Explore Unknown - Q/A

EVEN THE ENQUIRER OF BRAHMA (UNKNOWN) SURPASSES THOSE WHO PERFORM VEDIC RITUALS. (BHAGWAD GITA 6.44)

Q. Who is to be known? Where can He be found?
A. I am verily that, which is to be known. I am seated in the hearts of all beings. (Gita 15.15)

Q Kim durlabham? What is the rarest of things? (Adi Sankaracharaya)
A. Satguru, satsanga, Brahamavichar-self realized guru, spiritual discourses and thoughts of god.

Q. What should be the supreme goal of life?
A. Self-Realization or fulfillment. Reaching the abode of God is the supreme goal of life.

Q. Which is the abode of God?
A. God Himself.

Q. Which are the three lokas (worlds)?
A. There are three aspects of divine existence or Purusas: Kshara (changeable), Akshara (unchangeable), Aksharatita (Para Brahma, Paramatma, Purushottama). The Lord refers to this in Gita 15.18

Q. What is Self-realization or Fulfillment? Who is a Self-Realized person?
A. Self-realization is the Absolute Consciousness Bliss (wholesome happiness). It is the supreme SELF within oneself. Realizing God is not like obtaining any physical object. Rather recognizing the form of Brahma behind Shri Krishna's physical body is realizing God. Here the quest for worldly happiness ends and only divine bliss exists. Confusion, illusion, delusion, doubts and fears disappear. This is the Experience, Self-realization or Fulfillment. A Self-realized person does not depend on anybody (except God) for anything.

Q. What is Happiness?
A. Real Happiness is an equanimous state of Mind, when thoughts are at rest. It is a state of Cessation of agitations, which are caused by unfulfilled desires of the mind.

Q. What is BRAHAM GYAN?
A. It is eternal verity, the supreme truth, which always exists, transcendent to time and in time. Therefore, Brahma Gyan is Satya Gyan i.e. Gyan of Satya i.e. Gyan of one who was, who is and who will be. So this knowledge itself (B.G) is God. This knowledge, as knowledge, is passed on by God to His devotee (as Lord Krishna told to Arjuna) or handed down from Master to pupil. In time, under the great influence, power and bondage of MAYA and worldly desires, one forgets this knowledge, the REAL SELF and remains deluded in out worldly consciousness and attachments. One therefore needs awakening, knowledge for yoga or self-realization.

Q. What is soul?
A. It is image of God embedded, embodied in body. It is the Real Self/consciousness conditioned to face life/world, under the influence and power of MAYA. So the absolute consciousness becomes related to world. While it is in jiva (body) it is non-participant, limited and under bondage, a witness under bondage. It has forgotten itself, its origin its nature. It needs liberation from world bond of desires, afflictions and attachments. Once liberated, it merges (yoga) in Absolute Consciousness. It becomes Para-Brahma, Bliss.

Q. What is the path that involves little effort but gives great reward?
A. That path is the yoga of chanting. (Sri Sankaracharya)

Q. What should I do in the letter and in the spirit with respect to my religion?
A. Keep your lips moist by repeating God's name. (Prophet of Islam)

Q. Who is an Avatar?
A. The criterion that determines who is an avatar is not supernatural birth or deeds, not supernatural appearance or disappearance, but the power to establish righteousness. Since this avatar effectively veils himself with his own Maya, he may behave as God or man, he may proclaim his divinity or hide it, if he upholds his righteousness, he is God. (Swami Venkatesananda)

Q. Who can see God?
A. The Lord assures Arjuna, that those with an unswerving devotion to Him, in the true spirit of bhakti, can see Him.

Q. Who can get Gyan?
A. In Gita, it is said, "Shradhavan Labhate Gyanam Tat Prasanyate Indryah" i.e. One who has restrained and controlled his senses, such a devotee gets Gyan.

Q. What are the three worlds?
A. The three worlds stand for the three planes of consciousness, the waking, dreaming and the deep-sleep states. Transcending these three states of consciousness is the fourth state, the divine state (turiya). Once a man reaches a divine state of consciousness, he becomes one with and experiences the divinity in himself and the divinity all-pervading and comes to recognize and experience their essential oneness.

Q. Who is Brahman?
A. Brahma is Being. It is that out of which, the world came into being. (Brahma sutra) So this 'Sansar' or 'Shrishti' or 'Jagat' is nothing but 'Brahma' itself, just as Atma is Brahma. Brahma is the root cause of all creation and existence. CREATION CANNOT BE SEPARATE FROM CAUSE OR CREATOR. Cause remains as a seed or 'Sakshi' in the effect. The whole 'Vishwa' is therefore Brahma swaroop.

Q. Have you ever listened to the instruction by which the unheard is heard, the outthought is thought, and the unknown is known? (Upanishad asks)
A. Just as all earthenwares are known by just knowing a lump of clay-because change in the shape of a thing is just a change in words; only the lump of clay is real. A pot, pitcher or vase, these are changes in names; the basic stuff is the same-lump of clay (Upanishads)

Q. Are the rites, rituals and ceremonies necessary in the growth of spiritualism?
A. "To get a crop, one needs to sow the grain with the husk on...so rites and ceremonies are necessary for the growth and perpetuation of a religion. They are the receptacles that contain the kernel of truth and consequently every man must perform them before he reaches the central truth."(Sri Ramakrishna)

Q. Where the abode of Lord Krishna is located?
A. The Vedanta says that God abides only in the heart of the being and nowhere else. For meeting God, one therefore has to enter into his own heart.

Q. How to reach the abode of Lord Krishna in the heart?
A. Journey to the heart is however obstructed by screen of impurities created by egotism, which gives rise to desires for the enjoyment of senses. Bhakti is the only means of removing this screen. The "Sravana"& "Kirtana"are considered to be the best forms of bhakti. Sravana means hearing about the qualities and works of Lord Krishna from a true vaisnava, who is to be regarded and served as a guru, and kirtana refers to the singing the glories of the Lord as heard from the guru. These would gradually remove the impurities of one's heart and when these impurities are totally removed, Lord Krishna becomes manifest in one's heart in the same way as the sun behind the clouds appears in the sky when the clouds disappear. Such manifestation of Sri Krishna in one's heart is the fulfillment of the Bhagvata Dharma. (Bhagvata means devotees of Lord Krishna)

Q. Arjuna asks Lord Krishna,"O Krishna, what is the fate of a man, who in the beginning, takes to the process of self-realization with faith, but later is not steadfast in his practices owing to worldly-mindedness, and therefore fails to reach spiritual perfection. Has he not lost both the material & spiritual worlds?
A. Krishna assures Arjuna that for such a man nothing is lost. He does not meet with downfall either in this material world or in the spiritual world. In this endeavor, there is no loss or diminution due to inadequacy or insufficiency or incompleteness, and no adverse effect due to failure, and even a little advancement on the path of yoga can protect one from the greatest fear. Endeavor in the spiritual path, and knowledge of God, is never lost, and remain as permanent assets in his present life and subsequent lives. He will be reborn in a family of righteous people full of spiritual faith and wisdom. There is never any absolute failure in yoga and following the spiritual path, loses nothing.

Q. What is the test or how do I know that I am progressing in my sadhna.?
A. There are 2 tests: 1.chitshudhi (purity of mind & intellect) When your desires are reduced & controlled with respect to objects, if you are not disturbed, you acquire sense control. This is first test. 2. Dualities ie: pair of opposites. If you face, watch your reaction, or mind. If you are not disturbed, you are progressing.

Q. If there is a disturbing thought or problem, how to face it?
A. Wipe it out with your favourite mantra. Live in the present and face the problem. Persistent repetition of Mantra bestows steadiness and concentration to mind. So the disturbing thoughts and desires are automatically removed.

Q. What is 'karam yoga'?
A. Self-effort to quiet the mind and dedicated to God.

Q. What is 'MIND'? What is its nature? What is its dharma?
A. It is 'SELF' and 'self'. When 'SELF', its nature is 'quietitude in consciousness.'(Supreme consciousness). Its dharma is 'chanchalta'. When chanchal, a vibration is created, and you become 'self'. For example, when you wake up from sleep, there was a vibration of mind and you got up and faced the world. It is a controllable coordinator between self and SELF or between consciousness and supreme consciousness.

Q. What is 'OM'? Define
A. It is the first word of creation by the creator. It is a bridge between the Supreme
Consciousness (the creator of the mind) and the gross consciousness (created by the mind). The word totally contains Him, all His aspects, attributes, nature and glory. The word does not have an antithesis or antonym or any duality. It always is embedded in one's heart. The chanting and meditation on it, leads to super consciousness through the OM Bridge. This will result in fulfillment, self-realization and yoga in Bliss.

Q. Which is the main pitfall that a spiritual aspirant (sadhak) should be guarded against when he is walking on the path of God-realization?
A. That is spiritual pride due to a conceited consciousness of his progress on the path.

Q. How can one reach a higher stage in the path of spiritualism?
A. When, in full faith, he totally surrenders to Him, he is on a higher stage.

Q. What is Maya?
A. Maya is a mask on His gross creation and manifestations with dualities, pluralities, relativities, diversities, dharma, karma, guna, bhog, desires, attachments, raag, dwesh, ego, ignorance and paths. Maya masks the Truth, the Knowledge, the Divine Light, the Godhead.

Q. What is the main purpose of life?
A. The main purpose of this rare and precious life as a human being should be to know, who we are and to realize the Self and thereby, cut off all sorrows at one stroke. This is not possible in any other life, because, among all creatures, man alone has the wonderful equipment of the intellect with its great potentiality developed to the highest.

Q. What Yoga truly means?
A. The literal or core meaning of yoga is 'union' or 'merger'. The general normal concept is in 'union with God' (or cosmic force). The common forms of yoga associated are physical (Hatha yoga) and meditative exercise (Meditation). Hatha yoga is only one form of yoga through which this divine union can be attained. The four main forms of yoga are Gyan yoga, Bhakti yoga, Hatha yoga, and Karma yoga. Simply expressed, it is union with God through knowledge or devotion or meditative exercise or action. These are four forms of yoga through which an individual can grow spiritually, develop a balanced personality and finally merge with the divine. It is often stressed in the scriptures that amongst these four practices, the most supreme form of yoga is Karma yoga, which is the path of selfless action. However, aspiring individual can, through a synthesis of these yogic practices or through any one practice only can enhance his state of self realization sharpen his awareness and be truly integrated with the cosmic spirit.

Q. Elaborate OM
A. OM is the pranavmantra. Mundakopanishad compares OM to a dhanush or bow and the jivatma, the individual soul, to an arrow, the target being Brahman, the supreme. Just as the arrow speeds unerringly towards the target, so must the jivatma wing its unfaltering way to the paramatma or parabrahman.

Q. What is the meaning of 'SUBRAHMANYA'? Why & when it is used?
A. Subrahmanya is generally taken to be one with Shiva, the invocation "Subrahmanyom" is uttered thrice at the end of a Special chanting of vedavakya, imploring Him to grant a good dharmic life, endow one with knowledge or gnana and finally, to bless one with liberation or mukti.

Q. What is that, knowing which, you know all?
A. Upanishads say when you know yourself, that is, your Atma, you are self-realized, you get Brahama-Gyan and you know all. The theme of 'Traitya' Upanishad is, 'Brahamam Gyanam Anantam'.

Q What is Truth?
A. Truth refers to one, who was, who is, and who will be and remain.

Q. Who is Sat Guru? Who is Mahatma? Who is Sant? Who is Gyani or Brahama Gyani?
A. One who imparts the knowledge of the Truth leads to the Truth/Atma/Self Realization. He is the doctor of the mind, which is sick due to worldly desires, attachments, likes, dislikes, ego and ignorance. He is the one who initiates the ignorant seeker and leads him from darkness to light. He is the one who conducts satsang, chants the glory of the Lord, and elaborates the depth of knowledge aspects, for the benefit of society. His discourse alone fills the minds with peace.

Q. What are Mukti or Moksha and what is Bondage?
A. One who remains in a state of worldliness (i.e. bhog, desires, attachments, raag and dwesh (likes and dislikes) under the spell and influence of ignorance, he is only body-conscious and with this ego he assumes ownership and doership. In doing so, he extracts the pleasures, peace, gratification and happiness of the mind. He remains ignorant of the fact that as per the nature of man, mind. moha. and maya, they are temporary, transitory and illusory. So he remains in ignorance of truth and under bondage of maya. Freedom from such bondage is 'Mukti' or 'Moksha'.

Q. What is the hierarchy between mind, soul, intellect, body and Brahama?
A. It is Brahma (Paramatma, the source of all), soul (Atma), intellect (budhi), mind (mana), and body.

Q. What is Brahma?
A. Brahma is the root cause of creation. Cause and creation cannot be separate. Cause is the 'Roop' (Godhead) of creation. So Brahma is 'Root' and 'Roop' of creation. Therefore whole jagat, sansar, shrishti, vishwa (the seen and observed creation) is nothing but Brahama Himself (the unseen and immanent God). Sarvam khal idam Brahama.

Q. Who gets Brahama Gyan or Satya Gyan?
A. One who has shradha (faith, love, devotion), enquiring mind, restraints senses, practices yoga, gets Brahama Gyan. Lord Krishna says in Gita, "Shradhavan labhate Gyanam tat prasanayate indryah."

Q. Arjuna asked Lord Krishna," Who is an established person? What is his language and what are his virtues?"
A. The Lord said, "An established person is one who with his faith, love and devotion surrenders his ego to Him. His language is love. His virtues are quietitude, dispassion, equanimity and equipoise.

Q. Why do meditation, why repeat His name or mantra, why do japa and why practice?
A. Mind by its normal nature is just vibrating. It jumps from one thought to another, just like a monkey (as Swami Vivekananda said). Mind is an inner resource, which when developed and quieted brings peace, happiness, enrichment, enlightenment (knowledge), self-dependence, fulfillment and freedom. As per scriptures and experience of ancient wise persons, this can be achieved only by putting in self-effort (or sadhna). THE ESSENCE OF SADHNA IS BHAKTI. THE ESSENCE OF BHAKTI IS JAPA. As indicated by Gods and Self-realized souls, this can be achieved by repeating God's name or mantra, given by Guru. His whole being is contained in His name. So by this simple but necessary practice of repeating the name and meditation, we will be on path to Him, our supreme goal and by His grace, we will be fulfilled, liberated and self-realized.

Q. How can one live long and be healthy & happy?
A In order to be steady in mind and intellect (budhi), and remain healthy and happy, Lord Krishna has said in Gita, that one who lives on pure food (sattvic type), his body will remain healthy and his mind and intellect will be clean, clear, pure, steady and long lasting.

Q. How can I realize God?
A. Just as one cannot see worldly king with garbage, similarly one cannot see God with garbage of desires, attachments, selfishness, hatred, ego etc. One will have to keep control and restraint on himself, his senses, breath, mind and intellect, just as he is controlling his own servant, wife, son or dog. Once he does that, he becomes entitled to realize his Real Self (God). In case, he is helpless, Lord Krishna gives the technique.

-Seek refuge, and surrender unto Me.
-Fix your mind on Me.
-Be devoted to Me.
-Worship Me
-Bow down to Me.
-Unite yourself with Me
-Set Me as your supreme goal (Gita: 9.34)

Q. What is 'Ishta Deva'? Why one needs? How one would choose?
A. When one, out of his faith, fondness, love, devotion and bhakti totally surrenders to one personality aspect of Godhead, without revoking Him anytime, that God becomes his Ishta Deva, to whom he surrenders all his problems, anxieties, worries and weaknesses, including his own thoughts and actions. He remains bhakti to that Ishta deva, remembers him, remains in Ananda and this is the sign of bhakti.

Q. What is in name? Why repeat or japa?
A. Just as every word has a meaning in depth, so the name has the depth of character, personality and vision of his face-head. When you know someone and recall him by his name, you can immediately visualize his face and remember his characteristics. You may admire him for his knowledge, actions, benefits or miracles. His name may inspire you to follow him and be a good human being. So, if you keep repeating the name again and again, you develop more respect, reverence, love and devotion to him. His whole being is in his name. If you keep repeating that name, that becomes bhakti. If he is divine, you get his blessings, grace, and peace of mind. His name alone is a cure for his problem and disease.

Q. How should one control and quiet the mind so that the whole day passes off peacefully and sleep well at night?
A. Try to draft and design the start of the day, with five-point plan as follows:

• When you get up early morning, do some stretch/bend yoga, even in bed.
• After getting up from bed, have a wash, sit down (say in a sukh asna) at a convenient place just before the picture of God/Ishta deva and treat it as an appointment with Him.
• Relax body, sit straight, do some pranayam/deep breathing. Focus attention at the bottom of the abdomen (mooldhara energy center) and start inhaling softly, along with attention towards the top of the head. Just pause a bit, exhale slowly, with lips lightly closed, emitting a bee like sound oooooooo ooooooooooommmm. When you reach the base level, pause a little and restart. Do for three times.
• Now treat your mind to be clean, clear, concentrated and tuned to your Ishta deva, before whom you are sitting. By mental communication, just surrender to Him, close your eyes. With love, devotion and sweet voice, start chanting His name or your favourite mantra in His name. Start with five minutes (approx:). Continue mentally repeating the same, for next five minutes. Then just stop, continue keeping your eyes closed, sit in quietitude and think nothing, for another five minutes.
• In this whole process, mind, as per its nature, may jump from one thought to another. Be not bothered, just come back and redo. It requires faith, sincerity and regularity in practice to steady the mind. Beyond what you want (i.e. peace and wellness, do not expect any other material thing). What you did (surrender & remember your Ishta deva) is nothing but bhakti. Matured bhakti with practice will give you what you wanted. The whole day will pass off peacefully and you will never feel tired, however hard work you may put in. Just before sleeping, pray, thank Him and dedicate your work (karma) to Him. You will get deep sleep. There is no other way out but to surrender and dedicate to Him.

Q. What is Brahma and what is Jagat?
A. Scriptures (Shruti Bhagwate) say that Brahama is the root cause of all, the elements e.g. ether (sky) or aakash, vayu, agni, jala, prithvi. It is the cause of prakriti (nature). It is the cause of vishva or jagat. The cause and effect are not separate. The effect is the swaroop of the cause. So the seen Jagat (roop) is nothing but unseen Brahma (root), < see similar Q's on page 3 & 8>

Q. What do you get from ' Satsang' 'Darshan' or 'Prasad'?
A. You get glimpse of the Truth & Knowledge, you get inspiration, purification & protection of life, and blessings for peace & prosperity.

Q. What is the main purpose of sadhna? When does a yogi consider he is free?
A. The main objective of a yogi is to be free from worldly bondages of dualities e.g. craze, cravings, desires, passions, attachments, likes, dislikes, pride, prejudice, ego, ignorance, sins, vices, worries, weaknesses, success, failures, gains, losses, victories, defeats, respect, disrespect, ownership, doership concepts. He also wants to rise above three gunas (sattava, raajas, taamas). He wants to reach the state of equilibrium, equanimity and equipoise. When there is no doubt or desire left in him and when he selflessly works for the benefit and satisfaction of others, with all karmas dedicated to Him, he is free.

Q. What is Sanatan Dharma or eternal religion or true religion?
A. True religion teaches the holiness and wholeness of creation. Sai Baba says," Wherever Truth, Peace, and Love are emphasized-in whatever religion or language-by whichever teacher, there we have the eternal religion. "

Q. What is the test of Reality? Is the world real?
A. That which existed in the ancient past and is continuously existing till now, of which you are conscious, and shall continue to exist, is the test of Reality. The world or Nature cannot stand the test of Reality.

Q. What are Prakriti, Maya, and Yog Maya?
A. Prakriti is considered the reflection of Maya, which is illusory energy, the supernatural, extraordinary and mystic power of Brahama. The word Maya also means unreal, illusory, or deceptive image of Reality. (Also see page 6). Maya is also the kinetic energy of Brahma which itself is invisible potential energy or the Brahma-jyoti. Due to the power of Maya. Maya is also used as a metaphor to explain the visible world or Jagat to common people. Yog Maya is the origin of both Maya and Prakriti.

Q. How to control the mind?
A. Mind can be controlled through intellect which has the extraordinary powers of discrimination, through which mind can be controlled. Such powers can flow to intellect from Knowledge that will enlighten the intellect. Such enlightenment comes through Surrender, Bhakti and Japa.

Q. Who can be wise or yogi?
A. The one who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, whose karmas are burned up in self-knowledge, is a wise person. Such a person is a yogi and has accomplished everything. (Gita 4.18)

Q. What is Jivatma or Jiva?
A. Jivatma is the subtle or astral body, i.e. five basic elements+ mind+ intellect+ ego, in presence of Atma, the Divine Witness.

Q. Who can understand this Knowledge or who will know the unknown?
A. One who is steeped in ego, ignorance, and attachments, will not know the Knowledge or Unknown. One with divine tendencies, who surrenders and worships, will know. (Gita 9.11-9.13)

Q. What is ' Mind'?
A. In simple terms, it is the sixth sense. It is also a CPU (central processing unit) or motherboard for thoughts, feelings, emotions, experiences, memories etc.

Q. What is Atma or Soul? Where is it?
A. Atma is Akshara (imperishable) Brahma in body. It is also called the 'Witness' (as Swami Vivekananda said, "I am Witness"), the light, the guide, the enjoyer, the great Lord and also the Supreme Self. Atma is present everywhere. It is present inside the body, all over the body as well as outside the body. It is immanent, it is transcendental.

Q. What is 'Mukti' (liberation)?
A. It is immortality. (Not to be born again)

Q. Who can achieve the eternal goal?
A. Those undeluded, who are free from pride, passion and delusion, who have conquered the evil of attachment, who are constantly dwelling in the Supreme Self, with desires and dualities stilled, can reach the eternal goal. (Gita 15.05)