SHIVOPADESHA 3

Na muktirtapanádhomádupavásashataerapi;
Brahmaeváhamiti jiṋátvá mukto bhavati dehabhrt.

[Liberation is not attainable by penance, sacrificial rituals and
hundreds of fasts.
Living beings attain liberation when they realize, “I am Brahma.”]

The word mukti [liberation] is derived from the root verb muc plus the suffix ktin. Mukti means “means of removal”, that is, “the fundamental wherewithal for the removal of bondages”.

Obviously a question will arise – who should be liberated from bondages? Certainly the person whose hands and feet are tied and who cannot move at all, whose voice is totally silenced, whose feelings of the heart are suppressed, whose urges of life have no expression, who is physically behind bars, whose mind is caged by dogmas, whose soul is deprived of the blissful flow of nectar, whose path of progress has lost its way in a chasm, is indeed in bondage. The vigorous effort for emancipation from all bondages is termed sádhaná, and the motive that inspires such efforts is called liberation.

It is said that bondages are of three types: ádhibhaotika [physical], ádhidaevika [psychic], and ádhyátmika [spiritual]. All kinds of worldly bondages – physical, economic, political, social, literary, and sociological – and also those relating to agriculture, industry, trade and commerce – all these are physical bondages. That is to say, the bondages concerning the quinquelemental world are all physical bondages in the pervasive sense. Psychic distortions, mental clashes, doubts and confusions, superiority and inferiority complexes, etc., are all psychic bondages; and the bondages of reaction of one’s actions, which are generally termed prárabdha [unrequited reactions] are also included in the category of psychic bondages. All bondages concerned with unit consciousness and Supreme Consciousness, and the deeper feelings of inner anguish due to the non-attainment of the highest spiritual stance, are categorized as spiritual bondages.

Physical bondages are further divided into three main types – bhávagata bandhan [bondages of dogma], kálagata bandhan [bondages of time], and ádháragata bandhan [spatial bondages].

Bhávagata bandhan afflicts human beings the most. If an idea is imposed on human beings as a dogma, crushing the victim under its heavy weight, people realize that a tormenting bondage has been imposed on them. They well understand that the dogma has immobilized them, caused retardation instead of progress, and brought them to a virtual standstill. They realize that what they considered to be dharma was actually nothing but a colourful procession of various superstitions, and lest they raise their heads against those superstitions and smash that house of cards built on quicksand, certain ideas are constantly whispered into their ears: “You shouldn’t do this, you shouldn’t do that – it will bring about your ruin. If you do that, you will be doomed to hell, or if you do this, your tongue will fall off.” People realize that their voices against dogma have thus been silenced by injecting fear complexes into their minds, and that they have been reduced to useless lumps of cow-dung. Nevertheless, since they lack proper initiative and drive, they willingly surrender themselves to fate, and accept their helpless shedding of tears as their appointed lot in life.

With changes in the time factor, the temporal bondages also change their condition in different circumstances; and with the changes in the spatial factors, the spatial bondages change their condition also. When people’s feelings are deeply wounded, they decide to leave the state, the country, or the society, just to remove these bondages, and when there is no other way out, they decide to leave the world by committing suicide.

By adopting a sublime ideology in personal life, one can overcome all psychic afflictions. One should give up all those factors which are the causes of mental affliction in collective life, and at the same time, promote universal ideas.

And spiritual bondage means, “Though Parama Puruśa is my own property, exclusively my own, why am I not able to merge my life in the Cosmic life, to touch the core of my heart to the core of His heart, to blend my own sweetness in the universal sweetness?” This mental agony due to the non-realization of Parama Puruśa is spiritual bondage.

People make efforts to get rid of these triple bondages and that which leads to temporary success in these efforts is called artha. That which leads to temporary success, but on a larger scale, is called madhyártha. And that which leads to permanent success is called Paramártha.

Suppose a person is suffering from the pain of hunger. If someone offers him a few rupees, he therewith buys food and temporarily removes his hunger pangs. So for that person, money is artha. (Thus money is called artha in Sanskrit.) But his hunger for food is not permanently removed by money: he will feel hungry again tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. That is why money is artha, not Paramártha. If he is given a huge sum of money, that may be madhyártha, but it is not Paramártha.

If in a country afflicted by scarcity of food grains, grain is distributed freely, or financial aid is granted, that is artha to those people, but this artha cannot remove their afflictions permanently. If instead some irrigation facilities are made available – river irrigation, well irrigation, subterranean irrigation, lift irrigation, etc. – in that case, their hardships are relieved to a great extent. They will not have to depend on the mercy of others, or wait for the favour of the rain clouds. They need not stand helplessly before others with begging bowls in hand. So the arrangement for scientific facilities is called madhyártha.

But even an effective system of irrigation will not last forever. The underground water level may sink; perhaps the water table will dry up altogether; and the river water may dry up some day. The water vapour in the atmosphere which fills our reservoirs and ponds may also become exhausted.

So the best arrangement will be to distribute grain and to grant financial aid as artha, and as madhyártha to provide for various kinds of irrigation system and artificial rainfall system. Some countries are doing this.

And simultaneously we should pray to Parama Puruśa, “O Lord, by applying the wisdom and intellect that You have been pleased to grant us, we have made these artha and madhyártha arrangements, but ultimately the key to the solution is in Your hand.” That is to say, without Paramártha, the supreme artha, there can be no final arrangement. Only Paramártha is the last word in liberation. Liberation of any other kind is not liberation in the true sense of the term.

So much for mukti. Now the word tapana is derived from the root verb tap plus the suffix anat́. Its etymological meaning is “to heat” or “to be heated”. To heat and to be heated – both are necessary at certain times, but we cannot say that they are always necessary.

The colloquial meaning of tapana is, “to do something which heats the body and the mind”. This may occur in two ways: either the human body or mind comes in contact with some hot object or sensation, or through the automatic motion of the limbs or the ectoplasm, the body or mind becomes heated.

Though the root verb of the word tapah [penance] is the same, tapah is also used in a special sense; it means to embrace the physical and mental hardships in order to alleviate others’ difficulties, and to embrace those hardships in such a way that one’s body and mind become heated.

In Sanskrit, one of the names of the sun is tapana, because the sun heats others by radiating heat and light. When a person comes physically in contact with some hot object, his or her body becomes heated. And as a result, a contraction occurs inside the body, and a considerable amount of sweat mixed with salt is emitted from the body. This is certainly a kind of physical affliction.

If a person hears some sentimental talk based on dogma for a long time, and his or her sentiments are aroused, and if words are used with great oratorical force or articulated in a very rhythmic or vibrant way, in that case also the mind becomes heated. Then the heated mind snaps the subtle link between the nerve cells and nerve fibres, and as a result, instead of remaining calm and tranquil, people lose their judgement; with their minds temporarily disturbed, they engage in inhuman activities. Usually when people’s minds are clouded by dogmas, they easily become heated by hot language, writing and drawings.

If people voluntarily rub their limbs, with or without reason, their bodies immediately get heated and start sweating. This is self-generated heat in the physical sphere. Similarly, if people think of something exciting for a long period, say, if they think of their enemies for a long time, or if their minds are influenced by thoughts of greed for a long time, their mental bodies become heated and there is a temporary functional dissociation between the nerve cells and nerve fibres. In that case people lose their discrimination and become slaves of their passions. This is self-generated heat in the mental sphere.

So we see that generating heat is not always beneficial or noble. When someone does rigorous penance, for instance, with hands upraised for a long period, his or her blood circulation, nervous system and bone position are bound to be jeopardized. Will the pain in the arms of those who do penance with head downwards and legs upwards be an aid to their mental concentration, or will their minds be constantly focused on the pain? Will they be able to maintain their mental balance in such an unnatural state? When some practise rigorous penance sitting in the centre of a circle of fire, will not the fire’s heat impair the natural functioning of their bodies and minds? Thus these types of penance are detrimental to health, what to speak of the attainment of liberation!

Those who think that rigorous penance will gain the affection of Parama Puruśa are entirely mistaken. They try to achieve something, but fail miserably. Parama Puruśa has never said, nor will ever say, that anyone should violate the naturalness of life and become abnormal, like a vegetating idiot. Rather He says, “All sing in unison – direct all your internal urges towards the Supreme One. Think of all the pains and pleasures of others as your own. Saḿgacchadhvaḿ saḿvadadhvaḿ saḿ vo manáḿsi jánat́am.”

Parama Puruśa certainly did not create the world for this type of rigorous austerity or ostentatious penance. Nor is the world being maintained thus, nor will it be led towards its final fulfilment in this way. Rather Parama Puruśa is leading the entire creation forward through the sweet ideation of all human minds, flowing in all directions, affectionate and loving, permeating each and every feeling with sweet harmony.

Duniyáy morá sabái bhái
Sukha-duhkha samabhág kare nova sakale tái.

[We are all brothers and sisters;
We will equally share all pleasure and pain.]

Indeed, there is reference to tapah in Yama and Niyama [moral code], but that means, “to accept physical hardships for others’ welfare”. In fact one’s greatness lies in the degree one is able to accept hardships for the sake of others. Ordinary mortals attain the height of spiritual glory in this way. This tapah brings physical and mental purity and leads to mental expansion and spiritual progress; it helps in opening the golden gate to spiritual salvation. Thus it has been rightly said, “Fruitless penance never leads to liberation.”

In ancient times, the sacrificial rituals homa and havana were used with different significances. Generally these rituals were held to mark the end of any religious or social ceremony. Mainly clarified butter was offered in the sacrificial homa ritual, but havana was slightly different. It was usually performed to please the various Vedic gods and goddesses. In a havana, besides offerings of clarified butter, there were offerings of various kinds of food such as wheat and dry and cooked rice; fragrant offerings such as sandalwood, incense, and dhuná [incense powder]; and offerings of the heads, blood and flesh of animals and vanquished enemies. Thus we see that while the homa rituals were held to mark the end of a ceremony, the havana rituals were held to gain some boon by propitiating the gods – for instance, to bring rain by invoking the grace of the rain-god, to escape from the ravages of floods by the grace of the god of water, etc. Gradually the difference between homa and havana has been obliterated, now people use the terms homa and havana interchangeably.

Ancient people believed that the fragrant smoke from these homa rituals would rise from the earth to the higher regions and, making the ether and air heavy with fragrance, would please the gods. The people thought that this scented smoke and perfumed air would be beneficial to health, improve mental functioning and transport people to the abode of the gods.

The sweet scent of the homa rituals may be pleasing to the nose, but it is certainly not good for health. Smoke is composed of unburnt carbon particles, and these particles are not at all good for health, since they harmfully affect the lungs. A small quantity of sweet fragrance may not damage the health and may indeed be rather pleasing to the mind, but its contribution to spiritual attainment is negligible. In fact, in terms of removing air pollution, as some contend, it is completely useless. Rather, certain liquid or gaseous air purifiers which are prevalent these days are more useful, and those which will be invented in the future to remove water and air pollution will be still more beneficial.

Thus these offerings of delicious dainties in the sacrificial fire are all meaningless. There is no justifiable reason to believe that food burned in a sacrificial fire will rise to the higher regions in a subtle form and please the gods. So burning human edibles to ashes, thereby creating artificial scarcity, brings no benefit at all. It has no relation whatsoever to the attainment of liberation.

The word upavása is derived upa (prefix) – vas (root verb) + ghaiṋ (suffix). Upa means “near”: for instance, upanagarii (“suburb” – “near a city”), upadevatá (“demigod” – “nearly a god”), etc.⁽¹⁾

How should people conduct themselves in the world? The only aim of life is spiritual practice – the realization of the Supreme. But the body, composed of five fundamental factors, and the mind, which is related to this body, are in this physical world. So spiritual practice cannot be sustained by ignoring this physical world. People will have to conduct their lives in such a way that their mundane duties are properly discharged without disturbing their spiritual practice, which is the primary goal of life. Thus people will have to continue their spiritual practice as the primary mission in life, and at the same time fulfil their worldly responsibilities, considering them to be allotted by God.

But human psychology is such that after performing worldly duties for a while, people deviate from the main goal of life, sometimes so far that they tend to look upon their worldly duties as only a means of self-aggrandizement. This is the moment of their downfall – the black curtain of total annihilation falls on their lives.

Then what is the solution? On ordinary days people continue their spiritual practice as their mission in life and at the same time discharge their worldly duties considering them to be allotted by God. But on certain special days (the days should be fixed according to the almanac lest people forget them), people should give greater importance to spiritual practice than to mundane responsibilities; that is, their time and energy during those few days should be devoted more to spiritual practice than to worldly activities. These fixed days are called upavása days, since during these days people, keeping their minds engaged in spiritual matters, “live closer” to God, and any possibility of mental degradation is averted: their humanity is not endangered by the lengthening shadows of annihilation.⁽²⁾

But during the course of time, dogma has crept into this concept of fasting also. Some people started arguing that the system of fasting is a means to attain virtue: those observing fast are likely to secure a permanent place in heaven and can even see the grandchildren of their grandchildren before they die! Moreover, undue importance was attached to a few specific days of fasting – if people could fast on those specific days, it was said, they would attain heavenly bliss, not only in one life but for lives together.

Shayan utthán páshmoŕá
Tár madhye bhiime choṋŕá
Páglár caodda págliir át́
Ei niye kál kát́
E-o yadi ná karte páris
Bhagár kháde d́ube maris.

Those days are: Shayana Ekádashii, Utthán Ekádashii, Párshva Ekádashii, Bhaemii Ekádashii, Shiva Caturdashii, and Durgáśt́amii, and in case one was unable to observe those fast days, then better to drown oneself in the waters of the Ganges, for that would bring more virtue.

So you see, a lot of mischief has been created regarding this issue of upavása, or fasting. By the spreading of these dogmas, the very dignity of upavása has been destroyed. In fact, fasting keeps the body free from disease, pure and dynamic, and makes the mind a fertile field for sádhaná by removing its impurities – but one certainly does not attain virtue or liberation thereby.

Those who observe a fast with the purpose of attaining virtue or spiritual salvation unnecessarily trouble themselves; there is no benefit either for individuals or for society. Fasting must be observed, but observing a fast for the purpose of attaining liberation is simply adding fuel to the fire.

The word bhrt is derived from the root verb bhr. Bhrt means “one who feeds others”. And bhrta means “one who is fed by others”. So the word dehabhrt means “one who lives by feeding the body”. So every living creature of this universe is dehabhrt. Here the question is, how can a dehabhrt, a living being, attain salvation, for a living being has physical bondages, and as long as there are physical bondages, there are psychic bondages also. And how can one attain salvation with psychic bondages? It has been said that mortal beings can aspire to salvation by severe penance. But one cannot attain liberation by offering clarified butter, rice, wheat, or animal blood in the sacrificial fire. In the same way one cannot attain liberation by observing hundreds of fasts with the false hope that upavása will bring virtue.

So what is the solution? Mortal human beings can attain liberation only if they channel all their psychic tendencies, all their thought-waves, towards the Supreme One, and then the dynamic flow of their minds, concentrated at a single point, becomes one with the Supreme Cognition, far beyond the scope of all bondages. The finite microcosm merges in the Macrocosm; the small “I” dissolves in the infinite vastness. In fact, this “I” never loses itself – the small “I” only becomes the great “I”. The Supreme Cognition completely absorbs the individual “I”, and this state of total surrender of the individual brings complete fulfilment. In that exalted state, one realizes that the millions of individual entities are all microscopic fractions of that oceanic Brahma, merely bubbles in that infinite sea. This is the state of realization of Brahmaeváham or Brahmásmi [“I am Brahma”]. Hence it is said that if mortal human beings can surrender their all to the Supreme Entity by means of sádhaná, then they can certainly attain liberation, even while in their physical bodies.

But human beings cannot take even a single step forward towards Parama Puruśa, much less attain liberation or salvation, by studying countless scriptures, by practising endless rigorous penances, by offering innumerable fuels to sacrificial fires or by observing fasts out of the greed to attain virtue.

Kuliin bámun thákbe paŕe
Tare’ yábe káuṋgál cáśá.

[The highest-born one will languish in bondage,
While the pauper will be liberated.]

Footnotes

(1) And vas means “to live”. The author proceeds to discuss practices that do, and practices that do not, help one to “live near” God. –Trans.

(2) Since fasting was customarily observed on those days, “fasting” became part of the meaning. –Trans.