The Dream of Vishnu (Part 2)

Nothingness?

By Prashant Saxena

The Buddhist conception of nothingness today is grossly misunderstood. Many people ask that if the ultimate reality consists of nothingness or emptiness, then why even do anything? People prescribing to such point of view also state that it is all maya, then why should we even do any dharmic actions? Such people see futility in doing their righteous duties for the welfare of the society or dharma. It is similar to the situation of a shattered Arjun who found it useless to fight his enemies on the battlefield consisting of relatives and friends. The war of mahabharat should not be judged as a good war or a bad war but a dharmic war.

Is non-doing of one's own duties really futile? Is inaction same as renunciation of actions?

Inactions connote ceasing of all the actions whether it be for the welfare of the society or protecting a loved one, whereas renunciation of actions refer to the detachment from the fruits of actions. Attachment to the fruits of actions leads to misery, stress, anger and loss of intellect (BG, chapter 2 and 5). It is evident that a student who is attached to the results of an exam will spend more time thinking about the negative results, i.e pessimism, unable to work perfectly or without stress. An optimist might not study efficiently attached to the optimism. Whereas a realist, would ignore both i.e pessimism and optimism, and devote his time to perfectly execute his dharmic actions i.e to study without a faltering mind and without attachment to the result. Similarly, if an innocent woman is being harassed, then inaction would only prove the ignorance of a person in general, attachment to his beliefs and apathy to adharma. Actions based on fruitive results may sow seeds of mental weakness and thoughts of pain i.e if a person fights the oppressor. But it is only the action based on detachment i.e renunciation of action, which will allow the person to execute dharmic actions perfectly for the preservation of dharma.

Is inaction better for the soldiers at border or actions based on fruitive results and what kind of fruitive results as ultimately it is only destruction that happens when nations go to war. If it is inaction by the soldiers, then terrorists will keep exploiting their nation. Therefore, the soldiers have to prescribe to the dharmic kshatriya activities without any attachment to the fruits. This renunciation of action can be seen even in the highest orders of the cosmos.   

One who realizes the renunciation of action in activities and action in the renunciation of activities, he is spiritually intelligent among mankind, transcendentally situated a perfect performer of all actions. One whose every undertaking is devoid of motivation for fruitive desires and sense gratification and who has incinerated all activities in the fire of pure knowledge; the spiritually intelligent describe him as educated. After giving up attachment for fruitive results, always satisfied, indifferent to external phenomena; he in spite of being engaged in activities does not do anything at all.(BG 4.18-20)

The nature of the life giving Sun is to illuminate the skies and sacrifice its heat. The nature of trees is to purify the atmosphere, control the under ground water table and keep the soil healthy. Similarly, can it be said that the nature of the ultimate reality is to manifest from the high waters of the unmanifest? Can it be said that the manifestation, preservation and destruction of material play is also the nature of the ultimate reality? Will there be any manifestation or destruction if the ultimate reality renounces its nature or dharma, will there be any life left on earth if Sun stops its dharmic actions and will there be any purified air left if trees leave their own actions?

O Arjuna, in the spiritual worlds, the heavenly worlds and the material worlds there is no prescribed duty for Me; neither anything to be obtained or unobtained; yet still I am engaged in prescribed activities. O Arjuna if ever I would not engage in prescribed activities certainly all men would follow My path in all respects. If I cease to perform prescribed actions the inhabitants of all the worlds would be put into ruin and I would be the cause of unvirtuous population and would destroy all these living entities. O Arjuna, just as the ignorant act attached to activities; even so the wise being unattached should act desiring to benefit the welfare of the world. (BG 3.22-25)

Even if a person prescribes to the ordinary definition of "nothingness or emptiness", the concept of maya based on it concluding the world to be unreal and assume that all actions are futile and generalizes "inactions" to be better, then also he is ignorant of the fact that he is breathing and exhaling, his inner organs, like kidney, liver etc, working according to their own dharma and the various bacteria working for the utilization of food and preservation of the body. Thus, by ceasing activites even the bodily maintenance is not possible.

One cannot remain without engaging in activity at any time, even for a moment; certainly all living entities are helplessly compelled to action by the qualities endowed by material nature. Anyone who having controlled the five working sense organs remains thinking within the mind about sense objects, that foolish being is known as a hypocrite. But anyone who regulates the senses by the mind O Arjuna, begins the science of uniting the individual consciousness with the Ultimate Consciousness by the actions of the working sense organs without desire for results; he is superior.  You should perform your prescribed Vedic activities since actions are better than renouncing actions; by ceasing activity even your bodily maintenance will not possible. O Arjuna this whole world is bound by actions except for actions sacrificed unto the SupremeLord; being free from attachment perfectly engage in actions for the purpose of sacrifice. (BG 3.5-9)

Therefore, Maya does not infer that the world is “nothingness" or unreal, but an effect stemming out from the attachment and the three modes of nature. Today, the youngsters are attached to much name, fame and lust because of which they get upset and angry easily if their desires are not satisfied. Further, to get their desires fulfilled they often pretend to be someone that they are not which is  contrary to self-realization. It further leads to illusion and ignorance. Young girls can be found putting a lot of make up to beautify themselves and they are often attached to their beauty. They then find it depressing during the transition to old age.



Physically, we are growing every minute. The change is slow and unobservable. We are not the very same person who existed fifteen years ago. The image of our face, shape, weight, height etc all have changed. Chemically, we are losing millions of molecules per second in the form of breath (exhale), perspiration, excreta, urination, farts and intaking other molecules in the form of breath (inhale), drinking, eating etc. In brief, a person does not have the same set of molecules or atoms that he had a second ago. Mentally, our thoughts are changing too. What we were thinking a second ago is not the same. Mentally, we evolve and our knowledge increases every passing second.

So how can we be the same even in a seconds differentiation? Are our eyes deceiving us when we look into the mirror? If we get attached to our looks, then we are bound to suffer when we change or grow old. This suffering due to attachment and ignorance is the constant effect of Maya which is all around us and forever trying to control our mind.  It is only because of Maya that we are not able to understand the ultimate reality or the truth. We see the sun and we think it is the same. But the truth is that the sun is also fading out. It has spent 4 million years and only has another 4 million years to live after which it will convert into a nova or a supernova. It is releasing huge amount of hydrogen in the form of fusion reactions into helium. Therefore, chemically it is not the same any second. Physically it releases long chains of fires or the solar winds, its magnetic field keeps on changing. So again, is our perception deceiving us about the shape and size of the sun? Do we think we will be the same person after 20 years with the same strength, healing rate of the cells, quickness of the mind and the body? Do we think that change is sudden that we would grow fragile with white hair and brittle bones overnight?

Thus self realization and knowledge of ultimate reality can only be found through the weapon of detachment. (BG 7.3, 7.25, 3.37-39, 15.3-4)

Within this world the inverted form of this tree cannot be perceived, nor its beginning, nor its foundation; severing this strongly rooted in attachment banyan tree with the sharp weapon of detachment; thereafter go to the place where there is no return again by approaching the exclusive shelter, surrendering at the feet of the Supreme Lord; verily to the original, Ultimate Personality from whom the perpetual process emanates. Devoid of false ego and illusion, free from degraded association, perceptive of the eternal and the transitory, dissassociated from lust, completely liberated from the dualities identified as happiness and distress; the wise reach the imperishable shelter of the Supreme Lord. (BG 15.3-5)

References :

http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/

 

The Dream of Vishnu (Part 1) - Shunyata or Infinity?

Shunyata or Infinity?

By Prashant Saxena

That man who uses the mind for reins and the knowledge for the driver, reaches the end of his road, the highest seat of Vishnu. Than the senses the objects of sense are higher; and higher than the objects of sense is the Mind; and higher than the Mind is the faculty of knowledge; and than that is the Great Self higher. And higher than the Great Self is the Unmanifest and higher than the Unmanifest is the Purusha: than the Purusha there is none higher: He is the culmination, He is the highest goal of the journey. (Katha Upanishad, Kena and other Upanishads, Page 115, 1.3.9-11)

A thought cannot be measured nor can it be known as to when it began. It can also be the effect of the remainder of all conditioning left in our unconscious, or it can be an intuitive thought, a natural inquiry into the nature and its working, or the whereabouts of a loved one. Where does this thought comes from, by whose will, why and when does the mind starts analyzing it because of which the senses which are also considered as divine or godly (e.g Prashna and Aitereya  Upanishad) work accordingly?

Eye cannot seize, speech cannot grasp Him, nor these other godheads; not by austerity can he be held nor by works: only when the inner being is purified by a glad serenity of knowledge, then indeed, meditating, one beholds the Spirit indivisible. (Manduka Upanishad, 3.1.8)

The ultimate reality or the dream of Vishnu is often equated to the mental faculty, where the individual consciousness reflects the essence of supreme consciousness just like the moon reflects the light of the sun.

There are various stages of meditation. The first stage is encountered with innumerable and uncontrollable thoughts. There is a sense of "I" and thoughts of people e.g the loved ones or the society in general associated with emotions like hate, anger etc. The mind seems restless and thoughts uncontrollable even for a few seconds. Some may be associated with pleasant and some with bad memories. The unpleasant memories or a mind full of material attachment might lead to depression. 

For the being who has conquered the mind; that beings mind is the best of friends; but for one whose mind is uncontrolled, that very mind acts as the worst of enemies. (Bhagvad Gita, 6.6)

As a person practices more and more, he becomes a detached witness to these thoughts. He experiences the thoughts, pleasant or unpleasant, but remains unwavered and detached from those thoughts. The final stage of meditation is experienced when a person is free from any thoughts and witnesses a blank, a void like state where the thoughts cease to exist. This stage is encountered with the disappearance of "I", where a person dissolves into that detached state of bliss experiencing a formless universe, without any shape, name, gender, space, time etc.

Is there any measure of that state, any depth, height or a frame of reference? Can we measure where it starts from or where it ends? It seems infinite if we analyze it through the framework of our logical mind and yet from the same approach it also looks "empty" i.e an infinite void. It cannot be called as existence as no singular thought can be experienced in that state, or in simple words nothing seems to be existing, nor can it be called as non-existence as the state itself is an experience!  

In that final state of meditation or thoughtless state of awareness, a thought may enter by its own nature e.g an idea to teach, which can then multiply into many thoughts e.g how to teach, what to teach with the content etc. It is similar to the unmanifest and unborn ultimate reality called bhraman manifesting itself into various forms animate and inanimate which ultimately dissolve back into it or the waves rising from the ocean and dissolving back into it. Thus, what we call as born, i.e thoughts or bodily shape, is a brief period of manifest from the unmanifest and back to the unmanifest. (Refer BG 8.18-21).  The body or the creatures rise (born) from food and energy or the infinite and unending universe, use it to sustain their temporary form on earth and become food and energy or dissolve into the same universe during their end.

The whole Universe, like an ocean, consists of such temporary waves, i.e human body, stars, galaxies etc, which rise and merge back into the same reality. It is the senses because of which the mind is able to differentiate and categorize, because of which we are able to perceive shapes, colors, forms, fragrances, taste, space, time etc. Are these waves apart from the ocean? Are these manifestation apart from the unmanifest or a part of the same unmanifest or the ultimate reality that the sages speak of?

“Form is emptiness; emptiness is form” - Buddhism

The nature of the ultimate reality has expounded by different people differently. The western material science uses tools which are nothing but an extension of the material senses. Can the boundary of the universe be identified? If yes, then what is beyond that boundary? Where did it come from? If it indeed has some boundary, then the universe must be having a definite shape or a form. Does that mean that the universe is itself rotating or revolving around something higher? Such questioning can go recursively and infinitely, which again means that the nature of the ultimate reality is infinite just like the final state of meditation. Similarly, in ancient times, some followed Saankhya and some Yoga to experience the ultimate reality. But do they give a different experience of the same ultimate reality?

Immature persons say that ‘Saankhya’ and ‘Yoga’ are different; but the wise do not. A person who perfectly follows one attains the result of both. That very state which is attained by the followers of ‘Saankhya’ is also attained by the followers of ‘Yoga’. One who sees ‘Saankhya’ and ‘Yoga’ to be one and the same, sees truly. (BG 5.4-5)

Sri Aurobindo writes

"The great Upanishads are written round one body of ancient knowledge; but they approach it from different sides. Into the great kingdom of the Brahmavidya each enters by its own gates, follows its own path or detour, aims at its own point of arrival. The Isha Upanishad and the Kena are both concerned with the same grand problem, the winning of the state of Immortality, the relations of the divine, all-ruling, all-possessing Brahman to the world and to the human consciousness, the means of passing out of our present state of divided self, ignorance and suffering into the unity, the truth, the divine beatitude. As the Isha closes with the aspiration towards the supreme felicity, so the Kena closes with the definition of Brahman as the Delight and the injunction to worship and seek after That as the Delight. Nevertheless there is a variation in the starting-point, even in the standpoint, a certain sensible divergence in the attitude." (Kena and Other Upanishads)

Therefore, the nature of the ultimate reality can only be arrived at through devotion in knowing its nature and detachment from materialism or mental conditioning. Thus, what the Buddhists call as Shunyata, the Vedic cannon describe it as the unmanifest, unborn, omnipresent,  unnameable, featureless, genderless etc. Both imply completeness or perfection.

The Upanishads express it in the form of riddles :

He who is neither inward-wise, nor outward-wise, nor both inward and outward wise, nor wisdom self-gathered, nor possessed of wisdom, nor unpossessed of wisdom, He Who is unseen and incommunicable, unseizable, featureless, unthinkable, and unnameable, Whose essentiality is awareness of the Self in its single existence, in Whom all phenomena dissolve, Who is Calm, Who is Good, Who is the One than Whom there is no other, Him they deem the fourth; He is the Self, He is the object of Knowledge. (Mandoukya Upanishad, Kena and other Upanishads, Page 194)

That Wise One is not born, neither does he die; he came not from anywhere, neither is he anyone; he is unborn, he is everlasting, he is ancient and sempiternal, he is not slain in the slaying of the body. (Katha Upanishad, Kena and other Upanishads, Page 112)

Not woman is He, nor man either, nor yet sexless; but whatsoever body He take, that confineth & preserveth Him. (Svetasvatara Upanishad, 5.10)

But, is it appropriate to call the concept of shunyata as "nothingness"? The ancient sages call this ultimate reality as omnipresent, omniscient, perfect, immutable etc. One may ask, how can something higher come from something lesser or how can perfect come from imperfect?

Sri Aurobindo writes,

‘Nothing can arise from Nothing. Asat, nothingness, is a creation of our mind; where it cannot see or conceive, where its object is something beyond its grasp, too much beyond to give even the sense of a vague intangibility, then it cries out, "Here there is nothing." Out of its own incapacity it has created the conception of a zero. But what in truth is this zero? It is an incalculable Infinite... Our sense by its incapacity has invented darkness. In truth there is nothing but Light, only it is a power of light either above or below our poor human vision's limited range.' Sri Aurobindo, The Web of Yoga, Centenary Edition, Vol. 17, p. 48

Therefore, the concept of "nothingness" or “ordinary emptiness”, to represent ultimate reality, is logically flawed as it would negate the very meaning of "omnipresent, omniscient". A comparable example would be energy. It is present everywhere and can change from one form to another e.g kinetic energy to potential energy, solar energy to electrical etc, but we cannot say it is "nothing". Therefore, the buddhist conception of shunyata cannot be mapped to "nothingness" as it distorts the whole understanding. Nothingness cannot manifest to “something". Only an omnipresent, immutable, unborn, unmanifest reality is capable of taking any form or manifestation and to accommodate both manifest and unmanifest aspects of the cosmos.

Frifjof Capra writes, “In spite of using terms like empty and void, the Eastern sages make it clear that they do not mean ordinary emptiness when they talk about Brahman, Sunyata or Tao, but, on the contrary, a Void which has an infinite creative potential. Thus, the Void of the Eastern mystics can easily be compared to the quantum field of subatomic physics. Like the quantum field, it gives birth to an infinite variety of forms which it sustains and, eventually, reabsorbs.”

References :

http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/

Kena and Other Upanishads By Sri Aurobindo

Tao Of Physics, By Frifof Capra

The Vedic God : An Evolutionary Journey

By Gurushankar Swaminathan

The sections of the Vedas that deal with the various facets of the Supreme Consciousness is an articulation of the entire experience that the Vedic seers underwent, in their quest to realize that one supreme reality. What we are going to see below (in the Vedic hymns) is a symbolic and mystical explanation of what was experienced in the deepest of the penances by noble souls like Vishwamitra, Vamadeva, Madhuchandas, Agastya, Veda Vyas etc.
The Vedas make an extremely sincere effort to articulate the various aspects of the Supreme Brahman but they also accept the limitations of the human intellect in comprehending that one absolute reality. The Vedic seers grapple with the enormity of the exercise of attempting to understand the Supreme Consciousness and the myriad manifestations of the same.
Unlike other religious scriptures that position a named God upfront and build fables and a laundry list of dos and don’ts around that God, the Vedas try to understand the Vedic Brahman, attempt to pierce the realm of Brahman’s BEING and peep into its NON – BEING state. The seers also attempt to comprehend the passion of the one that made this universe manifest, established the ORDER that is immutable and identify it to be the ultimate TRUTH, the alpha and omega of everything.

Hymns of Creation (Nasadiya Sukta). Rig Veda 10/129/ 1 – 7

1. At first was neither Being nor Nonbeing.
There was not air nor yet sky beyond.
What was its wrapping? Where? In whose protection?
Was Water there, unfathomable and deep?

2. There was no death then, nor yet deathlessness;
Of night or day there was not any sign.
The One breathed without breath, by its own impulse.
Other than that was nothing else at all.

3. Darkness was there, all wrapped around by darkness,
And all was Water indiscriminate.
Then that which was hidden by the Void, that One, emerging,
Stirring, through power of Ardor, came to be.

4. In the beginning Love arose,
which was the primal germ cell of the mind.
The Seers, searching in their hearts with wisdom,
Discovered the connection of Being in Nonbeing.

5. A crosswise line cut Being from Nonbeing.
What was described above it, what below?
Bearers of seed there were and mighty forces,
Thrust from below and forward move above.

6. Who really knows? Who can presume to tell it?
Whence was it born? Whence issued this creation?
Even the Gods came after its emergence.
Then who can tell from whence it came to be?

7. That out of which creation has arisen,
Whether it held it firm or it did not,
He who surveys it in the highest heaven,
He surely knows or maybe He does not!

The last two hymns seen above articulate a negative assertion that establishes the limitation of understanding and conceptually communicating what NON-BEING may have been.

The Vedic God emerges from NON-BEING into BEING. The Vedic God emerges out of the cosmic ardor/ passion (Tapas), establishes the order (Rita) and personifies the truth (Satya). And it is here that space and time get established.

Rig Veda 10/190/1 – 3
1. From blazing Ardor, Cosmic Order came and Truth;
From thence was born the obscure night;
From thence the Ocean with its billowing waves.

2. From Ocean with its waves was born the year
Which marshals the succession of nights and days,
Controlling everything that blinks the eye.

3. Then, as before, did the creator fashion
The Sun and Moon, the Heaven and the Earth,
The atmosphere and the domain of light.

The Vedic seers now are trying to comprehend as to “Who is this God?” and “Who should they offer their oblation to?”.

Hiranyagarbha (Golden Embryo) Rig Veda / 10/121/ 1 -10.
These hymns throw deep insight into the symbolism, mysticism and poetic nature of the Vedas. The golden embryo is where the Divine resides before coming into BEING. This is not about a logical evolution or a step in creation. By ardor, the Supreme one sacrifices to emerge from NON-BEING into BEING. The one that emerges TO BE is the Lord of Beings, Prajapati!

1. In the beginning arose the Golden Embryo:
He was, as soon as born, the Lord of Being,
Sustainer of the Earth and of this Heaven.
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

2. He who bestows life-force and hardy vigor,
Whose ordinances even the Gods obey,
Whose shadow is immortal life–and death–
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

3. Who by his grandeur has emerged sole sovereign
Of every living thing that breathes and slumbers,
He who is Lord of man and four-legged creatures
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

4. To him of right belong, by his own power,
The snow-clad mountains, the world-stream, and the sea.
His arms are the four quarters of the sky.
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

5. Who held secure the mighty Heavens and Earth,
Who established light and sky’s vast vault above,
Who measured out the ether in mid-spheres–
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

6. Toward him, trembling, the embattled forces,
Riveted by his glory, direct their gaze.
Through him the risen sun sheds forth its light.
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

7. When came the mighty Waters, bringing with them
The universal Germ, whence sprang the Fire,
Thence leapt the God’s One Spirit into being.
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

8. This One who in his might surveyed the Waters
Pregnant with vital forces, producing sacrifice,
He is the God of Gods and none beside him.
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

9. O Father of the Earth, by fixed laws ruling,
O Father of the Heavens, pray protect us,
O Father of the great and shining Waters!
What God shall we adore with our oblation?

10. O Lord of Creatures (Prajapati), Father of all beings,
You alone pervade all that has come to birth.
Grant us our heart’s desire for which we pray.
May we become the lords of many treasures!

It is important to note that these hymns (found above) are a favorite punching bag of those involved in human harvests. They use these hymns to claim that our forefathers never received any guidance, as; they seem not to know the God to whom oblations need to be offered. But the truth is the last hymn calls out the Lord to whom the Vedic seers adore their oblations as Prajapati.

And then the Vedic God sacrifices a one fourth of Self to create animate and inanimate things in this universe. This act is what is contained in the most famous Purusha Sukta, Rig Veda /10/90.

This sukta describes the act of Supreme Consciousness where, the Supreme one, called the Purusha here, sacrifices 1/4th of Self and the remaining 3/4th of the one, oversee and perform the sacrifice. There is a kind of a triple principle at play here. The Supreme Consciousness is the object of sacrifice, the sacrifice itself and one that is executing the sacrifice.

The 1/4th Purusha is the cosmic MAN. This sukta describes the MAN to be so large that HE encompasses the entire earth, possesses thousands of eyes and limbs and it is from this Purusha that all animate and inanimate things are born. This Purusha is the divine emanation.

1. A thousand-headed is the Man
With a.thousand eyes, a thousand feet;
Encompassing the Earth all sides,
He exceeded it by ten fingers’ breadth.

2. The Man, indeed, is this All,
What has been and what is to be
The Lord of the immortal spheres
Which he surpasses by consuming food.

3. Such is the measure of his might,
And greater still than this is Man.
All beings are a fourth of him,
Three fourths are the immortal in heaven.

4. Three fourths of Man ascended high,
One fourth took birth again down here.
From this he spread in all directions
Into animate and inanimate things.

5. From him the Shining one was born;
From this Shining one Man again took birth.
As soon as born, he extended himself all
Over the Earth both behind and before.

6. Using the Man as their oblation,
The Gods performed the sacrifice.
Spring served them for the clarified butter,
Summer for the fuel, and Autumn for the offering.

7. This evolved Man, then first born,
They besprinkled on the sacred grass.
With him the Gods performed the sacrifice,
As did also the heavenly beings and seers.

8. From this sacrifice, fully accomplished,
Was gathered curd mixed with butter.
Thence came the creatures of the air,
Beasts of the forest and those of the village.

9. From this sacrifice, fully accomplished,
Were born the hymns and the melodies;
From this were born the various meters;
From this were born the sacrificial formulas.

10. From this were horses born, all creatures
Such as have teeth in either jaw;
From this were born the breeds of cattle;
From this were born sheep and goats.

11. When they divided up the Man,
Into how many parts did they divide him?
What did his mouth become? What his arms?
What are his legs called? What his feet?

12. His mouth became the brahmin;
His arms became the kshatriyas,
His legs became the vysyas
And his feet became the sudras.

13. The Moon was born from his mind;
The Sun came into being from his eye;
From his mouth came Indra and Agni,
While from his breath the Wind was born.

14. From his navel issued the Air;
From his head unfurled the Sky,
The Earth from his feet, from his ear the four directions.
Thus have the worlds been organized.

15. Seven were the sticks of the enclosure,
Thrice seven the fuel sticks were made,
When the Gods, performing the sacrifice,
Bound the Man as the victim.

16. With the sacrifice the Gods sacrificed to the sacrifice.
Those were the first established rites.
These powers ascended up to heaven
Where dwell the ancient Gods and other beings.

Again, I must add that this sukta is used to debunk the Vedas by harvesters of souls. They point to the origin of casteism in hymn #12. But unlike those that believe in a redeemer to overcome the sin of having born in a particular lineage, this sukta establishes that men are born out of Supreme Purusha. The varna system established in the Vedas is based on vocations and there is nothing in the Vedas that espouses the dogmas that the prevailing caste system sticks to. Some of the cases in point: Yajur Veda 18:48 / 20:17/ 26:2, Atharvana Veda 19:32:8 / 19:62:1.

And this sukta evolves in the Upanishads and Satpatha Brahmanas in a couple of different ways. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (I/4/1-5) shows an evolved Purusha that is established in the self (consciousness of I) and then the fable goes on to state that the masculine Purusha created a feminine principle of Self by splitting into two. And this idea is extended to all animate things like cows, stallions, sheep etc to develop the idea of the Purusha Sukta. Again harvesters of human souls point to this Upanishad to claim that Prajapati did many asinine things!

Once the Vedic God enters the BEING mode, the Vedic seers go on to perceive the Supreme Consciousness as focal point of everything and as the cosmic pillar (Skhamba) that anchors everything in this universe, the SELF of the universe.

Atharvana Veda 10/7/ 1 – 40. I am furnishing only a few of the forty hymns to help us get a drift of the hymns.

1. In which of his limbs does Fervor dwell?
In which of his limbs is Order set?
In what part of him abides Constancy, Faith?
In which of his limbs is Truth established?

3. In which of his limbs does the earth abide?
In which of his limbs the atmosphere?
In which of his limbs is the sky affixed?
In which of his limbs the great Beyond?

8. That which of all forms the Lord of Life
Created–above, below, and in between–
With how much of himself penetrated the Support?
How long was the portion that did not enter?

[The part that did not enter, pertains to the 3/4th part of the transcendental ONE that sacrificed the 1/4th Purusha]

15. In whom, as Man, deathlessness and death combine,
To whom belong the surging ocean
And all the arteries that course within him;
Tell me of that Support–who may he be?
18. He whose head is Universal Fire,
Who has for his eyes the Angirases
And for his limbs the practitioners of sorcery–
Tell me of that Support–who may he be?

21. The branch of Nonbeing which is far-extending
Men take to be the highest one of all.
They reckon as inferior those who worship
Your other branch, the branch of Being.

22. In whom the Adityas, Rudras and Vasus,
Are held together, in whom are set firm
Worlds–that whch was and that which shall be–
Tell me of that Support–who may he be?

23. Whose treasure hoard the three and thirty Gods
Forever guard–today who knows its contents?
Tell me of that Support–who may he be?

Perhaps, the above hymn is where the Puranas draw the fable of 33 Million Devas in Indra loka, though this hymn only talks about 30 aspects/deities of the ONE.

25.Great are the Gods who were born from Nonbeing,
Yet men aver this Nonbeing to be
The single limb of the Support, the great Beyond.

Now that we have seen the way the Supreme Reality emerged from NON-BEING to BEING, the way the universe was manifested, the way life forms were created by the Supreme one, the way the Divine became the pillar of support, it becomes easier to decipher, this false belief that Vedas only espouse myriad Gods. In fact the Vedic mind, cognizant of the multifaceted nature of reality embraces the non-being and being, the manifest and unmanifest aspects of the Supreme Reality.

Let us go through a few Vedic hymns.

He is one and only one, Sustains entire universe, Omnipresent, Formless, All-Powerful, Perfect, Omniscient, Unborn, Eternal and supports us always. He alone should be worshipped. Yajur Veda 40:8.

Truth is One; the wise call it by different names. Rig Veda 1:164:46

Power entered within him. He is the one, the onefold, the only one Atharvana Veda 13:4:12

All moments originated from the Purusha like lightning, no one has comprehended him, above, across, or in the center. Yajur Veda 32:2

Divine and formless is the Person; he is inside and outside, he is not begotten, is not breath or mind; utterly pure, farther than the farthest Imperishable. Mundaka Upanishad 2:1:2

However this one Supreme Reality in the Vedas is Brahman and not the ones in Abrahamic scriptures. I will deal in detail what the differences between Brahman and Jehovah and Allah are separately.

Sources:Raimon Panikkar. The Vedic Experience
Sri Aurobindo (1956) The Secret Of The Veda

Vedic Wisdom and Evolution of Consciousness

By Tina Sadhwani

In the Rig Veda there are 5 hymns constituting an important dialogue between Lord Indra and Sage Agastya that reflects the significance of traversing the evolutionary path of consciousness, that seems to serve as a crucial pre-requisite to understanding the true nature of the Supreme Absolute Reality (God).
The verses exemplify how sage Agastya, by the sheer force of his thoughts is breaking through the barriers of his mind, reaching the realm of God without first being developed as a fully functional being in all his levels of consciousness. The eagerness to experience God gets the better of sage Agastya and his senses and he refuses to progressively surrender to the stepping stone (which in this case refers to Lord Indra) in his quest for God. At this point, sage Agastya gets pushed back by Indra who does not allow him to proceed to the realm of God.

Indra says-that which is beyond time and space (God) cannot be known by that which is in time and space (Agastya and other mortals like us).

Indra goes on to explain that it is the progressive transcendence (of ego-consciousness) through divine activities that will take a mortal towards the immortal truth. Sage Agastya thenceforth realizes his folly, surrenders his will to Indra and goes on to execute his mandated activities through Indra.

Ego transcendence

One of the obvious implications that can be drawn from the verses is that the sense of “I” that we adorn and the identification with our ego-consciousness is often what prevents us from experiencing the Divine. That would also probably explain why meditation, yoga, etc. are delineated as paths in Hinduism to achieve that distance and ‘dis-identification’ from the ego-centric self. One could however, question the whole point or practical significance of transcending the ego-bound self, to which it can be reasoned that detachment (the kind that Lord Krishna expounds in the Gita) would actually entail a greater sense of involvement and participation in life’s experiences without being shaken or affected by them. It would imply a sense of free-experiencing that is unimpeded by our conditioned beliefs, emotions, memories, reactions, etc. enabling us to understand things from a larger frame of reference.

Modern psychology and cognitive science is only now exploring the frontiers of consciousness (exemplified in Vedanta) and its impact on human life and behaviour. Current researches (Joel Krueger) in the field also indicate that transcending of the personalized ego often leads to a unified mode of awareness and “That a scholar acquires a new insight, or a moralist a new motive, or an artist a new imagination, or a religious figure a new awakening, are all based upon a disclosure of this kind of unity in consciousness” which is only made possible by that ego transcendence.

Levels of Consciousness

Sri Aurobindo (scholar of the Vedas) was one of the first pioneers in the field of consciousness studies. His work was further compounded by researcher Ken Wilber who (based on Aurobindo’s Vedic insights and Piaget’s Cognitive Development) established the ‘ten levels of consciousness’ that humans had to develop through, re-affirming the fact that psychological and spiritual development go hand in hand; that we can’t have one without the other.

According to the Vedic template reflected in the Taittiriya Upanishad there are five sheaths of existence/being- 1) Anna-maya kosa (physical), 2) Prana-maya kosa (vital), 3) Mano-maya kosa (mental), 4) Vijnana-maya kosa (intellectual) and 5) Ananda-maya kosa (bliss).

The ten levels of consciousness derived from this template are:

1) The Sensoriphysical- reflecting the realm of matter, sensation and perception.
2) Phantasmic-Emotional- the emotional-sexual level (seat of libido and instincts)
3) Representational mind- level of concepts and symbols, fantasy, ego-centric thinking.
4) Rule/role mind- thinking in terms of concrete things and events.
5) Formal-reflexive mind- the level of reflective, abstract thinking and introspection.
6) Vision-logic- the level of synthesis and integration.
The higher levels are 7) Psychic, 8 ) Subtle (level of soul), 9) Causal (level of spirit) and 10) Non-dual (Brahman-Atman)

Our centre of gravity is said to rest in a certain level on that spectrum and our thoughts and actions are defined by that level of functioning. Evolution of consciousness then requires a shift to higher levels. Wilber believes that the majority of humankind is still operating on the Mental, or Egoic, level, while only a few have attained higher spiritual consciousness.  Consequently it’s important to note that if an individual has spiritual experiences but his consciousness has only developed to the level of the ‘rep’ mind (level 3) for instance then he won’t be able to understand that spiritual experience in a broad way and won’t be able to integrate it. On the contrary he is more likely to distort the experience for people tend to interpret their religious/spiritual experience according to the level of mental development they are at. This does not imply that there are different levels of God, but that there are different levels of interpretation. The person at the highest levels of consciousness will have a more integrated and holistic understanding of the Supreme Reality.

It’s also interesting to note that those who are at the ‘earlier stages of development’ often tend to think that “their truth is the only truth” as they lack the ability to integrate alternate perspectives. To explain the tangible effects of this phenomenon, Swami Vivekananda once said “Whenever a prophet got into the super-conscious state by heightening his emotional nature, he brought away from it not only some truths, but some fanaticism also, some superstition which injured the world as much as the greatness of the teaching helped.”

Eminent author Ram Swarup also explains that even though a person has spiritual experiences, if he has not transcended his ego then his connection with the Divine will be distorted and filtered through his immature mind and his resulting beliefs and actions will prove to be very destructive, as can be witnessed from the history of imperial movements and regimes. He claims that this happens “because they mix spiritual truth and ego together, which is a very dangerous and volatile combination… as nectar mixed with poison becomes poison”.

The prevalent culture also stands as testimony to this phenomenon that is now witnessing the spread of myriad psuedo visionaries with the messiah complex.
 It stands to reason then that without the anchor of integrated development a person can be in danger of falling prey to the lower nature of his self which perpetuates various forms of dysfunctions from a simple lack of objectivity to extreme fanaticism.

Researcher Prem Sabhlok also asserts “The ancient, medieval and modern history of India as well as of the world has confirmed that with material knowledge based on sense experiences and intellectual reasons and arguments alone, any search for God had always led to fanaticism, fundamentalism, communal tension, destruction of the temples, gurudwaras, churches, etc. of the same God and even has been cause of wars between the nations. With material knowledge, the same God appears different to various sections of the people.”

This suggests that it is often imperative for a super-conscious spiritual experience to be supported by a corresponding heightened psychological development. More importantly, it indicates that material knowledge without spiritual growth can be counterproductive as there is something crucial missing in human awareness that causes us to fall victim to all sorts of delusions and distortions. Vedas refers to this as ‘avidya’-ignorance and goes on to explain how we need to reach a certain stage in consciousness for this avidya to dissolve.

Evolution of Consciousness and Enlightenment

As we progress to higher levels of development on that scale our consciousnesses expands.  “So the more narrow, fragmented and restricted our mode of consciousness,” says Wilber, “the more prone we will be to experiencing psychological disorders or distortions. And the more expanded and heightened our level of consciousness, the more scope we will have for self-actualization and enlightenment. Therefore… enlightenment in this context implies an expansion of consciousness from the isolated, alienated individual to a kind of global cosmic consciousness.”  It then overall alludes to a progressive expansion from parts of the psyche (persona) to the psyche (ego) to the environment (ecological) and finally to the universe-manifest and unmanifest (Brahman).

While it is often reiterated that there is only one indivisible, all-pervading and immanent reality (Brahman), Vedic metaphysics makes it clear that it is only at the stage of “Turiya” (highest level of superconsciousness) that a person experientially discerns and understands this One Supreme Reality (God) in all its magnitude and the vehement effect of Maya -the cosmic illusion then dissolves.

So contrary to Darwin’s theory of evolution and according to Vedic scriptures, one form of species does not evolve into another, rather it is the soul that evolves through the various levels of consciousness and this transition is not so much biological as much as it is spiritual.
Aurobindo declares, “Man is a transitional being. He is not final. The step from man to superman is the next approaching achievement in the earth’s evolution. It is inevitable because it is at once the intention of the inner spirit and the logic of Nature’s process.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1. Indra: It is not now, nor is It tomorrow; who knoweth that which is Supreme and Wonderful? It has motion and action in the consciousness of another, but when It is approached by the thought, It vanishes.

2. Agastya: Why dost thou seek to smite us, O Indra? The Maruts are thy brothers. By them accomplish perfection; slay us not in our struggle.

3. Indra: Why, O my brother Agastya, art thou my friend, yet settest thy thought beyond me? For well do I know how to us thou willest not to give thy mind.

4. Indra: Let them make ready the altar, let them set Agni in blaze in front. It is there, the awakening of the consciousness to Immortality. Let us two extend for thee thy effective sacrifice.

5. Agastya: O Lord of substance over all substances of being, thou art the master in force! O Lord of Love over the powers of love, thou art the strongest to hold in status! Do thou, O lndra, agree with the Maruts, then enjoy the offerings in the ordered method of the Truth.


References:

-Rig Veda – Book 1 – Verse 170 – Hymns CLXX (1 – 5)
-Taittriya Upanishad-Sri Aurobindo (1956) The Secret of the Veda
-Ram Swarup (1980) The word as revelation: Names of Gods.
-Vivekananda: Complete Works, Vol.1, Raja Yoga, Ch.7: “Dhyana and Samadhi”
-Ken Wilber (1977) Spectrum of Consciousness
-Prem Sabhlok- Glimpses of Vedic Metaphysics
-Joel Krueger (2007) The Varieties of Pure Experience: William James and Kitaro Nishida on Consciousness and Embodiment
-hinduism.co.za/kosas.htm
-Jean Piaget- Cognitive Development

Ultimate Reality and Monotheism

By Prashant Saxena

Monotheism as the world knows from the west means belief in one God. The one God in the western faiths is isolated from the nature, created the world, judges the mankind from their behavior the directions for which are given in the western holy books with a set of DO-s and DONT-s. He divides the mankind on the basis of belief i.e those who follow that holy book blindly and those who question it or who do not follow it. Thus, the monotheistic concept from west reduces the mankind to blindly believe into some god who has a particular gender, a particular name and categorized his believers with a particular label and differentiates the world between “you and them” on the basis of that belief which is to be followed blindly.

Similarly, stemming out from theism, we have polytheism which means belief in different gods. Atheism is a disbelief in the possibility of a god who plays dice with human lives, judges the humans on a judgement day as prescribed by western holy books and who created the world.

In the Indian terminology, there is no such belief of a god having a particular gender or a set of DO-s and DONT-s. Vedas and Upanishads which are a part of shrutis (considered as primary works) talk of ultimate reality which is formless, unmanifested, unborn and inconcievable. Unlike, the western beliefs and holy books, Vedas teach about what a person can realize in his highest state of consciousness. Thus, Vedas are also characterized as “revealed” which means coming from the highest source of consciousness which is conceptualized and called as Bhraman. Hence, Vedas are only a tool to raise one's consciousness and know the ultimate reality. A person who has a dharmic mind, spirit of questioning and practical intellect can know the ultimate reality even without knowing the Vedas. Therefore, unlike the western faiths and conditioning where the followers need a “book”, one doesn't always need the Vedas to know the ultimate truth. The knowledge of the Veda is embedded in everyone which needs to be known by detachment and getting rid of the Maya which is constantly affecting both physically and mentally and hiding the realization of the ultimate reality.

Gita Verse 3.42

It is declared the sense are superior but more than the senses the mind is superior but more than the mind the intelligence is superior and more than the intelligence that which is superior is the individual consciousness.

How can one realize the ultimate reality without the Vedas? It cannot be explained in a few words. Gitopanishad has eighteen chapters that give a hint of ultimate reality. Kenopanishad states,

1. By whom missioned falls the mind shot to its mark? By

whom yoked moves the first life-breath forward on its

paths? By whom impelled is this word that men speak?

What god set eye and ear to their workings?

2. That which is hearing of our hearing, mind of our mind,

speech of our speech, that too is life of our life-breath and

sight of our sight. The wise are released beyond and they

pass from this world and become immortal.

3. There sight travels not, nor speech, nor the mind. We know

It not nor can distinguish how one should teach of It: for It

is other than the known; It is there above the unknown. It

is so we have heard from men of old who declared That to

our understanding.

4. That which is unexpressed by the word, that by which the word is expressed, know That to be the Brahman and not this which men follow after here.

5. That which thinks not by the mind, that by which the mind is thought, know That to be the Brahman and not this which men follow after here.

6. That which sees not with the eye, that by which one sees the eye’s seeings, know That to be the Brahman and not this which men follow after here.

7. That which hears not with the ear, that by which the ear’s hearing is heard, know That to be the Brahman and not this which men follow after here.

8. That which breathes not with the breath, that by which the life-breath is led forward in its paths, know That to be the Brahman and not this which men follow after here.

A simple scientific example can be taken in context of relativity. The motion of everything within the universe is taken with respect to something. We measure our speed relative to the ground which we assume to have a speed of zero. But in reality earth is rotating and revolving around the sun. What is our actual speed as compared to sun at rest or zero speed? Analyzing the angular speed of earth around the sun and motion of our speed on earth, we can mathematically deduce our speed around the sun. If we expand reality, then sun is also revolving around something higher.

Rig Veda 10.149.1“The sun has tied Earth and other planets through attraction and moves them around itself as if a trainer moves newly trained horses around itself holding their reins.”

Yajur Veda 33.43“The sun moves in its own orbit in space taking along with itself the mortal bodies like earth through force of attraction.”
 
Rig Veda 1.35.9“The sun moves in its own orbit but holding earth and other heavenly bodies in a manner that they do not collide with each other through force of attraction.
 
Rig Veda 1.164.13
“Sun moves in its orbit which itself is moving. Earth and other bodies move around sun due to force of attraction, because sun is heavier than them.

According to the modern science, sun moves around the centre of the milky way galaxy. With proper logic and mathematics, one may find his speed relative to the centre of milky way galaxy too. If we expand our awareness even higher, then the next question that automatically comes : Is milky way galaxy is also moving around something higher? Lets call it X. Going by that chain we have a non-stop function if that X is also moving around something higher, lets say Y and Y around Z and so on. Where does it stop? There are only two cases for such a problem : (a) It stops and hence universe can be called as finite or (b) It doesn't stop and hence universe can be called infinite. For the former case, if we call universe as finite, then obvious questions would be

• Where is the boundary of the universe?
• What is its weight?
• Is the universe itself rotating like earth?
• What shape does it have?
• Is universe itself revolving around something higher? What is outside this universe, beyond its boundary?

From these questions one would again conclude to the latter case where the questioning itself would cease to exist and one would realize that universe is infinite. Even today what modern science explores is within what it calls as “observable universe”. An infinite doesn't have a centre nor does it have any form. Thus, the relativity cease to exist when the relation itself is done to universe and not to any object within the universe. But the question is how did this universe itself come to existence?

RigVedic hymn of creation :

There was neither non-existence nor existence then.
There was neither the realm of space nor the sky which is beyond.
What stirred?
Where?
In whose protection?
Was there water, bottlemlessly deep?
There was neither death nor immortality then.
There was no distinguishing sign of night nor of day.
That One breathed, windless, by its own impulse.
Other than that there was nothing beyond.
Darkness was hidden by darkness in the beginning,
with no distinguishing sign, all this was water.
The life force that was covered with emptiness,
that One arose through the power of heat.
Desire came upon that One in the beginning,
that was the first seed of mind.
Poets seeking in their heart with wisdom
found the bond of existence and non-existence.
Their cord was extended across.
Was there below?
Was there above?
There were seed-placers, there were powers.
There was impulse beneath, there was giving forth above.
Who really knows?
Who will here proclaim it?
Whence was it produced?
Whence is this creation?
The gods came afterwards, with the creation of this universe.
Who then knows whence it has arisen?
Whence this creation has arisen
- perhaps it formed itself, or perhaps it did not -
the One who looks down on it,
in the highest heaven, only He knows
or perhaps even He does not know.

Therefore, the ultimate reality is said to be unborn, infinite, formless and unmanifested.

That is one and only one, Sustains entire universe, Omnipresent, Formless, All-Powerful, Perfect, Omniscient, Unborn, Eternal and supports us always. That alone should be worshipped.

(Yajur Veda 40:8.)

Thus, the Vedic conception of ultimate reality, which can be arrived at by questioning and experience, is different from monetheistic concept of western faiths. The various elements of the nature like agni-dev (fire element), vayu-dev (air elements) etc are a part of Bhraman. It is Bhraman who manifests itself to various energies and forms like science calls itself as physics, chemistry, biology etc to deal with different branches. Whereas in western beliefs, humans and everything else is “apart” from God or separate entities.

"They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, and he is heavenly nobly-winged Garutman. To what is One, sages give many a title they call it Agni, Yama, Matarisvan." RV (Book 1, Hymn 164.46)

The nearest english translation for “Deva” is god. All the devas are the manifestation of the supreme reality. The manifestation of the divine, i.e supreme reality, into various forms and energies is miscomprehended by the missionaries of western faiths as polytheism. They think that Indians follow 33 crore gods. But they cannot tell the names of the 33 crore gods that they assume. Thus, calling Hinduism as polythiestic on the basis of the various devas is conceptually and logically incorrect and so is stating that Hinduism is monotheistic on the basis of ultimate reality.

Further, in western faiths the god has a gender and a particular name. The followers of abrahamic faiths cannot worship any other name than that given in their holy book. Their subjective opinions and understanding is not their own but conditioned and outsourced from a holy book. Whereas, in India people worship the ultimate reality with different names. In Mahabharata, Eklavya trained himself in the art of warfare by concentrating in front of the idol of Dronacharya. Indians can worship the names given in western faiths, but the followers of abrahamic faiths cannot chant the names given to the divine concepts and elements given in Vedas as they are conditioned by their “holy book” that the monotheistic god as per their book would punish them. Gitopanishad states,

Gita Verse 7.20

Those deprived of discrimination by various desires impelled by their particular natures worship the lesser demigods adapting to the applicable rites and rituals.

Gita Verse 7.21

Whichever demigod a particular devotee desires with faith to worship, I surely sustain firmly that faith in him.

Gita Verse 9.23

O Arjuna, those who worship devotedly different demigods, although faithfully; they also worship me only; but in an unauthorised manner.

Thus there are scriptural evidences of the tolerance to the worship of other names or demi-gods in the Indian scriptures. One may ask what “unauthorised manner” verse 9.23 speaks about. To know the ultimate reality we cannot rely only on spirituality alone or on materialism alone. We have to know the ultimate reality by meditating upon it as a whole. We cannot pollute the air i.e insult wind-god, deforest i.e insult the prakriti just to generate wealth i.e worship Laxmi. Thus ultimate reality has to be known as a whole. One should not be attached to its individual manifestations.

Gita Verses 15.3, 4

Within this world the inverted form of this tree cannot be perceived, nor its beginning, nor its foundation; severing this strongly rooted in attachment banyan tree with the sharp weapon of detachment; thereafter go to the place where there is no return again by approaching the exclusive shelter, surrendering at the feet of the Supreme Lord; verily to the original, Ultimate Personality from whom the perpetual process emanates.

The fundamental differences between monotheism as originated in west and the concept of ultimate reality from Vedas are as follows -:

1) In Monotheism every thing is God's i.e “apart” from God, whereas with ultimate reality, everything is a “part” of ultimate reality.

2) In monotheism only the god as mentioned in the holy book is to be worshipped, whereas with respect to Ultimate reality, “everything that upholds life” is considered as divine. E.g air, water, sun, fire, intellect, universe etc.

3) Monotheism forbids the chanting the “name” of some other god other than the one mentioned in their “holy book”, whereas the same ultimate reality is called by different names which concludes ultimate reality is nameless.

4) Monotheism “preaches attachment” to a particular name, a belief system, a set of DO-s and DONT-s which a person has to follow blindly. Whereas, Vedas and Upanishads speak of detachment to think objectively and gain complete knowledge.

5) Monotheistic god is “personal and the belief is subjective”. He belongs to the followers of the “book”. Whereas, the ultimate reality is impersonal, formless, umanifested and unborn. It is to be known through detachment via an objective frame of mind.

6) Monotheistic god in western faiths has “a gender” and is a male. Whereas, the ultimate reality is has both male and female names according to its various manifestations.

7) Monotheism lacks “spirit of questioning”, whereas Vedas and Upanishads speak of dharma and karma where spirit of enquiry and questioning are the basic aspects.

8) The “science of consciousness” originated from the Vedas which the modern science is researching now. Whereas, it is absent in the western faiths.

9) Friendship with the non-believer i.e one who doesn't believe in the holy book, is considered as inferior, whereas friendship itself is considered as divine as per Vedas and Upanishads.

10)Monotheism that originated in the west often finds itself in contradiction to modern science, whereas the ideas from Vedas and Upanishads are revolutionising the modern science.

Nikola Tesla used ancient Sanskrit terminology in his descriptions of natural phenomena. As early as 1891 Tesla described the universe as a kinetic system filled with energy which could be harnessed at any location. His concepts during the following years were greatly influenced by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda.

Schrodinger wrote in his book Meine Weltansicht:

“This life of yours which you are living is not merely a piece of this entire existence, but in a certain sense the whole; only this whole is not so constituted that it can be surveyed in one single glance. This, as we know, is what the Brahmins express in that sacred, mystic formula which is yet really so simple and so clear; tat tvam asi, this is you. Or, again, in such words as “I am in the east and the west, I am above and below, I am this entire world.”

[This is a reference to the Mundaka Upanishad mantra 2.2.11 ]

“All this that is in front is but Brahman, the immortal. Brahman is at the back, as also on the right and the left. It is extended above and below, too. This world is nothing but Brahman, the highest.”

Schrodinger’s influential ‘What is life? The physical aspect of the living cell & Mind and matter (1944)’ also used Vedic ideas. The book became instantly famous although it was criticized by some of its emphasis on Indian ideas. Francis Clark, the codiscoverer of the DNA code, credited this book for key insights that led him to his revolutionary discovery.

According to his biographer Walter Moore, there is a clear continuity between Schrodinger’s understanding of Vedanta and his research:

“The unity and continuity of Vedanta are reflected in the unity and continuity of wave mechanics. In 1925, the world view of physics was a model of a great machine composed of separable interacting material particles. During the next few years, Schrodinger and Heisenberg and their followers created a universe based on super-imposed inseparable waves of probability amplitudes. This new view would be entirely consistent with the Vedantic concept of All in One.”

He became a Vedantist, a Hindu, as a result of his studies in search for truth. Schrodinger kept a copy of the Hindu scriptures at his bedside. He read books on Vedas, yoga and Sankhya philosophy and he reworked them into his own words, and ultimately came to believe them. The Upanishads and the Bhagavad gita, were his favorite scriptures.

According to his biographer Moore, “His system – or that of the Upanishads – is delightful and consistent: the self and the world are one and they are all. He rejected traditional western religious beliefs (Jewish, Christian, and Islamic) not on the basis of any reasoned argument, nor even with an expression of emotional antipathy, for he loved to use religious expressions and metaphors, but simply by saying that they are naïve.

Apart of Nicolas Tesla and Scroedinger, various other scientists and philosophers have testified about the greatness of Vedas and the Upanishads.

11) The western faiths “preach conversion” of the mankind to follow the belief as prescribed in the “book”, whereas Vedas and Upanishands promote questioning (e.g “neti neti”) to experience the truth.

12) The term muslim, christian etc is mentioned in their respective “books”. But neither Buddha mention “buddhist”' or Veda or Gita mention “Hindus” or gives more importance to Hindus.

References :

http://www.newsfinder.org/site/more/vedic_philosophy_of_nikola_tesla/

http://www.hinduwisdom.info/quotes21_40.htm

Kenopanishad, translations by Aurobindo

The Secret of Vedas by Aurobindo

Bhagvad Gita

The shape of the ultimate reality

By Prashant Saxena

Hexagonal, triangle, square, fat, large, small etc are all having a definite shape, a definite form. A human body has a definite shape, so does the sun when viewed from the earth. Thus, if one analyzes the fundamental definition of shape and form, then one would realize that these are only the attributes observable by the eye. If one can see or observe something, then only he can tell what shape, size and form it is. How can one observe from a distance, of the shape, size and form of something if he is blind? The ability to visualize enhances the perception of form and shape. Do knowledge, spiritual experience, energy, empty space or vaccum, thoughts, sound that we hear etc have any shape, size or form?

The ONE/ the Brahman in the Vedas: He is One and only One, Sustains entire universe, Omnipresent, Formless, All-Powerful, Perfect, Omniscient, Unborn, Eternal and supports us always.He alone should be worshipped. (Yajurveda 40.8)

In Gita, Krishna reveals clearly that the true definition of "him" or the ultimate reality is unmanifested, unborn, impersonal, inconcievable, fixed, eternal, unchanging and immovable. How can the "unmanifested, unborn, inconcievable" have a form, shape or a definite name? Naturally, a name is given by those who try to comprehend a concept or something.

BG 12.3-4: But those who fully worship the unmanifested, that which lies beyond the perception of the senses, the all-pervading, inconceivable, unchanging, fixed and immovable — the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth — by controlling the various senses and being equally disposed to everyone, such persons, engaged in the welfare of all, at last achieve Me.

BG 12.5: For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied.

BG 12.6-7: But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Pṛthā — for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.

BG 12.8: Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt.

BG 10.2: Neither the hosts of demigods nor the great sages know My origin or opulences, for, in every respect, I am the source of the demigods and sages.

BG 10.3: He who knows Me as the unborn, as the beginningless, as the Supreme Lord of all the worlds — he only, undeluded among men, is freed from all sins.

BG 10.12-13: Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth. You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest. All the great sages such as Nārada, Asita, Devala and Vyāsa confirm this truth about You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me.

BG 9.4: By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them

BG 9.10: This material nature, which is one of My energies, is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, producing all moving and nonmoving beings. Under its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.

Some people feel that formless does not have any potency of having a form. Gita clearly tells about the manifestations of the supreme nature (inconcievable, unmanifested and unborn). Naturally, the manifest can contain both form (like material nature, mass, matter etc) and the formless (like knowledge, air, energy. consciousness etc). "Potency" doesn't only mean the masculine strength to lift heavy weights. It can also means the ability to give birth to a child (feminine ability), ability to understand and memorise (mental ability) etc. It can also mean the ability to have eternal knowledge, manifest in any form, in any color and yet the true form which is formless being unknown. One can breathe air around which is present everywhere (omnipresent), but it is formless. A person has a definite shape like sun as we see from earth, but it is "not omnipotent" as we can neither see that person or the sun everywhere and everytime, whereas the energy is an omnipotent concept which is all around us and yet formless. One cannot live without air and energy.

Brahman, the universe or the ultimate consciousness, is all around us. It touches all the individual consciousness and contains all the bodies in the universe. If we imagine of Brahman, we cannot concieve of its form in both in its physical aspect and the mental aspect . Therefore formless, yet omnipotent and omnipresent. Anything percievable by one's limited senses is limited in nature. The fact that we can identifiy a being with a form outright limits it. How can a "limited' being be omnipotent and omnipresent? And hence the understanding of the unmanifest aspect of the supreme truth is difficult (BG 12.5).

An analogy with this manifestation from the unmanifest could be thoughts which appear out of nowhere. In a deep contemplative state, one might get a thought of his relative or a friend, to play a musical instrument, to have fame and name. People might see dreams which are hardly connected to their real life. A human mind contains scattered bit of knowledge and thoughts which keeps on changing and some which manifest randomly out of nowhere. During exam time, one might manifest that knowledge and write something that he might not usually think of. According to many sages, the Veda is also a revelation to many rishis in their heightened state of consciousness. Gita teaches us how one can heighten his consciousness and touch the supreme consciousness. But one might ask what form, shape or size does consciousness have?

BG 9.11: Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord of all that be.

BG 9.22: But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form — to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.

BG 10.8: I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.

References :

Bhagvada Gita

Yajurveda