In the practice of spiritual cult there is no distinction nor can there ever be – between men and women. As jiivátmá [unit soul] is not composed of the five fundamental factors there cannot be any sex distinction in it.

Naeva strii na pumáneśa na caeváyaḿ na puḿsakah
Yadyacchariiramádatte tena tena sa rakśate.

Jiivátmá is neither a male nor a female, nor a hermaphrodite. For the proper expression of one’s latent saḿskáras [reactive momenta] one gets reborn into the body of a woman or a man or sometimes a hermaphrodite. There is no question of high or low, superior or inferior, noble or ignoble because whatever might be the sex of the body, the jiivátmá is just the witnessing faculty of the mind it is attached to. It is unassailed by the sexual differences of the quinquelemental bodies. The unexpressed psychic reactions (saḿskáras) of the disembodied soul are guided by the Cosmic Mind and adjusted with a proper structure, at a proper time and a proper place, providing a congenial environment for the expression of the unrequited saḿskáras. Depending upon the nature of the saḿskáras there is either the predominance of the tendency to attract (saḿyojanii shakti) or the predominance of the tendency to be attracted (vibhájanii shakti). The nature of the force of attraction is to draw the object of enjoyment towards itself, and the nature of the force which is attracted is to move towards the object of enjoyment. When there is dominance of saḿyojanii shakti in one’s latent saḿskáras, the disembodied soul attains a female body for its outward expression, and conversely where there is a dominance of vibhájanii shakti, it attains a male body. Where there is an approximate balance between the two, the disembodied soul attains the body of a hermaphrodite. Of course, even in the hermaphrodite the balance between saḿyojanii and vibhájanii shaktis is not perfect; there is a slight tilt in favour of one or the other. That’s why some hermaphrodites are more inclined towards masculinity, and some, femininity.

In undeveloped creatures, there is a balance between the saḿyojanii and vibhájanii shaktis and thus they are asexual. Being subjected to less internal struggle and more external struggle these undeveloped creatures can divide their bodies into a number of parts, but developed creatures do not have this capacity. In order to increase their numbers they are compelled to take the help of one another with the saḿyojanii and vibhájanii forces. Hence there are sexual differences among all developed creatures, without which the preservation of their different species could never be maintained. Thus, sexual differences exist to permit the proper expression of saḿskáras. However, these sexual differences have no absolute value whatsoever. So the characteristic of the human mind to attract or to be attracted depends on mental tendency. If there is a glandular change in the physical structure there will be a corresponding change in the saḿyojanii or vibhájanii forces of the mind. Even if the mind thinks deeply about a person of the opposite sex, its own inherent saḿyojanii or vibhájanii shakti gets changed to some extent. If there is a major change in either of the forces there will be a corresponding change in the physical body. As a result, males can be converted into females and females into males. You may have noticed in the practical world how men and women treat physical objects in different ways. This is due to the difference in the degree of expansion of saḿyojanii and vibhájanii shaktis.

Thus the characteristics that determine sex, whether male, female or hermaphroditic, are not fixed or final. On the basis of this concept there should not be any discrimination between people – there is no sex difference in the jiivátman. In spiritual practice, too, no artificial distinction between men and women should be encouraged. Only in those aspects of spiritual practice which depend upon the harmonious functioning of the body and mind (such as ásanas and mudrás) should glandular and psychological differences be taken into consideration.

Saḿkalpana sparshana drśtimohaergrásámbuvrśt́ácátma vivrddhijanma
Karmánugányanukrameńa dehii stháneśu rúpáńya bhisamprapadyate

The initial force that causes sex differentiation and the assumption of various forms is called saḿkalpatmaka. The resolve to be manifested in the created universe is the noumenal cause of birth. When one ideates on the pleasures of the world and clings to objects of enjoyment, one is bound to assume a physical body in the next life. The saḿskáras born out of the determination to be reborn are termed bhava in scripture.

Immediately after saḿkalpa, indriya vrtti [the externalization of the resolve through the sense organs] occurs. The mind constantly runs towards the physical objects for enjoyment with the help of the indriyas in its endless attempt to get them within its reach. Human beings want to acquire all the name and fame the world has to offer to become the most distinguished individuals; they want all the world’s money to be deposited in their coffers. When they acquire certain objects they strive to keep them well within their vision. Finally, due to the extreme influence of avidyámáyá [extroversial force], they become so blindly attracted to those pleasurable objects that they cannot bear to be physically separated from them, even for a second.

One’s bhava [bundle of saḿskáras] gets strengthened due to development of one’s resolve and the increased desire to touch, see and cling to one’s objects of desire. This process has been going on for millions of lives. The Cosmic Mind provides a base for the microcosm in a particular form and place in the subsequent life which gives the maximum scope for the expression of its own inherent saḿskáras. Thus a microcosm can be born on any planet throughout the universe.

It is said in the scriptures that the disembodied soul first accepts the sperm with the help of the Cosmic Mind and then, getting united with the ovum, produces an embryo for the proper expression of its latent saḿskáras. On the one hand the embryo acquires psychic nourishment, on the other hand its saḿskáras are expressed internally. Until the mind acquires sufficient power to act according to its developed existential “I” feeling, it will have to undergo bhava yantrańá [afflictions and suffering] as the doer of non-original actions. At that time it is not the doer. But as soon as the nerve cells acquire the capacity to work according to the developed “I” feeling, it starts to perform pratyayamúlaka karma [original actions].

Wise people say that the living being gets nourishment first in the father’s body, then in the mother’s womb, and finally on the earth after being born. Usually after the age of thirty-nine (of course, the period may vary slightly according to changes in time, space and person) its body begins to deteriorate.

Sthúláni sukśmáni bahúni caeva rúpańi dehii svaguńaevrńoti
Kriyáguńaerátmaguńaeshca teśáḿ saḿyogaheturaparo’pi drśt́ah.

One acquires a physical body according to the nature of one’s saḿskáras. A human being who behaves like a goat or a dog may be born as a goat or a dog in the next life, because such an animal body is the proper base for the congenial expression of the latent saḿskáras. Hence it is not at all impossible for a human being to be reborn as a hog, a worm, a tree, or even a piece of stone. One’s destiny will be decided according to the nature of one’s karma – this is an infallible law. In this regard, neither Paramátma nor Prakrti can do anything to help. But Parama Brahma out of His Infinite grace, will reconvert these “Ahalyás”⁽¹⁾ (those converted into stone as a result of crude actions) into glorious human beings in the process of pratisaiṋcara [the introversive movement of the Cosmos], and provide opportunities for their movement towards the most exulted life.

To be more precise it is the saḿskáras which are reborn. Philosophically speaking, it is not correct to say that the átman [unit consciousness] is reborn, because átman is neither body, intellect, nor mind; it is just the witnessing entity, the subject witnessing the metamorphoses of its object, sometimes into another finite form and sometimes into an infinite form.

Átman is not subject to either pain or pleasure because they are the psychic propensities of the mind. Of course, the desires and longings of the unit mind do affect the átman to some extent. And it apparently seems as if the átman is also involved in the vicious cycle of actions and reactions.

When, due to the grace of Parama Brahma, techniques of sádhaná are imparted to the unit mind through the medium of a Guru, the way to emancipation from bondages is opened, and the unit mind begins to transcend all sorrows and miseries. By virtue of this sádhaná one can also free oneself from the vicious cycle of karma, resulting in the átman getting immediate liberation from all mental bondages. Having relinquished the desire for finite objects in different places, in different forms and in different ways, and having embraced the Supreme Original Entity, one attains the highest fulfilment. This attainment is achieved with the grace of Parama Puruśa in the form of a Guru. Hence there is only one Guru: the Supreme Entity alone is the Universal Guru.

Nityaḿ shuddhaḿ nirábhásaḿ nirákáraḿ niraiṋjanam;
Nityabodhaḿ cidánandaḿ Gurubrahma namámyaham.

[I offer my salutation to Brahma, in the form of the Guru, who is eternal, ever-pure, without replica, formless, absolutely unblemished, and ever-ensconced in the deep, intuitional stance and cognitive bliss.]

Anádyanantaḿ kalilasya madhye vishvásya
Srást́aramanekarúpam
Vishvasyaekaḿ pariveśt́itáraḿ jiṋátvá
Devaḿ mucyate sarvapáshaeh

When one is ensconced in the exalted state due to the grace of Guru, what stage does one’s intuition reach? What sort of realization does one attain? One discovers the divine play of the Infinite Entity in each and every finite manifestation. One realizes that the Infinite Entity who is ever-present in His vast Cosmic stance is also ever-present in every molecule and atom. One experiences that the entire universe is vibrated and invigorated with His unending Cosmic flow. Every entity of this universe, big and small, every minute expression of pain and pleasure of the numerous microcosms lies within His vast Ocean of Cosmic Bliss.

Footnotes

(1) Ahalyá was a mythological character converted into stone because of her sins. –Trans.