.
The order in which they are recounted here is not the temporal order in which they occur in the veda but they seem, to me, to be the order adopted by Sankara in this small ‘upadesha’ work, namely, the ekashlokii ’ As will become clear in the sequel, what is attempted here is not a word-for-word translation of the Sanskrit texts, not even a paraphrase but rather an unfolding of the traditional thought couched in the highly compressed poem
Before reproducing the Sanskrit verse, a short anecdotal account of the poignant scenario in which it is set, would be well in order, One might be tempted to ask ‘why only one verse-an ‘ekashlokI? Had not Sankara composed his shatashlokI of hundred verses and his upadesha sAhasrI of thousand teachings ? After all, what were the extenuating circumstances? As though in answer to such questions, a story is recounted thus: Sankara, on one of his peregrinations, chanced upon a spiritual aspirant who was in the throes of death. bemoaning his fate of his having ro die before he could get his ‘beatitude’. The compassionate master had empathy with the man’s plight and knowing well the shruti declaration that “he who departs from this world without realising the ‘axara‘, the Imperishable entity, is a veritable wretch a ‘kRRipaNa“, the master devised for him the shortest discourse and the ‘ekashlokI was the result. The verse was composed in a frisky meter named ‘shArdUla vikrIditam’ which has four quarters of 19 syllables each, to enable him to pack all the punch at his command, in a single stanza. This imaginative story illustrates the truth that, when an exceptional master and a pupil desperately thirsting for the ‘saving wisdom’ come together, spiritual enlightenment can not be far behind.
Unless the composition is split up at the right places, it would seem baffling at the first sight, to a beginner. The piece is in the form of a catechism or what in modern pedagogy would be called a ‘one on one’ interactive session. There are five question-answer pairs, one affirmation and one authoritative live-wire exhortation of the teacher and a final total concurrence, by the disciple, after his instant transformation. We shall now proceed with what may, euphemistically, be termed an exegesis of the verse. As will be seen in the sequel, what is attempted here is not a word-to-word rendering in to English, nor even a mere paraphrasing of the work; it is rather an attempt to enter to, and to bring out the traditional import of this Vedantic composition, to the extent my limited faculties permit. Much pertinent digression from the text has been indulged in, in the exposition.
The break up of the verse, is as follows :-
Q 1 :kim jyotih tava ? – what is your illuminator? By this question, the teacher is trying to ascertain a ‘baseline’, as it were, of the pupil’s understanding so as to lead him thence to higher levels. This was a well established methodology of spiritual instruction in the days of yore. It may be noted here that the question is a general one with no adjuncts of time or place specified. The student however thinks the question pertains to daytime and to things within his visual range.
A: bhhaanumaan ahani me – The daylight of the Sun sir. This answer establishes that the seeker has his vision riveted on the external objects – the out-going vision, the so-called ‘paraak pasyati’ concept of the KaThopaniShad.
Q 2 : raatrau ? what after Sun-down ? what illumines then ?
A: pradiipa aadikam– light of the various kinds of lamps which includes illumination from the moonlight, bonfires, lighted torches et cetera; it may be noted that the field being covered is still the outer world.
Affirmation : syaad evam. rightly so my dear; here the guru seems to be saying to himself “ Oh my! your answers are correct as far as they go; but they do not go very far. Here is the next question:
Q 3 Ravi diipa darshana vidhau kim jyotih ? Akhyaahi me – Now tell me what enables you to visualize the objects so illumined by the Sun, the lamps etc.Here the preceptor is shifting focus from the outer to the inner world of the mind. Even the sun, the lamps etc. stand in the relation of visible objects to the perceiving eye.
A: caxuH– “My eye, sir, is the perceiving light in this context” Now the student is made to understand the eye as the window to his inner cognitive apparatus – the mind.
Q4 : tasya nimiilana adi samaye ? If your eyes are shut, what then? The reasons for the shut-down may be many; one may choose to turn a blind eye like Nelson or to give a more noble example, one may actually be blind like Helen Keller. ‘ The word aadi’ in the Sanskrit original in the above question may include a legion instances The guru is taking the student in to deeper waters here, to turning his mind’s eye inward and enable him to watch the gyrations of his own mind
A: dhiiH, sir, it is my intellect that provides me the illumination necessary for my purposes, I can think thoughts that would navigate the scenes for me
Q 5: dhiyaH darshane (kim) ? you are right again my son! But thought is like a spring or a fountain. There must be some faculty to get to its mainspring its source as it were What ultimate light is it that stands as a ‘witness’ or ‘sAxI’ as it is technically termed, to your cognitive equipment?
A: ‘tatra aham ’ sir, Shorn of the baggage of all acquired accretions, appurtenances and appearances – in short, of all objective super-impositions I stand in all my majestic aloofness, and isolation (kaivalya). as ‘Myself’.
The great spiritual warrior in Sankara has finally drawn the bitterest foe of his pupil -‘the beginning-less spiritual ignorance’ to the edge of the precipice. with a view to pushing it over to its final annihilation. With a solemn and apocalyptic, coup de maître – a masterstroke, he is going to deliver the final push the student would be led to his beatitude meaning perfect blessedness or happiness. In devising this stepwise instruction Sankara has trodden the path of the ancient sages, established for ages. The famous dialogue between the sage YaaGYavalkya and Janaka the king in the BRRihadaaranyaka Upanishad chapter iv-3, the kaTha Upanishad III-10 as also the Bhavadgiitaa chapter III-42 have laid down the same rising hierarchical levels of consciousness viz – sense objects, sense organs, intelligence, intellect and the highest of all the PuruSha- the non plus ultra, higher than Which there can be nothing. To use the those very Sanskrit words pregnant with proven meaning – proven to mystic seers of all creeds and climes in their deepest visions down the millennia – saa kaashThaa, saa paraa gatiH. THAT is the summum bonum the last post
And what may that stupendous, staggering declaration be ? Let us see that in the next line:-
THE FINAL PUSH : ataH bhavaan paramakam jyotiH Therefore my child, you are verily that Light of lights, which the Vedanta asserts in stentorian voice and peremptory tone- tat tvam asi – THAT THOU ART . It is not the denoted dictionary meanings of the words of the scriptural testimony that will bring the peace that passes understanding but the inner experience of the truth which is transforming in nature
The finish : tat asmi prabho !!! Oh my master I am indeed that Light of Lights because I have just experienced that ecstatic mystic state, by your bounteous grace. It is another matter that the experience of that state can communicated in words only after descending somewhat from those Olympian heights. But at all events he has been raised to that dizzy altitude of sage-hood, the memory of which shall stamp its hallmark on every thought word and deed ever-after.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – LIGHT OF LIGHTS – THE PHENOMENON OF ILLUMINATION : THE LIGHT IS THE SOURCE OF ILLUMINATION. THE KNOWLEDGE IS THE OBJECT OF ILLUMINATION. THE MIND IS THE OBSERVER OF ILLUMINATION. THERE IS UNITY BETWEEN THE SOURCE, THE OBJECT KNOWN, THE KNOWER TO MANIFEST THE PHENOMENA OF KNOWING.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – LIGHT OF LIGHTS – THE PHENOMENON OF ILLUMINATION : THE DIVINE SONG CALLED THE BHAGAVAD GITA ILLUMINATED THE MIND OF PRINCE ARJUNA WITH KNOWLEDGE AND THE SOURCE OF ALL KNOWLEDGE.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE LIGHT OF LIGHTS – THE PHENOMENON OF ILLUMINATION : DR SARVEPALLI ANANTHA PADMANABHA RAO, M.S., PROFESSOR OF SURGERY, DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH, MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – LIGHT OF LIGHTS – THE PHENOMENON OF ILLUMINATION : THE ILLUMINED MIND KNOWS THE KNOWER, THE KNOWLEDGE, AND THE SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – LIGHT OF LIGHTS – THE PHENOMENON OF ILLUMINATION : FOR MAN TO DESCRIBE HIS EXPERIENCE CALLED VISION, OR INNER VISION, APART FROM A SOURCE OF EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL LIGHT, NEEDS THE SUPPORT OF THE VITAL FUNCTION CALLED BREATHING(PRANA) THAT ESTABLISHES MAN AS A BREATHING LIVING THING(PRANI OR PRANAVANTA).
WHOLE SPIRITUALITY – WHOLE ILLUMINATION: TRIBUTE TO DR. SARVEPALLI ANANTA PADMANABHA RAO, M.S., PROFESSOR OF SURGERY AND FORMER DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : THERE IS NO ESSENCE, THERE IS NO IDENTITY, AND THERE IS NO EXISTENCE OF MAN IF THERE IS NO UNITY BETWEEN THE THREE FUNDAMENTAL ORDERS CALLED 1. GOD, 2. SOUL, AND 3. MATTER. THE WORD “ASMI” STANDS FOR UNITY OR “EIKYATA.” FOR UNITY ALONE IS EVERLASTING AND IS ALWAYS PRESENT.
There is no ‘Essence’, there is no ‘Identity’, and there is no ‘Existence’ of man if there is no ‘Unity’ between the three fundamental orders called 1. God, 2. Soul, and 3. Matter. The Sanskrit word “ASMI” stands for ‘Unity’ or “EIKYATA” of the three fundamental orders. I want to invite my readers to join me in a discussion to interpret the terms Essence, Identity, Unity, and Existence that appear in the Indian Holy Scriptures and are variously interpreted by the major Indian Schools of Thought known as ‘Advaita'(Unqualified Non-Dualism), ‘Visistadvaita'(Qualified Non-Dualism), and ‘Dvaita'(Dualism).
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : ADI SHANKARA(c.788 – c.820?), EXPONENT OF ADVAITA OR NON-DUALISM AND THE THEORY OF MAYA OR ILLUSION.
Adi Shankara held that the Divine Soul or Paramatma, and the individual soul or Jeevatma are identical or the same. He did not account for the existence of his human body. He was satisfied by claiming that his human body does not describe his true or real identity or essence. In his view, the material world including the appearance of man is deceptive for it is the product of Illusion.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : RAMANUJA(c.1017 – c.1137), EXPONENT OF QUALIFIED NON-DUALISM OR VISISTADVAITA. HE STATED HIS GOAL OF ACHIEVING SOUL’S UNION WITH A PERSONAL GOD THROUGH THE PRACTICE OF BHAKTI OR DEVOTION.
Ramanuja held the view that God is modified by the orders of Matter and Soul. He stated that the Soul is modified by the body for the body has no separate existence from its Soul. Similarly, the Soul modifies God for it has no separate existence apart from God. His aim was to achieve Soul’s Union with a Personal God. He had not accounted for the existence of the living human being whose Body, and Soul have no separate existence without maintaining Unity with God.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : MADHVA(c. 1199 – c.1278), EXPONENT OF DVAITA OR DUALISM. HE REJECTED THE THEORY OF MAYA OR ILLUSION. HE CLAIMED THAT THERE IS A BASIC DIFFERENCE IN KIND BETWEEN GOD AND INDIVIDUAL SOULS. BUT, THE FACT OF DIFFERENCE OR DISTINCTION BETWEEN SOUL AND GOD WILL NOT ACCOUNT FOR MAN’S EXISTENCE.
Madhva maintained that the simple fact that things are transient and ever changing does not mean that they are not real. He rejected Shankara’s Theory of Maya or Illusion but, at the same time he may have failed to acknowledge that the phenomenon of Illusion could be an important basis for the reality of man’s existence on the surface of a very fast spinning object like Earth. Man’s existence demands a blissful state of ignorance of the realities of motion of planet Earth while he synchronizes his existence taking the cues from Sun’s apparent motions across the sky that generate the experience of Sunrise and Sunset.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : AITAREYA UPANISHAD SUGGESTS THAT GOD IS THE CAUSE OF ALL KINDS OF EXISTENCE.
Aitareya Upanishad claims that Consciousness is God or Brahman and it states that all existence is supported by Consciousness. To that extent, Consciousness can be defined as the awareness of the fact of one’s own Existence. In my view, the ‘Essence’ and ‘Identity’ of a thing can be described if, and only if the thing had a past ‘Existence’, or is existing in the present, or has the potential ability to exist in the future. Essence and Identity are predetermined by the requirement called ‘Existence’.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : THE TERM SOUL OR ATMAN HAS TO BE INTERPRETED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE REALITY OF MAN’S EXISTENCE THAT NEEDS A BODY THAT IS DIFFERENTIATED, HAS A FORM AND APPEARANCE THAT HELPS MAN TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PERSON AS “I AM.”
If the universe is accounted by three distinct or separate orders such as God(“BRAHMAN”), Soul(“ATMAN”), and Matter, man represents the single, harmonious effect called ‘Unity’ or “ASMI.” The terms such as Soul or “ATMAN”, or “JEEVATMA” may have to be used to explain the fact of ‘Unity’ and the manifestation called ‘Existence’ by which the thing called “I” gets its name, and form, becomes differentiated and can be recognized as “I AM.” I want to categorically claim that it will be of no help or use if terms such as Soul, Atman, and Jeevatma are narrowly defined to simply describe the Essence or Identity of man. I would like to direct this discussion towards the importance of ‘Unity’ or of the term “ASMI” which means always present, and ever existing. Thus ‘Existence’ becomes the defining feature or chief attribute of all things and without the fact or reality called ‘Existence’, no truth can be known, and things have no Identity or Essence.
MY IDENTITY – MY CONNECTION – REBBAPRAGADA – KASTURI – SARVEPALLI – CONNECTION:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : MY IDENTITY AND MY CONNECTION. I CALL MYSELF AS ‘REBBAPRAGADA’, BUT MY MOTHER BELONGS TO THE ‘KASTURI’ FAMILY. THIS IS A PICTURE OF KASTURI BROTHERS. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, 1. DR. KASTURI NARAYANA MURTHY, M.D.(MY MATERNAL GRANDFATHER), 2. KASTURI. SESHAGIRI RAO( MARRIED TO MRS. RUKMINI, DAUGHTER OF DR. SARVEPALLI RADHAKRISHNAN), 3. KASTURI NARASIMHA RAO, 4. KASTURI RAMACHANDRA RAO, 5. KASTURI SOMESHWARA RAO, 6. KASTURI KRISHNA RAO, AND 7. KASTURI SIVAPRASADA RAO(FAR RIGHT).
I am able to recognize and describe the ‘Identity’ of my maternal grandfather and his brothers for man always comes into existence with an original form, and gets a name for it can be clearly differentiated from all other men. My maternal grandfather’s younger brother was married to Mrs. Rukmini, daughter of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. This ‘Connection’ with Sarvepalli family is important for several reasons. Most of my readers of this blog post in India can easily identify the person who existed as Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He served as India’s first Vice President for two consecutive terms from 1952 to 1962, and served as India’s second President from May 13, 1962 to May 13, 1967. Apart from being a statesman, Dr. Radhakrishnan is recognized as an Indian philosopher and had published 56 books. His most popular books are Indian Philosophy, two-volumes and The Principal Upanishads(1953).
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : I RECOGNIZE THE IDENTITY OF THIS PERSON AND DESCRIBE HIM AS DR. SARVEPALLI RADHAKRISHNAN FOR MAN ALWAYS EXISTS WITH A DIFFERENTIATED FORM THAT IS GIVEN A PROPER NAME. THIS INDIAN PHILOSOPHER HAD INTERPRETED INDIAN SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN SEVERAL BOOKS THAT HE HAD AUTHORED. IN MY OPINION, HE DID NOT EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF UNITY AND EXISTENCE IN HIS ANALYSIS OF THE MEANING OF GOD(BRAHMAN) AND SOUL(ATMAN OR JEEVATMA).SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : DR SARVEPALLI RADHAKRISHNAN’S MOST POPULAR BOOK, INDIAN PHILOSOPHY MAY NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE MEANING OF MAN AS A SUBSTANCE AND FAILS TO DESCRIBE THE BASIS FOR MAN’S PHYSICAL REALITY IN THIS WORLD.
Man must understand what it is to be a Substance and what it is to Exist. The Indian traditional thoughts about man tend to divide man into two categories; 1. The Sentient Soul or the Conscious Being, and 2. The Insentient or the Physical Being that is unreal, constantly changing, perishable, and leads a mortal, transient, or evanescent existence.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : IN INDIAN TRADITION, IT IS OFTEN CLAIMED THAT THE HUMAN BODY IS PERISHABLE. THIS REQUIRES CLARIFICATION. CHEMICAL ELEMENTS ARE NOT PERISHABLE. IT IS THE FORM, AND APPEARANCE THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE NATURAL LAWS OF AGING AND DEATH.
The above statement that claims that the universe consists of a combination of the perishable and imperishable may need further clarification. It cannot be entirely true for the Chemical Elements that constitute Physical Matter cannot be destroyed or they are imperishable. Indian tradition describes man as “DEHA”, the physical body which is often compared to an empty vessel or house which is distinct, and separate from an entity called “DEHE”, or “DEHINAH”, the indweller, the embodied being, the tenant who occupies a place of dwelling or residence. The indweller of the physical human body is identified as Soul, Atman, or Jeevatma. This separation of Body/Mind, and its Soul into unrelated, or independent entities poses huge problems if I have to account for the physical reality of man’s Subjective and Objective Existence in the present world, the world that exists today as a self-evident truth.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : MAN’S EXISTENCE BEGINS WITH THE ACT CALLED CONCEPTION, THE UNION OF ORIGINATING PRINCIPLE OR SEED WITH EGG CELL. LORD KRISHNA CLAIMED THAT HE IS THE ORIGINATING SEED OF ALL TYPES OF EXISTENCE.
Man’s existence in the world begins with the act called ‘Conception’, the Union of the originating Principle or Seed with Egg Cell. In the Divine Song of The Bhagavad Gita, Chapter X, verse #39, Lord Krishna claims that He is the Originating Seed of all types of Existence and hence it must be understood that the fact of Existence requires an Original Cause, an Original Purpose, and an Originating Seed or Principle.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : MAN’S PHYSICAL EXISTENCE DEMANDS THE OPERATION OF AN ORIGINAL CAUSE, ORIGINAL PURPOSE, AND AN ORIGINATING SEED OR ORIGINATING PRINCIPLE.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : INDIAN HOLY SCRIPTURE “YAJUR VEDA” EXPLAINS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN EXISTENCE AND GOD(BRAHMAN).
If God is viewed as the fosterer of the People, and if God is explained as the Originating Seed that accounts for man’s existence, God, and man’s physical body cannot be separated into separate parts.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : GOD(BRAHMAN) IS DEFINED AS THE FIRST CAUSE AND MAN’S EXISTENCE BECOMES THE SINGLE, HARMONIOUS EFFECT OF THAT ORIGINAL CAUSE THAT BRINGS UNITY BETWEEN THE THREE ORDERS CALLED GOD, SOUL, AND MATTER.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : THE CAUSE, THE ORIGIN, THE ESSENCE, THE IDENTITY OF MAN HAVE A SINGLE PURPOSE FOR THERE IS ALWAYS UNITY IN THE BODY OF GOD WHO IS THE CONTROLLER.
For God(Brahman) is defined as the ‘First Cause’, man’s physical existence can be accounted as the single, harmonious “Effect” of that Original Cause that brings Unity between the three orders called God, Soul, and Matter.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : THIS FERTILIZED HUMAN OVUM OR EGG CELL BEGINS THE LIFE JOURNEY OF MAN. FROM THE BEGINNING, THERE IS UNITY BETWEEN, BODY, MIND, SOUL, AND GOD.
Man’s physical existence begins with the stage called ‘ZYGOTE’, the fertilized human ovum or Egg Cell. This single cell grows, multiplies, and fully differentiates to develop all the tissues, organs, and organ systems that are parts of the human body. The human body is the “Effect” of an Originating Seed, and cannot be considered as an empty vessel or an empty dwelling that is apart from its resident or indweller.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : THE SINGLE FERTILIZED EGG CELL RAPIDLY DIVIDES AND DEVELOPS INTO AN EMBRYO THAT IMPLANTS ITSELF INTO THE TISSUES OF MOTHER’S WOMB TO FURTHER SECURE ITS OWN EXISTENCE. THE EMBRYO IS CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT OR REALITY OF ITS OWN EXISTENCE.
The Single, Fertilized Egg Cell is conscious of its own existence and the developing Embryo on its sixth day of existence implants itself into the tissues of Mother’s womb to secure its own further existence.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : THE NEWBORN BABY ALWAYS ARRIVES INTO THE WORLD WITH AN ORIGINAL, UNIQUE, DISTINCT, AND ONE OF ITS OWN KIND OF GENOME THAT HAS NEVER EXISTED IN THE PAST AND WILL NEVER EXIST AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.
The Newborn Baby always arrives into the world with an original, unique, distinct, and one of its own kind of genome that has never existed in the past, and will never exist again in the future. Every man who is born can only exist as an Individual with Individuality. Every man can be identified as a specific individual. The Law of Generation and Propagation is based on the principle of Creation that always causes the production of original objects that cannot be further duplicated. For man’s form, and appearance is always associated with differentiation, man’s identity can be easily described by attaching a proper name.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE – IDENTITY – UNITY – EXISTENCE : MAN’S EXISTENCE IS GOVERNED BY THE ETERNAL LAW OF AGING. MAN EXISTS WHILE HE PASSES THROUGH VARIOUS STAGES SUCH AS BOYHOOD, YOUTH, ADULTHOOD, AND OLD AGE THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH CHANGES IN FORM AND APPEARANCE.
The word ‘Essence'(Latin. Essentia) describes that something which makes an entity what it is; intrinsic, fundamental nature, the most important quality of something to constitute its essential being. Essence is used to describe the inward nature of anything that is important to know its manifestations that can be physically observed. The word ‘Spirit’ or ‘Soul’ are often used to describe the ‘true’ or unchanging principle of man for man’s physical identity is not constant. The term ‘Identity'(Latin. idem) means the same(Sanskrit. idam). The Latin word identitas is related to Latin. essentitas and hence Identity and Essence are always related and they help to know the thing or entity that they describe. Identity is about the condition or fact of being the same, or exactly alike, sameness or oneness. In modern times, identity is about the condition or fact of being a specific person or thing. Whereas the term ‘Individuality’ describes the sum of characteristics or qualities that set one person or thing apart from others. Individuality is the condition of the Individual who exists as a single, separate, or particular thing. For man, his Individuality sets him apart from all other men. The term ‘Existence'(Latin. existere, or exsistere) is about the act of existing, the state, or the fact, or the reality of actual being. Existence demands that the thing or entity must come forth, stand forth, to manifest, living, or being alive. The term ‘Unity’ implies the state of being united to make something complete in itself, the quality or fact of being a totality or ‘Whole’. Unity is used to signify a Complex, the product of a Union of related parts, or an arrangement of parts that will produce a single, harmonious effect. Unity is thus concerned about the ‘Effect’ it generates while a thing could be made up of diverse elements or individuals. For human body is constituted by trillions of Individual, and Independent Living Units called Cells, the ‘Effect’ called ‘Unity’ is of fundamental importance to know man’s ‘Essence’, or ‘Identity’ that is manifested by his ‘Existence.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE: THE GREAT MYSTERY OF CHIDAMBARAM – “CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM”:
What is the Greatest Mystery about Man and his Earthly Existence? Man has a Physical Form and Appearance that can be easily recognized by any observer. But, man’s Life has Mental, Social, and Moral Dimensions that can establish man’s identity and essence in terms of Mental, Social, and Moral Being. The Mystery is about man’s Spiritual Dimension. If man is a Spiritual Being, how can we investigate and explore the Spiritual Dimension of man’s Life? How can we prove that man has a Spirit or Soul? We have a fairly good understanding of man’s Physical Form and its earthly mortal existence. Does man exclusively belong to the Earthly or Immanent Realm? Does man have an existence in a Realm other than Earthly Realm? How can an Earthly Being enter the ‘Transcendental Realm’? If Earth is a Material Realm, is there an Immaterial Realm’ where the Beings exist without Physical Matter or a physical Form with Appearance? Both God, and man are manifested on Earth with a Form and Appearance that can be easily recognized and described. And yet, there is something that is unknown about the Spiritual Form and Appearance of both God, and man in an extraterrestrial realm. I would like to invite my readers to visit CHIDAMBARAM in India to explore the Mysteries of Human Life and Human Existence.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE: IN BOTH CHRISTIAN AND INDIAN TRADITIONS, EARTH IS THOUGHT TO BE THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. IN INDIA, CHIDAMBARAM IS THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. THE PLACE IS VIEWED AS THE CENTRE OF GEOMAGNETIC EQUATOR OF PLANET EARTH. THE GREEN HORIZONTAL LINE REPRESENTS THE GEOMAGNETIC EQUATOR.
Chidambaram, South Arcot District, Tamil Nadu State, southeastern India is the Center of the Universe as per Indian tradition and the local legends or the “PURANA” of this historical City which has the famous early Chola Dynasty 2nd century B.C. bronze idols. The name “CHIDAMBARAM” is derived from Tamil words, Chitt meaning wisdom, and Ampalam meaning atmosphere. The Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, known as Lord Nataraja or Lord of Dance, is in Chidambaram. The purpose of Lord’s manifestation in Chidambaram is that of showing the way for man’s release from bondage to ignorance as man is trapped under the powerful influence of Illusion which controls man’s earthly existence. Chidambaram may provide man with the necessary Knowledge and Wisdom to recognize all the Dimensions of Life and verify if man could be a Spiritual Being who may have the potential ability to exist in a Transcendental Realm apart from the transient or ephemeral earthly existence which is operated by a Natural Law that demands the death of everything that is born or arrived on Earth.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE – CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM: LORD SHIVA KNOWN AS LORD NATARAJA IS THE PRESIDING DEITY AT CHIDAMBARAM WHICH IS VIEWED AS THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. IT COULD BE AT THE CENTER OF EARTH’S GEOMAGNETIC EQUATOR. THE PURPOSE OF LORD’S MANIFESTATION AT CHIDAMBARAM IS THAT OF SHOWING THE WAY FOR MAN’S RELEASE FROM BONDAGE TO IGNORANCE.
Chidambaram is a place of interest for it may have the clue to a hidden or concealed truth. It is often described as “CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM” or the Mystery of Chidambaram. Lord Shiva has physically manifested at this place to remove man’s ignorance and to utterly destroy man’s forgetfulness and heedlessness. Man exists leading a conditioned Existence that is fundamentally formulated by the experience of Cosmic Illusion. This blog post examines ‘Chidambara Rahasyam’ or the Great Mystery of Chidambaram and it explains that the Illusion is generated by the fundamental distinction between Essence and Existence.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE: CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM – THE GREAT MYSTERY OF CHIDAMBARAM. LORD NATARAJA DESTROYS MAN’S IGNORANCE TO RELEASE MAN FROM THE INFLUENCE OF COSMIC ILLUSION.
Lord Nataraja, Lord of Dance is seen dancing on the figure of a dwarf, the person is named ‘Apasmarapurusha’. The word “PURUSHA” means man. The word “APASMARA” means forgetfulness, lack of memory, heedlessness that leads to mental ignorance. The “ignorance” refers to man’s alienation or separation from Knowledge about his true or real nature and man basically exists in a condition of Ignorance due to the lack of understanding about his true or real-self and the world and the universe in which he exists. Lord Shiva is the source and the Cause of all movements or motions in the Cosmos. In Physics, the Cause of Motion is not explained and is not discussed. While Physics formulates the Laws that govern the motions of material bodies, Physics cannot account for the phenomenon of Motion that can be observed among the Living Bodies. Life exists in a constant state or condition of motion, and at the same time, the Living Thing is constantly driven towards a destination called ‘Death’ when the motions that are characteristic of Life cease to exist. This arrest of motions of Life is accompanied by a dissolution of the Physical Form and Appearance of the Individual Living Thing. The purpose of Lord Nataraja’s Cosmic Dance is that of releasing man from his attachment to ‘Form” and “Appearance” that shapes man’s ideas of his own Identity. Man describes his Essence visualizing his Identity that is derived from Form and Appearance. To understand the nature of true Identity, man has to explore the basis for the condition called Existence. At Chidambaram, man is encouraged to explore and investigate Existence by drawing inspiration from the Form and Appearance of Lord Nataraja and His Cosmic Dance. The gestures of the Dance represent Lord Nataraja’s five activities called “PANCHA KRITYA”; 1. Creation, 2. Protection, 3. Destruction, 4. Embodiment, and 5. Release. Man ultimately needs LORD God’s Compassion for the ultimate Release from his bondage or Conditioned Existence. To explain the reason for this Dependence upon LORD God’s Mercy, Grace, and Compassion, I suggest the use of ‘Devotion’ as a valid method of Scientific Inquiry.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE: IN INDIAN TRADITION, GOD EXISTS IN BOTH TRANSCENDENTAL REALM AND IMMANENT REALM. WHEN GOD IS PHYSICALLY MANIFESTED ON EARTH, IT WILL BE CORRECT TO CLAIM THAT EARTH IS THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. LORD NATARAJA’S BIG TOE IN THIS TEMPLE IS THOUGHT TO BE AT THE CENTER OF EARTH’S GEOMAGNETIC EQUATOR.
In Indian tradition, it is explained that God exists in both Transcendental Realm and Immanent Realm. Hindu Scripture, “ISA UPANISHAD” that comments on “SHUKLA YAJUR VEDA” in verses 12 to 14 makes the following recommendation: “He who knows at the same time both the unmanifested and the manifested, he crosses over death through Knowledge of the manifested and attains immortality through the Knowledge of the Invisible Absolute.” It is very important to know and understand LORD God as a Physical Being that has fully manifested on Earth. If LORD GOD is physically manifested on Earth, it will be correct to claim that Earth is at the Center of the Universe. From a human perspective, the center of activity is planet Earth for Life seems to be very unique or special to this small planet in the vast universe made of stuff called Physical Matter.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE: THE GOLDEN TILES COVERING THE ROOF OF LORD NATARAJA’S TEMPLE IN CHIDAMBARAM INSPIRE US TO REFLECT UPON ESSENCE OR FORM, AND APPEARANCE AND ITS DISTINCTION FROM EXISTENCE.
The roof of Lord Nataraja’s temple in Chidambaram is adorned with golden tiles and it inspires man to reflect upon the distinction between Essence and Existence. What is Essence? What is Existence? We can describe the ‘Essence'(What you are) by attaching a variety of names. Man may describe his Essence in a number of ways which may include references to his physical or morphological appearance, age, sex, ethnicity, race, language, religion, culture, region or national identity, education, occupation, social or political affiliation and other attributes like achievements and accomplishments. It is important to know the attributes of the Physical Elements that constitute the Living Matter using which man develops all the structures of his physical body. Man’s Physical Being experiences the problem of mortality, whereas the Physical Elements of his body are imperishable, indestructible, immutable, immortal, eternal, and even could be considered to be “UNBORN.”
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE – CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM: ADI SHANKARACHARYA FOUNDED THE INDIAN SCHOOL OF THOUGHT KNOWN AS NON-DUALISM OR ADVAITA. HE HAD VERY FORCEFULLY CLAIMED THAT HIS PHYSICAL BODY AND MIND DOES NOT DESCRIBE HIS TRUE IDENTITY. HE LAID A GREAT EMPHASIS ON IMMORTAL AND ETERNAL EXISTENCE.
Adi Shankaracharya founded the Indian School of Thought known as ‘Advaita’ or Non-Dualism. He vehemently opposed the idea of attaching his Identity to his physical body or mind. For example, he wrote, “ManO buddhyaHamkaara, Chittani na aHam; na karnam, na jihvaa, na cha ghraana netre; na cha Vyoma Bhumir, na TejO na VaayuH; Chidaananda RuupaH, ShivOaHam, ShivOaHam.” He had formulated a view about his true or real Identity that basically excludes all the four types of mental functions, the Five Elements of Nature, the five organs of Sense Perception. He made an attempt to overcome the problem of transient Existence that makes man a Mortal Being. Shankara forces people to avoid using Form and Appearance to describe Identity or Essence as they are not constant and keep changing all the time. Shankara demands total perfection while stating his real Identity. That perfection is characterized by Immortal or Eternal Existence. Man’s existence in the world is of varying durations called Lifetime and this Life-Span is a product of his conditioned existence. Shankara attached utmost importance to Everlasting Existence and in the context of that Everlasting Existence, he calls himself “SHIVA.” While I truly appreciate Shankara’s insistence about man’s existence in a Transcendental Realm, we may have to still account for man’s earthly journey. In man’s earthly life, the ‘Essence’ is not recognized until the thing called man begins existing. The thing called “I” is recognized and is known if, and only if it begins to exist; and “I” that exists can be stated as “I AM”, the “I” as an existing being. It must be noted that the fact of Existence always precedes Essence. In the statement, “Aham Brahma”,(“I AM BRAHMA, THE ULTIMATE REALITY”), or “SHIVO AHAM” (I AM SHIVA) the thing called “I” is not Brahma or Shiva. The statements such as “Aham Brahma” and “ShivO Aham” would be wrong if they do not qualify that the thing called “I” is in existence and is specifically known as “Aham” or “I Am.” The term ‘Brahma’ or ‘Shiva’ is perfect and complete in all of its aspects as it is the basis for both Essence and Existence. Hence the word ‘Brahma’ or ‘Shiva’ brings unity between matter, energy, and the physical form constituted by Physical Elements that have the attributes like imperishability or indestructibility.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE – CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM: LORD KRISHNA IN THE DIVINE SONG CALLED THE BHAGAVAD GITA EXPLAINS THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE. HE EXPLAINS THE POWERFUL INFLUENCE CALLED “COSMIC ILLUSION” OR “MAYA” WHICH CAN BLOCK MAN’S PERCEPTION ABOUT HIS TRUE OR REAL SELF.
Lord Krishna in the Divine Song called The Bhagavad Gita explains the distinction between Essence and Existence. He explains the powerful influence called “Cosmic Illusion” or “MAYA” which can block man’s perception about his true or real Self. Lord Krishna in Chapter X, Vibhuti – Vistara Yoga, verse 39, claims, “I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being, moving or unmoving(Chara -Acharam) that can exist without Me.” The term ‘atman’ and ‘Paramatman’ must be used in the context of Existence and not that of Subjective Essence that involves the thing called “I.” Lord Krishna gave this clarification to explain that the fact of Subjective Essence by which various kinds of Living Things are known do exist for they all share a common, or undivided Principle that is Imperishable and establishes the fact of Existence as a Physical Reality. The Bhagavad Gita, Chapter XVIII, Moksha-Opadesa Yoga, verse 20:
The knowledge of one who sees in every living entity, though divided into innumerable forms, one undivided spiritual nature, that knowledge is to be understood as being in the mode of Goodness. One undivided, imperishable reality is seen within all diverse living entities.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE – CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM: LORD SHIVA’S ESSENCE IN THIS IMAGE IS DESCRIBED AS “ARDHANARISHWARA”, HALF-MALE AND HALF-FEMALE, A PERFECT UNION OF MATTER, ENERGY, AND THE ENERGY CONTROLLER.
Apart from all the diversity among the numerous living entities, the LORD God Shiva manifests Himself in a variety of Forms and each Appearance has its own reason, and serves a specific purpose.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE – CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM: LORD GOD SHIVA HAS PHYSICALLY MANIFESTED HIMSELF ON EARTH DURING DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS OR YUGAS FOR SPECIFIC REASONS TO SERVE A SPECIFIC PURPOSE FOR EACH APPEARANCE. AS LORD NEELAKANTHA, HE SAVED HUMANITY FROM THE DANGER POSED BY AN EXTREMELY NOXIOUS SUBSTANCE.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE – CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM: LORD SHIVA OFTEN CALLED LORD GOD “MAHESHWARA” IS THE PROTECTOR, AND CONTRIBUTES THE MENTAL EXPERIENCE OF EQUANIMITY AND BLISS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE – CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM: LORD SHIVA AND GODDESS PARVATI MANIFEST THEMSELVES AS EMBODIMENT OF ALL VIRTUES AND BESTOW THEIR MERCY, GRACE, AND COMPASSION THROUGH THIS APPEARANCE.
All different forms of life including persons whom we may call Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, and Prince Arjuna or Partha are to be known because of that imperishable Principle(avyayam) that is chiefly concerned with Existence, and thus there is unity or oneness while the thing called “I” is variable.
Rudranarasimham, Rebbapragada
On Saturday, November 1, 2014 9:55 AM, Krishna G Misra wrote:
Surrender to THAT ‘i’
‘i’ is a variable. ‘i’ does not know what it is. ‘i’ cannot be known. ‘i’ is never known because it is a variable.
‘i’ becomes body, ‘i’ becomes mind, ‘i’ becomes things which it owns, ‘i’ becomes anything. but ‘i’ is none of those which it represents and is independent of those too.
Krishna says ‘i’ am Krishna. Parth says ‘i’ am Parth, This means, ‘i’ is Krishna and Parth both, but Krishna and Parth differ. Krishna carefully says ‘i’ am Parth and Parth is ‘i’ .
‘i’ am 1, ‘i’ am 2 but 1 and 2 are different. every one of us says ‘i’ am A, ‘i’ am B but not knows the ‘i’ , the universal self.’i’ is a UNIVERSAL variable. anyone is ‘i’ but those who it represents are not that ‘i’ .
On Sat, Nov 1, 2014 at 7:20 PM, R.Rudra Narasimham wrote:
What is spread all over the body?
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE – CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM: THE MANDUKYA UPANISHAD SPEAKS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP OR CONNECTION BETWEEN SOUL AND THE PERFECT ENTITY CALLED BRAHMAN WHICH COULD BE INVISIBLE OR UNMANIFESTED.
We may try to interpret verse #17, Chapter II, Sankhya Yoga of The Bhagavad Gita. It says the imperishable, or indestructible soul pervades or permeates(“tatam”) the entire physical body. The soul or atma is spread all over the body or influences the entire body, or the symptom of soul or atma is present in all the parts of the body. In Chapter XIII, Kshetra – Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga, verse 34 says that, Just like Sun who illuminates the entire world, the soul within the body illuminates the entire field of activity of the physical body by consciousness. Hence, consciousness is the proof or symptom of the presence of the soul or atma. For the soul is present, we can show respect to the feet or the toe as the Essence illuminates it and thereby we recognize that the part is present. In other words, I am trying to suggest that we may not search for Atma or Paramatma in our minds or brains, it is simple and easier to find it in the feet with an attitude called devotion.
On 31/10/2014 12:03 am, “Krishna G Misra” wrote:
Sri Rudra ji,
I respect your thoughts. It truly is devotion.
Rudra means explosion and this explosion of param atma makes the two jivatma and Prakriti which means shiv and Parvati. These two are actually one but appear as two or Rudra in dance firm called manifested universe or samsara or tandav.
Prakriti is law bound and called mind and body and atma or spirit is free but focus at its goal called bhakti. These two opposites are like car and driver where car is law bound nature and driver is goal oriented atma shiv.
In bhakti the tandav dance of Shiva Parvati or Rudra becomes araudra or peace and this is yoga or bhakti or inseparable state.
Bhakti is goal of Shiva in Rudra state to become peaceful or araudra state.
Your name Rudra is world intending to realize its source RAM the param atma.
On 30/10/2014 11:47 pm, “Krishna G Misra” wrote:
Bhakti means integration and bibhakti means disintegration.
Which once established cannot be separated in bhakti.
In terms of self-awareness it is recollecting memory of the universal self or param atma.
On 30/10/2014 11:33 pm, “R.Rudra Narasimham” wrote:
What is Bhakti?
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE – CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM: IN INDIAN TRADITION, DEVOTION OR BHAKTI IS A VALID METHOD OF INQUIRY TO KNOW THE MANIFESTED, AND THE INVISIBLE OR UNMANIFESTED ABSOLUTE TRUTH.
I am addressing the problem or concern about separating body from mind. When I write about the experience of Ananda and Krupa, I am stating that there is unity between the Spirit, mind, and body without which the experience is impossible. If Krupa is a divine manifestation of power and energy, man has the ability to experience the uplift it provides for it uplifts both body, and mind. To same extent, Bhakti or Devotion is an experience that involves the Spirit, mind, and body. I cannot perform any devotional service if there is no unity between the Spirit, mind, and body. In fact, Indian tradition suggests that Bhakti is a method of Inquiry to experience the Reality while the Reality is not known to the organs of sense perception.
On Thursday, October 30, 2014 8:23 AM, Krishna G Misra wrote:
Chitta is chitra or picture. In English this is called perception. Perception of an object or event will differ from one and another observer and by same observer at different mental states. This is why people have conflicts. Yoga is removal of any variation of chitta as Patanjali says.
Ahankar is strength of association of an observer with its chitra or perception. Buddhi is bodh or tool of making and removal of chitta or perception.
Kripa is giving unconditionally and without restrictions and without obligation. Recover of krioa cannot expect or imagine it because lord is kind without any measure. Your Sanskrit verse is a perfect statement.
Ram Chandra krioalu bhaj man
Krioa is not what can be asked because it is grace if God and none can imagine its intensity. Ability of person is irrelevant because krioa can bypass all hurdle.
On 30/10/2014 9:30 am, “R.Rudra Narasimham” wrote:
What is Krupa?
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE – CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM: LORD GOD IS JUST ONE AND THE SAME AND YET MAN KNOWS HIM BY DIFFERENT NAMES. IN INDIAN TRADITION, THE NAME RAMA IS THE PERSONIFICATION OF THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH OR THE ULTIMATE REALITY. LORD RAMA IS THE SOURCE OF KRUPA OR COMPASSION FOR HE HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFE JOURNEY IN HIS PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION AS A HUMAN BEING.
The four aspects of mental activity are described as Manah, Chitta, Buddhi, and Ahamkara. Chitta is the function associated with Krupa, Karuna, or Daya. But, the experience of Krupa is not a mere mental experience. The experience is shared by the entire body. It is not a simple subjective experience. It is an objective experience that can be verified by an independent observer.
The hymn suggests that the experience called Krupa is Great for it can give the ability of communication to the mute, and the disabled person can cross over obstacles such as mountains. The Lord known as Madhava is specifically described as the fountain of eternal bliss and joy. The idea is, when a person experiences Krupa or Compassion, the experience comes with a sense of joy and happiness. Very often, we get a chance to personally experience the reality of Krupa. When we recognize the experience called pain, and suffering in the lives of others, it evokes an instinctual response of kindness and compassion that practically helps us to provide physical assistance to the person who is experiencing pain, and misery. That feeling of compassion is powerful and is very uplifting and it gives the necessary energy and stamina to perform a challenging task with much ease and no strain. During natural calamities, we witness people coming out to give assistance and help to total strangers and work tirelessly. The entire human body is transformed. The provider of help, and the recipient of help experience a sense of joy when actions are performed under the influence of Krupa.
On Wednesday, October 29, 2014 2:32 PM, Krishna G Misra wrote:
Mind has seven colors or Man -Sat Roopa. Mind is like light which appears colorless but it includes seven colors while objects that have actually no colors appear in colors of that colorless yet seven colored light. Mind is just that light which has seven patterns but is invisible. Objects are seen in color not because objects own any color but because of the mind of seer or who sees it. A thief can recognize a gold necklace but an innocent child cannot. This means that same necklace is valuable to a thief but not to another observer. Rose is red when two observers see it in same sun light but when sun light does not exist rose is not seen let leave its red color. When one observer has colored glass and another by naked eyes they both will see same rose in different colors. Mind has seven colors a. Information b. Imagination c experience d. Memory e. Knowledge f dream or subconscious g intuition. Experience is one of seven colors of mind but it lives for short time and memory of it stays longer. For example you drink milk and it takes 10 minutes but memory of milk remains a life time. Similarly each colors have different depth of thoughts and with which we or different observers make perceptions differently for same object. I am traveling and cannot describe it as I would have wanted but I hope you can discover it by your self.
On 29/10/2014 11:32 pm, “R.Rudra Narasimham” wrote:
What is Experience?
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE – CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM: WHAT IS EXPERIENCE? IF GOD IS INVISIBLE AND IS UNMANIFESTED, HOW DO WE RECOGNIZE THE EXISTENCE OF GOD? IN MY VIEW, GOD IS EXPERIENCED AS PEACE, HARMONY, AND TRANQUILITY THAT IS BEST SYMBOLIZED BY THE LETTER OR SYLLABLE CALLED “AUM” OR “OM.”
Apart from matter and energy, we have to account for ‘experience’. There is an entity who has the experience of the various manifestations of matter and energy. Man studies matter and energy for he has this ability called experience. Mechanics, Statics, Dynamics, Acoustics, Optics, Thermodynamics, Electricity, Magnetism, gravitation and others are of interest for they are involved in giving man the experience called ‘equilibrium’ while he is at rest or in motion. While a number of varied forces are acting on man, the experience called ‘Ananda’ or Bliss, or Joy is possible because of the operation of a Fundamental Force that can be called ‘Love’. But, Love is a force that cannot be expressed as a mathematical formula or equation and cannot be experimentally verified for it cannot be measured to ascertain its quantity in numbers. In Indian tradition, God is called Sat, Chit, Ananda. The reality called Energy will have no relevance or importance if there is no experience of the same.
On Wednesday, October 29, 2014 12:58 AM, Mukund Apte wrote:
Please note that Modern Science has confirmed that the Universe is only filled with Energy in various forms. Even thoughts are energy and the matter is nothing but consolidated form of energy and so whether we consider metaphysics or solid material, they are the same thing; Energy. When matter dies or get destroyed, it merely gets transferred to different form of Energy.
On Wed, Oct 29, 2014 at 10:12 AM, R.Rudra Narasimham wrote:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE – CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM: IN INDIAN TRADITION LORD BRAHMA IS THE LORD GOD CREATOR. PHYSICAL MATTER, THE CHEMICAL ELEMENTS OF MATTER HAVE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES LIKE IMPERISHABILITY OR INDESTRUCTIBILITY.
Matter is the stuff with which this universe is made. In science, matter is studied as elements, simple mixtures and compounds. In Indian tradition, we describe spirit or soul as immutable, imperishable, immortal, unborn, and even uncreated( for man has not created any kind of matter or spirit). The thing called Spirit or Soul is Divine because of those attributes. To the same extent, matter has divine attributes. Matter is immutable, imperishable, immortal, unborn, and uncreated. We know that planet Earth has existed for a very long time and yet the elements retain their essence without any change. Life is existing on Earth for billions of years for the elements have the divine attributes just like the spirit and soul. When we say that the body is perishable or when we say that man is a mortal being, we are simply speaking about the form that we recognize as a specific thing. The matter that constitutes the form escapes death and mortality.
On Tuesday, October 28, 2014 11:22 PM, Krishna G Misra wrote:
There is a natural order in every form or matter and yet in reality each order is unique and distinctive. Absolute has no difference because it is non real like zero but from it all reality like 1 2 3 emerge. Forms of matter are real or relative and therefore have an order in their unique way very much like atomic movements in orbit of elements in periodic table of elements or planetary movements.
Temples or home or any other creation are too forms of matter and spirit or in other words metaphysical structures.
On 29/10/2014 3:03 am, “R.Rudra Narasimham” wrote:
In India, houses, and temples are often built after consulting experts of Vastu Shastra. The materials used for construction mostly wood, stone, and clay do not have strong magnetic properties. Iron and Cobalt have strong magnetic affinity. Gold has none. We need to explain the location of temple according to the local tradition and local story or Purana.
On Monday, October 27, 2014 11:45 PM, Krishna G Misra wrote:
Vastu shastra literally means material science. It deals with structure and functions for environment but the consciousness is its maker.
On 27/10/2014 11:20 pm, “R.Rudra Narasimham” wrote:
What is Vastu Sastra?
The architecture, the design, the layout, and other features of Chidambaram Temple must be explained quoting the relevant parts of Vastu Sastra. If the Temple’s location is chosen using the Laws of Magnetism or Electromagnetism, there must be a statement in the Vastu Sastra in the choice of location. There must be evidence to show that the builders made the requisite calculations and used a formula and devices to select a predetermined site.
It is simply incorrect to claim that the human body has nine apertures. For example, the body has millions of pores or apertures through which secretions like sweat, and sebum are excreted. Human body cannot maintain its body temperature(thermoregulation) if these pores are absent. In fact, there are people who suffer on account of problems associated with these openings. There is no merit in making unwanted comparisons with human body. Breathing is a vital function and the rate of respiration is a highly variable number and depends upon several factors including the environmental factors. It must be noted that Gold is a precious metal but that metal is useless and plays no role in human physiology. To that extent, iron is more important in the physiology of human respiration. Iron Deficiency can lead to disease and death. I would use Iron and not Gold if I want to make any connection between the structural element and human physiology. Similarly, there are numerous blood vessels and it would be silly to make a comparison without naming the vessels the architecture may represent. Then, the direction of flow and the specific relationships between the vessels becomes an issue. Kindly name those Nine Shastras and I would be surprised if the name Physics or Magnetism would be listed among those Nine.
In India, the traditions that relate to the worship of Lord Shiva have specific legends called ‘Sthala Puranas’, the story that is related to the specific geographical location. All the Jyotir Lingas are known by their stories. Chidambaram has its own story and the story is not about magnetism or electromagnetism.
On Monday, October 27, 2014 4:20 AM, Mukund Apte wrote:
The Vedas meaning Knowledge teach Scientific Knowledge only. And our people, such as ऋषि-मुनी and आचार्य have expounded all science in clear terms for people to follow. The Modern Science is now slowly confirming these facts. But they also have not ‘proved’ on their own everything that these great people have done. I do hope Modern Science will be able to reach the Vedic level of science soon enough, because Modern Science by their ‘inventions’ and Discoveries’ have created so much pollution in the environment as well as soil that we may not be able to sustain life on the planet for very long. The Scientists however as yet not understanding this position and polluting the earth more and more by their Scientific offers to man.
Scientists like Prof Einstein and now Prof Fridtjof Capra did express their faith in Vedas and Hindu शास्त्र and उपनिषद् and Prof Capra has started revealing the contents in the scientific manner since last 20 years.
On Mon, Oct 27, 2014 at 12:50 PM, Arvind Chaubal wrote:
Subject: Chidambram Temple
After 8 years of R & D, Western scientists have realized that at Lord Nataraja ‘s big toe is the Centre Point of World ‘s Magnetic Equator.
Our ancient Tamil Scholar Thirumoolar has proved this Five thousand years ago!
His treatise Thirumandiram is a wonderful Scientific guide for the whole world.
To understand his studies, it may need a 100 years for us.
Chidambaram temple embodies the following characteristics :
1) This temple is at the Center Point of world 's Magnetic Equator.
2) Of the "Pancha bootha" i.e. 5 temples, Chidambaram denotes the Skies. Kalahasthi denotes Wind. Kanchi Ekambareswar denotes land. All these 3 temples are in a straight line at 79 degrees 41 minutes Longitude. This can be verified using Google. An amazing fact & astronomical miracle !
3) Chidambaram temple is based on the Human Body having 9 Entrances denoting 9 Entrances or Openings of the body.
4) Temple roof is made of 21600 gold sheets which denotes the 21600 breaths taken by a human being every day (15 x 60 x 24 = 21600)
5) These 21600 gold sheets are fixed on the Gopuram using 72000 gold nails which denote the total no. of Nadis (Nerves) in the human body. These transfer energy to certain body parts that are invisible.
6) Thirumoolar states that man represents the shape of Shivalingam, which represents Chidambaram which represents Sadashivam which represents HIS dance !
7) "Ponnambalam " is placed slightly tilted towards the left. This represents our Heart. To reach this, we need to climb 5 steps called "Panchatshara padi "
"Si, Va, Ya, Na, Ma " are the 5 Panchatshara mantras.
There are 4 pillars holding the Kanagasabha representing the 4 Vedas.
8) Ponnambalam has 28 pillars denoting the 28 "Ahamas "as well as the 28 methods to worship Lord Shiva. These 28 pillars support 64 +64 Roof Beams which denote the 64 Arts. The cross beams represent the Blood Vessels running across the Human body.
9) 9 Kalasas on the Golden Roof represent the 9 types of Shakti or Energies.
The 6 pillars at the Artha Mantapa represent the 6 types of Sashtras.
The 18 pillars in the adjacent Mantapa represents 18 Puranas.
10) The dance of Lord Nataraja is described as Cosmic Dance by Western Scientists.
Whatever Science is propounding now has been stated by Hindu Scriptures thousands of years ago!
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME – HUMAN NATURE – HUMAN BEHAVIOR:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME – HUMAN NATURE AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR: IN INDIAN TRADITION THE CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME IS DESCRIBED AS FOUR PERIODS NAMED 1. SATYA YUGA, 2. TRETA YUGA, 3. DWAPARA YUGA, AND 4. KALI YUGA. MAN MAY DISPLAY DIFFERENT BEHAVIORS DURING EACH PERIOD OF TIME.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME – HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND HUMAN NATURE: IN INDIAN TRADITION, MAN DISPLAYS DIFFERENT KINDS OF BEHAVIOR DUE TO EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULI THAT VARY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF TIME. INDIA’S SPIRITUAL LEADER AND MASTER GURU NANAK(c.1469 – c.1539) RESISTED THE POLLUTING EFFECTS OF KALI YUGA AND PREACHED ABOUT FUNDAMENTAL IDENTITY OF ALL RELIGIONS.
In Indian tradition, time flows in a cyclical manner and time is divided into four periods called “YUG” and the Four YUGAS are named as 1. Satya Yuga or Krita Yuga, 2. Treta Yuga, 3. Dwapara Yuga, and 4. Kali Yuga. The present times of man belong to the period Kali Yuga and hence is of a great interest. Saint Ved Vyasa, the author of Hindu epic poems of Mahabharata and Bhgavata Purana made some predictions about human behavior under the influence of the time period of Kali Yuga. The word ‘Kali’ refers to contamination, or pollution and an important consequence of the polluting effect of Kali Yuga is thought to be “STRESS.” Man’s behavior is influenced by the stressful environmental stimuli and these stimuli are aroused by man’s perception of time. Since man cannot avoid interacting with the environment in which he exists, man is instructed to take the help of chanting the Divine Name of KRISHNA and RAMA as a ‘MANTRA’ to overcome the polluting effects of Kali Yuga.
KALI KALMASHA NASANA MAHA MANTRAM – HARE KRISHNA MAHA MANTRAM:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME – HUMAN NATURE AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR:HARE KRISHNA MAHA MANTRA IS DESCRIBED AS THE CURE FOR THE POLLUTING EFFECTS OF THE TIME PERIOD CALLED KALI YUGA.
“Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna Hare Hare,
Lord Rama’s name may not appear in the Vedas but it appears in Kali Santarana Upanishad, Krishna Yajur Veda, 103 Upanishad. “These sixteen words are destructive of the evil effects of Kali. No better means than this is to be seen in all the Vedas.” During 16th century A.D. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu spread this Mantra among people with a great zeal. Basically, mantras are about the efficacy of Sound Energy. Shri. Ashok Coomar has kindly shared the 15 amazing predictions for the Kali Yuga made by Saint-Poet Ved Vyas in the Bhagavata Purana. While this prophesy pertains to human behavior, human nature remains essentially unchanged as human nature is operated by an unchanging, eternal, and immortal, vital principle called Soul or Spirit. While man’s identity constantly undergoes changes under the influence of time, the unchanging principle called Soul or Spirit maintains man’s individuality. Man is constituted as a Spiritual Being with a Divine attribute called Spiritual Nature that describes the true or real man. Whereas human behavior is variable and the variability is generated by the external environmental stimuli. I am asking my readers to give their attention to the distinction between Human Nature and Human behavior.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME – HUMAN NATURE AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR: SAINT-POET VEDA VYASA MADE PREDICTIONS ABOUT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN HUMAN ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR DURING THE TIME PERIOD CALLED KALI YUGA. HE RECOMMENDED THE USE OF THE DIVINE NAME KRISHNA AS A REMEDY TO TREAT THE SICKNESS CAUSED BY THE POLLUTING EFFECTS OF KALI YUGA.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME – HUMAN NATURE AND BEHAVIOR: IN THE EPIC POEM OF SRIMAD BHAGAVATA PURANA, SAINT-POET VEDA VYASA MADE PROPHETIC PREDICTIONS ABOUT CHANGING HUMAN ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CHANGING TIMES. INDIAN SAINT LORD CHAITANYA MAHA PRABHU DURING THE 16TH CENTURY PROPAGATED THE HARE KRISHNA MAHA MANTRA WITH A GREAT ZEAL. THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ORGANIZATION THAT IS COMBATING THE EVIL EFFECTS OF KALI YUGA.
In the last canto of the Bhagavata Purana there is a list of predictions and prophecies, about the dark times for the present age of Kali Yuga.
The following 15 predictions, written 5,000 years ago by Sage VedavyAsA,
are amazing because they appear so accurate. Despite the negative tone of these prophecies, there is still one bright spot for all of us, which is mentioned at the end.15 Most Amazing Predictions for Kali Yuga from the Bhagavata Purana
Prediction 1: Religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, tolerance, mercy, duration of life, physical strength and memory will all diminish day by day because of the powerful influence of the age of Kali.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.1
sri-suka uvaca
tatas canu-dinam dharmah
satyam saucam ksama daya
kalena balina rajan
nanksyaty ayur balam smrtih
Prediction 2:
In Kali Yuga, wealth alone will be considered the sign of a man’s good birth, proper behaviour and fine qualities. And law and justice will be applied only on the basis of one’s power.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.2 vittam eva kalau nṝṇāḿ janmācāra-guṇodayaḥ dharma-nyāya-vyavasthāyāḿ kāraṇaḿ balam eva hi
Prediction 3: Men and women will live together merely because of superficial attraction, and success in business will depend on deceit. Womanliness and manliness will be judged according to one’s expertise in sex, and a man will be known as a brahmana just by his wearing a thread.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.3
dāmpatye ‘bhirucir hetur māyaiva vyāvahārike strītve puḿstve ca hi ratir vipratve sūtram eva hi
Prediction 4: A person’s spiritual position will be ascertained merely according to external symbols, and on that same basis people will change from one spiritual order to the next. A person’s propriety will be seriously questioned if he does not earn a good living. And one who is very clever at juggling words will be considered a learned scholar.
Prediction 5: A person will be judged unholy if he does not have money, and hypocrisy will be accepted as virtue. Marriage will be arranged simply by verbal agreement, and a person will think he is fit to appear in public if he has merely taken a bath.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.5 anāḍhyataivāsādhutve sādhutve dambha eva tu svīkāra eva codvāhe snānam eva prasādhanam
Prediction 6: A sacred place will be taken to consist of no more than a reservoir of water located at a distance, and beauty will be thought to depend on one’s hairstyle. Filling the belly will become the goal of life, and one who is audacious will be accepted as truthful. He who can maintain a family will be regarded as an expert man, and the principles of religion will be observed only for the sake of reputation.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.6 dūre vāry-ayanaḿ tīrthaḿ lāvaṇyaḿ keśa-dhāraṇam udaraḿ-bharatā svārthaḥ satyatve dhārṣṭyam eva hi dākṣyaḿ kuṭumba-bharaṇaḿ yaśo ‘rthe dharma-sevanam
Prediction 7:
As the earth thus becomes crowded with a corrupt population, whoever among any of ther social classes shows himself to be the strongest will gain political power.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.7
evaḿ prajābhir duṣṭābhir ākīrṇe kṣiti-maṇḍale brahma-viṭ-kṣatra-śūdrāṇāḿ yo balī bhavitā nṛpaḥ
Prediction 8: Harassed by famine and excessive taxes, people will resort to eating leaves, roots, flesh, wild honey, fruits, flowers and seeds. Struck by drought, they will become completely ruined.
Prediction 9:
The citizens will suffer greatly from cold, wind, heat, rain and snow. They will be further tormented by quarrels, hunger, thirst, disease and severe anxiety.
Prediction 11: Men will no longer protect their elderly parents.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.42 na rakshishyanti manujah sthavirau pitarav api
Prediction 12: In Kali-yuga men will develop hatred for each other even over a few coins. Giving up all friendly relations, they will be ready to lose their own lives and kill even their own relatives.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.41 kalau kakinike ‘py arthe vigrihya tyakta-sauhridah tyakshyanti ca priyan pranan hanishyanti svakan api
Prediction 13: Uncultured men will accept charity on behalf of the Lord and will earn their livelihood by making a show of austerity and wearing a mendicant’s dress. Those who know nothing about religion will mount a high seat and presume to speak on religious principles.
Prediction 14:
Servants will abandon a master who has lost his wealth, even if that master is a saintly person of exemplary character.
Masters will abandon an incapacitated servant, even if that servant has been in the family for generations.
Cows will be abandoned or killed when they stop giving milk.
Prediction 15: Cities will be dominated by thieves; the Vedas will be contaminated by speculative interpretations of atheists; political leaders will virtually consume the citizens; and the so-called priests and “intellectuals” will be devotees of their bellies and genitals.
Despite all of these dark prophecies,
there is one good quality in this age of Kali yuga: kaler dosha-nidhe rajann
asti hy eko maha gunah
kirtanad eva krishnasya
mukta-sangah param vrajet
“Although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: simply by chanting the names of Krishna, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.” (Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.51)
So let us take advantage of this special spiritual gift given during the dark times of Kali yuga to quickly raise ourselves spiritually through chanting of God’s holy names.—
Can anyone then ignore the 15th prediction in which lies the only hope?
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME – HUMAN NATURE AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR:HARE KRISHNA MAHA MANTRA IS DESCRIBED AS THE CURE FOR THE POLLUTING EFFECTS OF THE TIME PERIOD CALLED KALI YUGA.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME – HUMAN NATURE AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR: IN INDIAN TRADITION THE CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME IS DESCRIBED AS FOUR PERIODS NAMED 1. SATYA YUGA, 2. TRETA YUGA, 3. DWAPARA YUGA, AND 4. KALI YUGA. MAN MAY DISPLAY DIFFERENT BEHAVIORS DURING EACH PERIOD OF TIME.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME – HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND HUMAN NATURE: IN INDIAN TRADITION, MAN DISPLAYS DIFFERENT KINDS OF BEHAVIOR DUE TO EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULI THAT VARY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF TIME. INDIA’S SPIRITUAL LEADER AND MASTER GURU NANAK(c.1469 – c.1539) RESISTED THE POLLUTING EFFECTS OF KALI YUGA AND PREACHED ABOUT FUNDAMENTAL IDENTITY OF ALL RELIGIONS.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME – HUMAN NATURE AND BEHAVIOR: IN THE EPIC POEM OF SRIMAD BHAGAVATA PURANA, SAINT-POET VEDA VYASA MADE PROPHETIC PREDICTIONS ABOUT CHANGING HUMAN ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CHANGING TIMES. INDIAN SAINT LORD CHAITANYA MAHA PRABHU DURING THE 16TH CENTURY PROPAGATED THE HARE KRISHNA MAHA MANTRA WITH A GREAT ZEAL.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME – HUMAN NATURE AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR: SAINT-POET VEDA VYASA MADE PREDICTIONS ABOUT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN HUMAN ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR DURING THE TIME PERIOD CALLED KALI YUGA. HE RECOMMENDED THE USE OF THE DIVINE NAME KRISHNA AS A REMEDY TO TREAT THE SICKNESS CAUSED BY THE POLLUTING EFFECTS OF KALI YUGA.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: BLAISE PASCAL(1623-62), FRENCH SCIENTIST, MATHEMATICIAN, AND RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHER FOUNDED THE MODERN THEORY OF PROBABILITY AND IN PHYSICS, DISCOVERED PASCAL’S LAW BY CONDUCTING EXPERIMENTS IN THE EQUILIBRIUM OF FLUIDS THAT LED TO INVENTIONS OF HYDRAULIC PRESS, HYDRAULIC JACK, AND HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR. HIS MENTAL CONCEPTS ARE LIVING GIVING A DIMENSION TO THE CONCEPT OF LONGEVITY.
I would like to pay my tribute to Blaise Pascal who shared his views about man and human nature; “Man is a nothing in comparison with the Infinite, an All in comparison with the Nothing, a mean between Nothing and Everything. Since he is infinitely removed from comprehending the extremes, the end of things and their beginning are helplessly hidden from him in an impenetrable secret; he is equally incapable of seeing the Nothing from which he was made, and the Infinite in which he swallowed up.” Since man exists as a Mortal Being, man has a natural tendency to investigate the Beginning of Life and the End of Life and seek a better understanding of the natural processes liking Aging that propels man to travel and reach the destination termed ‘Death’ without any choice. Aging is a widespread biological phenomenon and all living things display a natural tendency towards a decline of biological functions and a time-related disability to adapt to metabolic stress. At the same time, I ask my readers to note that the ‘Protoplasm’, the living substance that makes up both the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm appears to be potentially immortal. The term ‘Longevity’, the length or duration of a life or lives, must be interpreted in the context of the potential ability of Protoplasm to survive while individual members of species take birth, live, and die after a period of time. The term Life-Span describes the longest period of time that a typical individual can be expected to live. Similarly, Lifetime is the period of time that someone lives, or that something lasts, functions, or is in effect. Human beings have the unique ability to use their Lifetime to create a legacy that can endure giving an aura of immortality to that specific human individual who may have finished his or her mortal existence.
THE PHENOMENON OF LONGEVITY:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: THIS IMAGE OF DIVIDING YEAST CELLS DESCRIBES A REAL POTENTIAL IMMORTALITY IN SIMPLE ORGANISMS THAT ARE SINGLE-CELLED AND REPRODUCE BY ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION CALLED FISSION.
The concept of Life-Span implies that there is an individual whose existence has a definite beginning and end. Within the Phylum Protozoa, organisms that consist of a single cell, are numerous species that reproduce by fission which is a form of asexual reproduction in which the parent organism divides into two or more approximately equal parts, each becoming an independent individual. In such organisms where it is not easy to establish the beginning and end of an individual organism, the growth seems to continue indefinitely and a potential immortality can be observed. In organisms that use sexual reproduction, the limits of the life-span of each species appear to be determined by ‘Heredity’ which refers to the transmission of characteristics from parent to offspring by means of genes in the chromosomes. Each individual member of any given species has a life-span during which something of that individual lasts when transmitted to offspring as heritable information. The term heredity and the Laws of Inheritance and the Science called Genetics will have validity if, and only if some biological characteristics survive in spite of the death of any individual member of a species. It is very interesting to observe that there are several species of living things which have continuously lived for exceptionally long periods of time retaining their species-specific identity. Such organisms can be claimed to be immortal as they appear to be fully capable of surviving indefinitely. This faculty has been attributed to some insects, some simpler forms of invertebrate marine life (such as Tube Worms, Jellyfish, Clams, and Lobsters), certain fishes and reptiles which appear to be capable of unlimited growth. As the complexity of an organism increases, the internal changes associated with the aging process contribute to senescence and death of the organism. Even under the most favorable external conditions, there is a predetermined age beyond which a given individual of a species may not be able to survive. The Maximum Life-Span is often an estimate based on the longest lived organism of its species that is known to date. The Average Life-Span is a statistical concept that is derived by the analysis of mortality data for populations of each species. The Average Life-Span is related to Life Expectancy, the statistically probable length of time that a typical individual of any given species can be expected to live. Life Expectancy varies as it depends on the changing death rate over a period of time. Even species that have very slow-growing rates can experience higher than natural death rates due to external factors and may even face the threat of total extinction.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: COCKROACHES ARE AMONG THE OLDEST INSECT GROUPS HAVING SURVIVED BASICALLY UNCHANGED FOR 300 TO 350 MILLION YEARS(CARBONIFEROUS PERIOD).SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: ANTARCTIC SPONGE(PHYLUM- PORIFERA) CAN LIVE FOR CENTURIES, THE OLDEST KNOWN LIVING SPONGE COULD BE 1,550-YEARS OLD.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: TUBE WORMS(PHYLUM-ANNELIDA) SUCH AS LAMELLIBRACHIA LUYMESI LIVE ON THE FLOOR OF ATLANTIC OCEAN NEAR HYDROCARBON VENTS. THEY TAKE 170-250 YEARS TO GROW.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: GEODUCKS(PHYLUM-MOLLUSKA) DATE BACK TO CAMBRIAN PERIOD OR 500 MILLION YEARS AGO, FOUND IN THE US COASTAL SEA WATERS OF PUGET SOUND. ONE OF THE OLDEST ANIMALS IN THE WORLD. IT CAN LIVE FROM 140 TO 160 YEARS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: OCEAN QUAHOG(PHYLUM-MOLLUSKA) ARCTICA ISLANDICA, SALTWATER CLAM CAN LIVE FOR CENTURIES, ESTIMATED AGE 400 YEARS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: SEA URCHIN(PHYLUM ECHINODERMATA), STRONGYLOCENTROTUS FRANCISCANUS LIVES IN PACIFIC OCEAN. IT CAN LIVE FOR ABOUT 200 YEARS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: THIS UNIQUE SPECIES OF JELLYFISH(PHYLUM-COELENTERATA-CNIDARIA) AN INVERTEBRATE SEA CREATURE WITH STINGING CELLS KNOWN AS TURRITOPIS NUTRICULA USES A CELL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS CALLED TRANSDIFFERENTIATION AND IT CAN REVERT FROM A MATURE ADULT STAGE TO AN IMMATURE POLYP STAGE AND HENCE MAY HAVE NO NATURAL LIMITS TO ITS LIFE-SPAN OR IT BEHAVES LIKE AN IMMORTAL BEING BY REVERSING ITS AGING PROCESS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: THE WHITE SHARK, CARCHARODON CARCHARIAS, ONE OF ABOUT 350 SPECIES OF CARTILAGINOUS FISHES. SHARKS ARE REMARKABLY SUCCESSFUL ANIMALS WITH FEW PARASITES OR DISEASES AND ALMOST NO ENEMIES EXCEPT OTHER SHARKS. THEY ARE LIVING ALMOST UNCHANGED FOR ABOUT 350 MILLION YEARS SINCE THE END OF THE DEVONIAN PERIOD.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: CROCODILES ARE LARGE AMPHIBIOUS REPTILES THAT ORIGINATED DURING THE LATE TRIASSIC PERIOD, 200 MILLION YEARS AGO. DURING THE CRETACEOUS PERIOD, ABOUT 120 MILLION YEARS AGO, LARGE CROCODILES(40 FEET OR MORE) THAT EXISTED MAY HAVE PREYED ON DINOSAURS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: TORTOISE IS THE LAND-LIVING TURTLE SPECIES. THEY ARE IN EXISTENCE FROM THE TRIASSIC PERIOD, ABOUT 200 MILLION YEARS AGO. THIS GALAPAGOS GIANT TORTOISE(TESTUDO ELEPHANTOPUS) CAN LIVE UP TO 177 YEARS. THE ALDABRA GIANT TORTOISE NAMED ADWAITA LIVED FOR 250 YEARS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: SEA TURTLES ARE REPTILES, AMONG THE OLDEST LIVING GROUP OF REPTILES WHICH HAVE NOT CHANGED IN THEIR APPEARANCE FOR NEARLY 200 MILLION YEARS. IF THEY ARE ENDANGERED OR THREATENED, THE PROBLEM IS NOT CONTRIBUTED BY AGING OR NATURAL LONGEVITY.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: TUATARA(SPHENODON PUNCTATUM), NATIVE OF NEW ZEALAND IS NOT A LIZARD. THIS SPECIES IS IN EXISTENCE FOR ABOUT 225 MILLION YEARS. IT IS A VERY RARE, MEDIUM-SIZED, AMPHIBIOUS REPTILE WHICH BELONGS TO THE ORDER SPHENODONTIA. ALL OTHER SPECIES OF THIS ORDER BECAME EXTINCT 60 MILLION YEARS AGO. IT IS CALLED A LIVING FOSSIL. INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS MAY LIVE FROM 100 TO 200 YEARS. IT HAS A WELL-DEVELOPED THIRD EYE AND A ROW OF SPINES ALONG THE BACK.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: “KOI” ARE ORNAMENTAL, DOMESTICATED VARIETY OF THE COMMON CARP, CYPRINUS CARPIO. THESE FISH HAVE RECORDED LIVES OF 150 TO 226 YEARS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS, ORNITHORHYNCHUS ANATINUS, A MONOTREME, AN EGG-LAYING MAMMAL OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA AND TASMANIA. IT IS SEMIAQUATIC, HAS A DUCK-BILL SHAPED MUZZLE WITH NO TEETH, FEET ARE WEBBED, NO EARS, AND BODY COVERED WITH DARK-BROWN FUR. COMBINES FEATURES OF A DUCK, BEAVER, AND OTTER. HAS MILK GLANDS TO NOURISH THE YOUNG. THEY HAVE SURVIVED SINCE AUSTRALIAN PLEISTOCENE, ABOUT 2 MILLION YEARS AGO.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – AGING AND LONGEVITY: THE BOWHEAD WHALE OF ALASKA. RIGHT WHALE OR BALAENA MYSTICETUS ORIGINATED IN THE EARLY TERTIARY OR UPPER CRETACEOUS PERIOD ABOUT 70 MILLION YEARS AGO. IT IS THE LONGEST LIVING MAMMAL AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS HAVE RECORDED 150 TO 200 YEARS OF LIFE.
The issue of Life-Span of plants and trees and of Human Life-Span need special consideration. In all animals, where the organism is formed by sexual reproduction, the beginning of life is defined by the formation of the fertilized egg cell or zygote. Very often, physical birth is considered to be the beginning of the Life-Span. The end or death of an organism is reflected in its inability to support its structural and functional organization that gives it a distinctive physical identity. This generation of Life by the union of an egg and sperm is a most remarkable event. In the entire Animal and Plant Kingdom where the organisms achieve reproduction sexually, the Generative Mechanism remains the same and is unchanged over millions of years. This Generative Potential of Sexual Reproduction is unaltered and it describes a most creative process that is involved in the beginning of all living creatures. In my view, the immutability of Life’s beginning is dependent upon the Unchanging Principle called Soul or Spirit.
Aging is God’s eternal law with respect to man and as such the principle of aging exists in the human nature and man has no choice other than that of submitting to the Natural Law of Aging to begin his mortal existence.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ETERNAL LAW OF AGING: LORD GAUTAMA BUDDHA KNOWN AS “SIDDHARTHA”(HE WHO WILL ACCOMPLISH) STATED: “WHATEVER IS BORN, PRODUCED, CONDITIONED, CONTAINS WITHIN ITSELF THE NATURE OF ITS OWN DISSOLUTION.”
Lord Gautama Buddha(c. 563 to c. 483 B.C.,) known as “Siddhartha”(He who accomplishes) had correctly observed to claim that, “Whatever is born, produced, conditioned, contains within itself the nature of its own dissolution.” In biology, the term aging is used to describe the progressive structural, and functional changes in an organism that lead to senescence or a decline of biological functions and of organism’s ability to adapt to metabolic stress. It must be carefully understood that the process called aging begins right after the moment of conception and the newborn arrives because of the mechanisms that operate and control the aging process.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ETERNAL LAW OF AGING: THE AGING PROCESS BEGINS AT CONCEPTION, AND THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE HUMAN EMBRYO AND FETUS IS INFLUENCED BY TIME AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE MECHANISMS THAT OPERATE AND CONTROL THE AGING PHENOMENON. HUMAN EMBRYO, SIX DAYS AFTER CONCEPTION IS READY FOR IMPLANTATION IN ITS MOTHER’S WOMB.
Age is a fundamental characteristic of most living organisms. The speed of the aging process varies and it is not the same in the entire organism. To establish human birth with a recognizable physical appearance, the cells of the embryo and fetus rapidly multiply and several of them have to simply die after a programmed sequence of cell divisions. Aging is that inevitable process that causes cell death after the lapse of a specified time interval which is programmed. At adulthood(age 20), age acceleration is around 40% and it is 100% in newborns.
AGING – BIOLOGICAL CLOCK – BIOLOGICAL RHYTHM:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ETERNAL LAW OF AGING: MAN EXISTS AS IF THE BODILY FUNCTIONS ARE OPERATED BY A VERY PRECISE TIMING MECHANISM. THE BIOLOGICAL CLOCK OPERATES THE BIO OR BIOLOGICAL RHYTHM THAT OSCILLATES WITH A PERIOD OF ABOUT 24 HOURS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ETERNAL LAW OF AGING: HUMAN EXISTENCE IS SYNCHRONIZED WITH DAILY CHANGES IN THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT IN RESPONSE TO DAYLIGHT OR DARK.
Biorhythm or Biological Rhythm describes the cyclic pattern of changes in physiology often synchronized with daily environmental changes in response to daylight or dark. Circadian Rhythm is the 24-hour clock that drives wakefulness and sleep. Most living organisms use a timing mechanism that use clues or external environmental stimuli like that of light, and temperature that influence the internal Biological Clock. The concept of an operating Biological Clock is important in the understanding of the aging process.
HORVATH’S CLOCK – EPIGENETIC CLOCK – DNA METHYLATION AGE:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ETERNAL LAW OF AGING: Dr STEVE HORVATH, PROFESSOR OF HUMAN GENETICS, UCLA, USA HAS DISCOVERED AN AGE PREDICTOR THAT CAN BE USED TO MEASURE THE AGE OF MOST HUMAN TISSUES, CELL TYPES, AND ORGANS OF THE SAME INDIVIDUAL AND COMPARE IT WITH THE CHRONOLOGICAL AGE OF THAT INDIVIDUAL.
Dr. Steve Horvath, Professor of Human Genetics, UCLA, USA has discovered with a new technique of age measuring that uses aging marker called DNA Methylation. He described 353 epigenetic markers on the DNA which measure DNA methylation of cpG dinucleotides.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ETERNAL LAW OF AGING: THE EPIGENETIC CLOCK, HORVATH’S CLOCK IS A BIOLOGICAL CLOCK TO MEASURE THE AGE OF MOST HUMAN TISSUES, CELL TYPES, AND ORGANS IN THE SAME INDIVIDUAL WHICH CAN HELP IN PREDICTING THE AGING PROCESS.
The human organism experiences the consequences of the aging process and the condition called senescence or old age is easy to recognize. There are several theories about the aging mechanism and as to how the aging process is operated and controlled by hereditary factors. Some deterioration of normal bodily functions is always a component of the biological aging process.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ETERNAL LAW OF AGING: THERE ARE SEVERAL THEORIES ABOUT SENESCENCE. APART FROM THE MEASUREMENT OF CHRONOLOGICAL AGE, IT WOULD BE VERY USEFUL TO ASSESS AND MEASURE THE BIOLOGICAL AGE OF THE HUMAN ORGANISM AS THAT WOULD HELP TO PREDICT AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION AND INVENT INTERVENTION MECHANISMS TO REDIRECT OR REGULATE THE AGING PROCESS.
I define Spirit or Soul as the vital, animating, and unchanging, operating Principle that establishes human existence in a constantly changing world. Age is a measurement of the time interval between two events such as the birth and the death. The aging phenomenon is a variable expression which is influenced by both heredity and external environmental factors. At the same time, it could be important to identify the factors that operate within the internal environment of each, individual, independent, living cells. The immediate external environment of DNA, genes, chromosomes, and the nucleus is called the cytoplasm, or cytosol if the cell is viewed as a nucleus and cytoplasm bounded by a limiting membrane. I often write about the unchanging nature of this cytoplasm which may be recognized as its spiritual attribute. The cytoplasm has the Power described in Physiology as “NUTRITION”, the power or ability with which it attracts matter found in the cell’s external environment. In other words, the cytoplasm has the spiritual ability to establish a connection, association, bonding, relationship, or partnership between the energy-yielding molecules of the environment, and the energy-demanding molecules of the human individual and establish the fact or reality called the living being. The DNA, the genes, the chromosomes and the nucleus have no such ability for they simply lead a dependent existence deriving energy and matter supplied by the cytoplasm and its structures such as the mitochondria, and the ribosomes. The DNA is able to express a change and is able to generate a variation in the structures or a variation in the physiological functions such as the rate of protein synthesis because of the fact of its dependence upon an unchanging Principle that is not influenced by the time factor.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ETERNAL LAW OF AGING: A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE CELL AND ITS COMPONENT PARTS IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE AGING PROCESS. THE TIME FACTOR INFLUENCES THE DNA, THE GENES, THE CHROMOSOMES, AND THE NUCLEUS. THE CYTOPLASM IS OPERATED BY A SPIRITUAL NATURE THAT HAS ATTRIBUTES SUCH AS IMMUTABLE, IMPERISHABLE, IMMORTAL, OR ETERNAL. THE DNA AND ITS RELATED STRUCTURES LEAD A DEPENDENT EXISTENCE DERIVING MATTER AND ENERGY SUPPLIED BY THE SPIRITUAL POWER OF CYTOPLASM.
If age is viewed as a natural phenomenon characterized by changes in structure and function, the change is explained as the Power of Time over material things. This change is possible and can be recognized as the process is supported by an Unchanging, Spiritual, or Eternal Principle that is not affected by the time factor. For that reason, aging has to be explained as an Eternal Law which operates and regulates human existence from conception to death. Man has no choice other than that of leading a dependent existence, a Dependence that is Primarily provided by the Power/Force/Energy often named as the Divine Providence.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: “IN THE DESCENT OF MAN”(1871), CHARLES DARWIN SHARED A VIEW OF MAN’S ORIGIN BY A PROCESS OF NATURAL VARIATION FROM AN ANCESTRAL TYPE. WE HAVE YET TO DISCOVER A COMMON ANCESTOR FOR BOTH THE ANTHROPOID APES SUCH AS THE GORILLA AND THE MAN.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGISTS CLAIM THAT MAN HAS ARRIVED OR DESCENDED FROM AN ANCESTOR WITH 48 CHROMOSOMES AND CLAIM THAT ANCESTOR IS VERY LIKELY TO HAVE A GENOME SIMILAR TO THAT OF APES SUCH AS CHIMPANZEE AND BONOBO.
Darwin’s Theory of Evolution involves the notion of a common ancestor for both man and the anthropoid apes. Both Gorilla and Chimpanzee are natives of Africa and they exist with 48 chromosomes as compared to man’s genome that consists of 46 chromosomes. Human Chromosome #2 attracted a lot of attention for the nearest ape relative bonobo has near identical DNA sequences . But, the problem is that of the separation of these DNA sequences into two chromosomes called #2 a, and #2 b giving the apes a genome with 48 chromosomes.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: Chromosome #2 IS THE SECOND LARGEST HUMAN CHROMOSOME. IT CONTAINS 1,491 GENES AND MILLIONS OF BASE PAIRS.
It would be very easy to speculate that the Human Chromosome #2 can result from an end to end fusion of two ancestral chromosomes such as the Chromosome #2 a, and Chromosome #2 b.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: IT IS NOT LIKELY TO PRODUCE HUMAN CHROMOSOME #2 FROM FUSION OF CHROMOSOMES #2 a and #2 b. APES DO NOT HAVE A FUSED CHROMOSOME.
Man and apes exist with genomes that are almost identical and yet man cannot directly descend from the anthropoid apes. The fusion of Chromosomes #2 a, and #2 b would cause the production of a non-viable mutant or an individual who may not produce any offspring. Firstly, we need a male and a female with this fused chromosome in their gametes; the sperm and the egg to produce an offspring with a unique set of 46 chromosomes; 22 pairs of autosomes and a pair of (XY or XX) of Sex Chromosomes X,Y. It requires two identical, rare, mutant, male and female to produce offspring and to establish an entirely new population. The Theory of Evolution proposes that random, unguided, mutations lead to changes in a Species and eventually lead to its descent as a new Species. If fusion of two, distinct, separate chromosomes such as #2 a, and #2 b is required, the fusion event must happen in a Hominid population about 10,000 years ago and this population would have no relationship with the living apes.
THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN RACES:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN EVOLUTION HAS TO DEAL WITH TWO BASIC ISSUES; 1. THE DISCOVERY OF HUMAN ANCESTORS, AND 2. THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN RACES.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: AMONG ANTHROPOLOGISTS THERE ARE TWO VIEWS ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF HUMAN RACES; 1.MONOGENY, AND 2. POLYGENY.
The term “RACE” describes any of the different varieties or populations of human beings distinguished by physical traits such as hair, eyes, skin color, shape of body and head, facial features, and blood traits. These physical traits or characteristics are transmitted by heredity. However, it must be noted that such traits are highly variable, not every member of a race will exhibit all distinguishing traits. But, it is very clear that Human Races or varieties arose in response to inbreeding and not on account of interbreeding of different subspecies.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: ANTHROPOLOGISTS HAD INITIALLY DESCRIBED THREE PRIMARY DIVISIONS OF PEOPLE; 1. CAUCASOID, 2. MONGOLOID, AND 3. NEGROID. MEMBERS OF HUMAN SPECIES SHARE A COMMON HUMAN NATURE WHILE THERE IS VARIATION IN MORPHOLOGICAL APPEARANCES.
Anthropologists had initially described three primary divisions of people, 1. Caucasoid, 2. Mongoloid, and 3. Negroid. Thomas Huxley in his paper titled “On the Geographical Distribution of the Chief Modifications of Mankind”(1870), had described racial varieties such as Bushman, Africoid, Negritoes, Melanochroi, Australoids, Xanthochroi, Polynesians, Mongoloids A, B, & C, and Esquimaux.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: THOMAS HUXLEY DURING 1870 DESCRIBED THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF VARIOUS RACIAL VARIETIES. JOHANN FRIEDRICH BLUMENBACH(1775/76) DIVIDED MANKIND INTO FIVE GREAT FAMILIES – CAUCASIAN, MONGOLIAN, MALAYAN, ETHIOPIAN, AND AMERICAN.
It is of no surprise to note the controversy regarding the terms used to identify the varieties of mankind. As such there is no agreement and the word ‘Species’ has no defined meaning. There are two schools of thought to account for the apparent variations among the members of the Human Species. Monogeny describes a view that all human races came from a common ancestor. Polygeny is a view that asserts the separate creation of races.
THE BIOLOGICAL BASIS FOR HUMAN RACES:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: THE VARIATIONS AMONG MEMBERS OF THE SAME SPECIES AND OF DIFFERENT SPECIES CANNOT BE IGNORED. WHILE ALL LIVING BEINGS ARE FUNDAMENTALLY ALIKE FOR THE LIVING MATTER OR LIVING SUBSTANCE IS THE SAME. THE VARIATIONS IN FORM DEMANDS THE OPERATION OF A MOST CREATIVE PROCESS.
Today, some anthropologists entirely reject the concept of “RACE.” However, they stress the heterogeneity of world population. In Biology, the term ‘race’ is used to describe a subspecies, or variety, or breed. The search for a common ancestor for the entire Human Species is not yet over. In recent times, the techniques of DNA extraction and genomic sequencing have advanced. Evolutionary geneticists are describing their findings with a degree of boldness by simply studying the DNA and using the finding to predict the behavior and nature of the Homo Species members.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: HOMO FLORESIENSIS, ABOUT 3 FEET TALL, DISCOVERED IN LIANG BUA CAVE, ON THE ISLAND FLORES, INDONESIA. THE FLORES MAN HAS A FOSSIL RECORD THAT EXTENDS FROM 38,000 YEARS TO 12,000 YEARS AGO AND MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: HOMO SAPIENS IDALTU HAS BROW RIDGES, PROMINENT JAW AND GLOBULAR HEAD, WITH SLOPING FOREHEAD. THE SKULLS of 160,000 YEARS OLD IDALTU MAN DISCOVERED IN ETHIOPIA.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: THE IDALTU MAN, ANATOMICALLY SPEAKING WAS AT THE THRESHOLD OF MODERN HUMAN SPECIES BUT WAS NOT FULLY A MODERN HUMAN BEING.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: THIS REPLICA MAY REPRESENT A DENISOVAN GIRL WHOSE FINGER BONE CALLED PHALANX WAS DISCOVERED IN DENISOVA CAVE, ALTAI MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN SIBERIA. THE DENISOVA WAS MORE SIMILAR TO NEANDERTALS THAN TO MODERN HUMANS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: HOMO SAPIENS RED DEER DISCOVERED IN MALUDONG OR RED DEER CAVE, YUNNAN PROVINCE, SOUTHERN CHINA HAD LIVED FROM 14,500 TO 11,500 YEARS AGO. RED DEER CAVE PEOPLE ARE NOT CLASSIFIED AS MODERN HUMANS.
To resolve the problems about finding the biological basis for human races, we may have to take the help of the Science called Immunology that deals with man’s ability to defend his own existence by recognizing Self and Non-Self marker proteins(antigens), the protein molecules that cover the surfaces of every cell in the human body.
THE LAW OF CREATION AND INDIVIDUALITY:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: THE MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX(MHC) IS THE HUMAN LEUKOCYTE ANTIGEN(HLA) GENE CLUSTER ON CHROMOSOME 6. HUMAN ORGANS AND TISSUES CANNOT BE TRANSPLANTED OR GRAFTED INTO THE BODIES OF UNRELATED INDIVIDUALS. HUMAN IDENTITY MUST BE DISCOVERED AT MOLECULAR LEVEL TO ESTABLISH THE AFFINITY BETWEEN TWO HUMAN INDIVIDUALS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: HUMAN IDENTITY INVOLVES THE SURFACE MARKER PROTEINS FOUND ON EVERY CELL. TRANSPLANTED ORGANS AND TISSUES COULD BE REJECTED AS FOREIGN(NON-SELF) BY A HOST OR RECIPIENT FOR THE ANTIGENS ARE RECOGNIZED AS NON-SELF. SIMILARLY, INFECTIOUS AGENTS AND PATHOGENS ARE RECOGNIZED GIVING THE BODY THE ABILITY TO RESIST INFECTIONS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – HUMAN EVOLUTION: HUMAN EXISTENCE DEMANDS THE ABILITY TO DEFEND ONE’S OWN EXISTENCE TO MAINTAIN THE ABILITY TO LIVE AS A SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL WITH INDIVIDUALITY. THE RECOGNITION OF SELF AND NON-SELF IS THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIS TO MAINTAIN SEPARATE IDENTITY TO ESTABLISH THE EXISTENCE OF THE HUMAN INDIVIDUAL.
The many aspects of immunological recognition is more important than that of the recognition of ancestral Species from which the Human Species may have arrived or descended. The HLA antigens are very remarkable for the extensive degree of genetic polymorphism; that is the variability between individuals is very great and there could be no two identical individuals as unrelated individuals have different HLA antigens. Histocompatibility is a condition of compatibility between the tissues of a graft or transplant and the tissues of the body receiving the graft or transplant. The understanding of histocompatibility is important for the success of organ transplantation and it clearly demonstrates that the Human Species has no choice other than that of existing as Specific Individuals with Individuality. The concept of descent from another Species cannot account for immunological recognition which formulates the basis for histocompatibility and Immunity from infections.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES:
The appearance of the Human Species about 8,000 to 10,000 years ago cannot be explained as a natural event and it cannot be accounted for by The Law of Natural Generation. There are two important principles involved; 1. The Biogenetic Law which stipulates that living organisms are generated only by living organisms, and 2. The Law of Natural Generation that states that offspring will always be of the same Species as the parent Species. In my view, the Origin of Human Species as a new form of life cannot be explained by the operation of natural causes. At the same time, I would like to respectfully avoid the term “Supernatural”, and would rather prefer to use the term “creative” to explain the Origin of Human Species and account for the Special Form of Man.
THE NATURAL HISTORY OF MAN:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES: The Science called Geology describes the physical nature and history of planet Earth. Pleistocene, First Epoch of the Quaternary Period in the Cenozoic Era, is known as the Period of the Great Ice Age records the appearance of the members of the species that belong to the Homo Genus. Modern Human activity belongs to the Holocene Epoch that began about 10,000 years ago.
During the Period of the Great Ice Age or Pleistocene, continental glaciers covered much of N. North America, and NW Europe. The Holocene Epoch or Series which started approximately 10,000 years ago began to witness a change in Earth’s surface. The continental glaciers are now restricted to Antarctica and Greenland. It was not a cataclysmic change with consequences for the survival of life. The climatic change has actually helped the development and spread of modern human culture. It is indeed very surprising to note that this improvement in Earth’s surface and climate was accompanied by the extinction of giant mammals and the disappearance of a large variety of the Hominid Species.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES: PLEISTOCENE EPOCH IS DIVIDED AS UPPER PLEISTOCENE, MIDDLE PLEISTOCENE, AND LOWER PLEISTOCENE. THE EARLY HOMONID SPECIES SUCH AS THE HOMO ERECTUS ERECTUS OR THE JAVA MAN BELONG TO THE LOWER PLEISTOCENE.
To trace the Origin of the Human Species, we may take a look at the different Hominid Species and the time periods during which they existed.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES: The discovery of this Metacarpal Bone of the Middle Finger at Kaitio site, West Turkana, Kenya, that could be more than 1.42 million years old raised the hope of finding an intermediate link between the Human Species and other Anthropoid Apes.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES: COMPARATIVE ANATOMY IS USED AS EVIDENCE TO VALIDATE THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION. THIS PHOTO IMAGE OF METACARPAL BONES OF DIFFERENT SPECIES COMPARES THE STYLOID PROCESS AT THE END OF THE BONE THAT CONNECTS TO THE WRIST. THE BONE STRUCTURE IS SIMILAR IN MAN, NEANDERTHALS, AND OTHER ARCHAIC HOMINID SPECIES THAT HAVE GRASPING THUMB AND FINGERS AND GIVE THE FUNCTIONAL ABILITY CALLED THE PRECISION GRIP.
Comparative Anatomy is used by the evolutionary biologists as evidence to prove the origin of a new form of life from a previously existing form of life. However, the Human Species has a special form and the use of Comparative Anatomy may actually demolish the Theory of Evolution.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES: HOMO ERECTUS, THE EARLY HOMINID SPECIES DATING FROM 1,500,000 to 300,000 YEARS AGO. THIS IS A REPLICA OF JAVA MAN, PITHECANTHROPUS ERECTUS FROM THE LOWER PLEISTOCENE.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF MAN: THIS IS A REPLICA OF HOMO ERECTUS PEKINENSIS, PEKING MAN OR SINANTHROPUS FROM THE MIDDLE PLEISTOCENE.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES: A REPLICA OF HOMINID, HOMO ERECTUS FROM AFRICA.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES: REPLICA OF PILTDOWN MAN OF SUSSEX, ENGLAND, A HOMINID SPECIES OF THE PALEOLITHIC PERIOD OR OLD STONE AGE.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES: HOMO SAPIENS MAY HAVE APPEARED 300,000 YEARS AGO. THIS IS A REPLICA OF RHODESIAN MAN, HOMO SAPIENS HEIDELBERGENSIS WHO COULD BE THE SAME AS RHODESIENSIS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES: AN ARTISTIC RENDITION OF FLORES MAN, HOMO FLORESIENSIS.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES: A REPLICA OF HOMO SAPIENS NEANDERTHALIS, NEANDERTHAL MAN WHO LIVED BETWEEN 100,000 TO 40,000 YEARS AGO DISCOVERED IN 1856, NEANDERTHAL, WEST GERMANY. HE BELONGED TO THE MIDDLE PALEOLITHIC CULTURE. MODERN HUMANS MAY HAVE STARTED IN UPPER PALEOLITHIC CULTURE AND DEFINITELY BELONG TO THE BRONZE AGE.
None of these Hominid Species could be considered as the intermediate link or intermediate species from which the Human Species has arrived. The precise physical form of man has special features and it has to be explained if there is a connection between the Origin of the Human Species and of other Hominid Species. Comparative Anatomy makes the explanation of Man’s Evolution a very controversial subject.
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES: COMPARING HUMAN SKULL WITH THAT OF NEANDERTHAL SKULL HELPS TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN EVOLUTION. MODERN HUMANS SHARE SEVERAL FEATURES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF OTHER HOMINID SPECIES BUT THOSE SIMILARITIES MAKE THE ISSUE MORE DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN.SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES: THERE IS NO NATURAL CAUSE, NATURAL FACTOR, NATURAL CONDITION, OR NATURAL MECHANISM TO ACCOUNT FOR THE VARIATION SEEN WHEN THE NEANDERTHAL SKULL IS COMPARED WITH THE HUMAN SKULL.
THE ORIGIN OF THE SPECIAL FORM OF MAN:
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SPECIES: CHARLES DARWIN(1809-1892) MADE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS AND HIS PUBLISHED WORKS INCLUDE THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES(1859) AND THE DESCENT OF MAN(1871). HE FAILED TO DESCRIBE THE CREATIVE PROCESS, THE CREATIVE MECHANISM, OR THE CREATIVE EVENTS THAT CAN ACCOUNT FOR THE APPEARANCE OF NEW SPECIES AND THE EXTINCTION OF SPECIES FOR WHICH THERE IS NO NATURAL CAUSE.
In my view, there is no extinct or living Species that can bridge the gap between the Human Species and its nearest Hominid allies. About, 10,000 years ago, Earth’s surface had changed. The land area covered by Ice has steadily decreased; in Upper Pleistocene about 28 percent land area was covered by Ice and in Holocene, only about 10 percent land area is covered by ice. The warming of the climate has increased the area of habitation available to the various Hominid Species. Environmental conditions are entirely favorable to the survival of all the Hominid Species. If Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is a valid theory, we must witness the simultaneous co-existence of all intermediate varieties that may have progressed through incremental changes leading to the Origin of the Human Species. There was no geological catastrophe, it is relatively easy to adapt to the changed environment, food supply is adequate and particularly the Hominid Species were not preying upon one another in their struggle for existence. Actually, Darwin’s view on blending of hereditary factors is not supported by Gregor Mendel’s classic experiments in hybridization. According to Mendel, Inheritance is particulate and his theory is fully validated. Distinct genetic factors combine to produce a certain somatic result without causing the loss of separate identities carried by specific genes. The genetic factors can therefore be assorted and enter into new genetic combinations in the next generation. There is no evidence to suggest that the new Human Species has arrived because of some abrupt mutations in a single generation of any particular Hominid Species. It may be noted that Darwin’s Theory claims that new species originate through natural processes of Heredity and Selection. The Natural Laws of Heredity, and the natural process named Natural Selection are not sufficient for the production of the new Human Species that replaced all other Hominid Species that survived until Middle and Upper Pleistocene.
Whole Dude - Whole Concept 