BHAGAVAD GITA AND UPANISHADS EXPLAINED

Gita is an extract of Upanishads (Vedas). Vedanta is the end portion of Vedas. In the beginning it is the Karma yoga and Upasana yoga (Bhakti Yoga) then Gnana yoga etc. Before coming to Vedanta I think that ‘I’ am the Body, growing, knowing etc. ‘I’ am Brahmanaga. ‘I’ claim I am Sudranaga. This strong conviction is there for everyone before coming to Vedanta. After knowing Vedanta, he negates everyone of the above mentioned statement. He understands that ‘I’ am the consciousness principle.

Every human being is a samsari. Question arises as to whether there is a meaning in living itself? Is it worth continuing in life? Dormant Samsara surfaces when there is a crisis in life. Every human being discovers the problem of samsara during the moment of crisis. Arjuna discovers the problem of samsara in the battle field of Kurukshetra. This is the discovery of helplessness; discovery of the need of a spiritual guide to solve the problem. Surrendering to a spiritual guide (Lord Krishna in the case of Arjuna) is the last stage. Attachment, grief, delusion is the universal problem of samsara.

We do have certain choices in Life. Between good and a bad choice we choose good one always. Helplessness, anger, frustration, depression are the problems. Problem of family life involves Health, Profession etc. which will be questioned. Samara is that stage when Life appears to be a Liability.

Grief or sorrow that one suffers is directly proportional to the attachment. It is Psychosomatic; bodily problem caused by mind. Attachment and Love are diagonally opposite as regards the consequences. As per Vedanta attachment promotes samsara; Whereas Love is the promoter of Moksha. By attachment is meant that a person who gives importance primarily to one’s own selfish interests. Love – Here the interest of oneself is secondary. The interest of others is given primary importance. Love is selfless. Attachment is selfish. Attachment leads to Fear, Anxiety, and Stress etc. which is samsara. A loving person doesn’t lean on the object of attachment. A loving mind is a strong mind. It is a liberated mind. Love doesn’t cause stress, tension or fear. Happiness shared is Happiness doubled; we should share the joy of living with the near and dear ones. Sorrow shared is sorrow halved.

Thus we see that Arjuna is not able to face Samsara problem by himself. Hence he surrenders to Krishna. Emotional dependence is called samsara because the objects and people that we rely upon are not dependable. Dependence involves risks. Future sorrow will be directly proportional to the intensity of dependence.

According to Vedas pursuit of money and sense pleasures (Kama & artha) should be balanced by ethical and moral values and Dharma. Religious values are to be pursued. It will create appropriate conditions for Moksha. By moksha we mean that everything has to be seen as Bhagavan’s property and nothing belongs to me. Success in life is measured by your bank balance, house, Property you have etc. After some time we find materialization by itself is hollow. Matter is nothing but a product of Maya. From a distance it (Maya) will be attractive like a Mirage (water). Actually it is not. Respecting Brahman without maya is meaningless. When I love money too much, adharma will prevail. I will never be able to fulfill my desire by normal earning and living. Greed will lead to moral compromises. It is inevitable.

In the 2^nd Chapter of Gita, Krishna gives the solution for Arjuna’s question. Controlling the external factor (our peace of mind is linked to the external factor) to ensure our peace of mind. Delink your peace of mind from the external factor. This is tough but a practical approach. Trying to control the world is an impractical approach. You will get emotional immunity. Freedom from emotional dependence is Moksha.

We can see that the situation changes from one of battle to one of spiritual dialogue. The dialogue is between Arjuna and Lord Krishna. Sanjaya reports to Dhirdharastra the developments in the battlefield. Dharma is on the side of the Pandavas and they win ultimately in spite of trials and tribulations that they go through. The teaching is given in the form of a dialogue (Samvadey) between a Guru and a sishya. Spiritual knowledge requires our effort and the guidance of an acharya and cannot be gained independently. Spiritual knowledge is a systematic education programme where doubts are cleared by way of dialogue.

Vedanta is the essence of the scriptures. Vedanta enunciates the eternal principles of life and living. In Upanishads we see these principles by way of a dialogue between the Guru and the student where the Guru talks about the unknown god to the student. Upanishads contain the philosophy of Vedanta. Veda means knowledge and anta means end. Thus Vedanta means end of knowledge. It will take you to the ultimate of self realization or god realization. Upanishads talk about your life and the very purpose of your life.

You are engaged all along with body, mind and intellect and totally cut up with emotions of the world. Original nature is not seen. As a child you are engrossed in Toy world. Child grows into a youth and engrossed with your passions. It is impossible to pull out of youth passions. In old age you are anxious about things and worry about anxiety. The guru asks sishya; when are you going to think about Brahman?

The essential difference between ‘Bhagavad Gita’ and ‘Upanishads’

The seekers of Bhagavad Gita are better placed than Arjuna. For learning Upanishads you have to upgrade as a student.

Gita is given to Arjuna by a friend (Lord Krishna). Arjuna was an average student. Here in Vedanta the student approaches a Guru in the forest. Student of Upanishad is fully qualified and seeking knowledge.

Gita was given in the battlefield. Bhagavad Gita is a path of Truth. Upanishad is given in a Jungle. Upanishad is a declaration of truth.

Arjuna completely surrenders in Bhagavad Gita. Upanishads is a well planned truth given to the student by the Guru. Here the student really wants to know. It indicates the devotion of the student. The student sits below on the ground. Guru is at a higher position. Below indicates devotion. Below indicates an introvert.

The 4 parts in the Upanishads are:-

1^st Part is the declaration of the Truth. Here direct question is put up by the sishya and direct answer is given by the Guru. The question is who is God? What is God? The rest of the Upanishads is answer to this question.

2^nd part or section is the spiritual practice to come to the 1^st level.

In the 3^rd part a story is given. Here the whole concept is explained in the form of a story. The Student comes to learn.

The 4^th part deals with a 4^th rated student. Here some commands and some disciplines are given. This is how Upanishads is structured.

All the time you are engaged in gross intellect. Human beings alone can engage in subtle intellect. A plant has no mind and no intellect. Mind means emotions. An animal has mind but no intellect. Animals have rudimentary intellect. They distinguish between master and stranger, food and dirt, male and female and so on. This falls under gross intellect.

Subtle intellect distinguishes between transcendental and terrestrial. Animal cannot distinguish god and beyond god. God created the world. No animal can think of that. We are constantly engaging in Gross intellect. To switch from the Gross to the subtle intellect is contained in the Upanishads. All your engagement is in gross intellect level.

INVOCATION:

OM Sahana Vavadhu Sahanav Gunathu Saha viryam karavavahai thejasvi navathithamatsu ma viddhishavahai Om shanthi! Shanti! Shanthi!

There are risks in a Jungle and protection is required. The study should be enjoyable. We will strive together to understand the deeper roots of the scripture. The purpose is to reveal the truth. There is a chance of arguing. You can say that I don’t agree. I have a different opinion. You have the devotion to listen to your master and make your own judgment. You can say that let us not argue. May we not quarrel with each other. Shanthi! Shanthi! Shanthi! i.e. Peace, Peace, Peace is explained as under:

Let there not be Cosmic disturbance coming from Thunder, Lightning.

Let there not be External disturbance coming from Snakes

Let there not be internal disturbance coming from toothache, headache, stomachache.

Let all the forces above keep quite. Let there be peace, peace, peace.

The world is nothing but an expression of our own mind. When we are in deep sleep the whole world disappears. It is like No mind No world as in deep sleep. Agitated mind Agitated world. Calm Mind Calm world. Mind comes from thoughts. Thoughts come from Vasanas. Vasanas produces thoughts, thoughts produces desires and desires produces action. Whatever your mind is what you project. Dhuryodana saw only wicked people everywhere. Yudhistra saw only good people everywhere.

Ignorance of the rope produces the Snake. Ignorance of Brahman has produced the pluralistic world. Get out of this world and see the reality. Everything is the Brahman of the Upanishads.

Education moves from the known to the unknown. You should have one known thing to know the unknown. Every human being is constituted of Spirit (Brahman) and matter. Spirit means God. Sprit and matter creates a way of living. Every one of us is a combination of Spirit and matter; Combination of Body, Mind and Intellect. When Atman functions through the matter layer there is a living being found.

For example: When electricity passes through a Bulb there is a brilliant expression of light. Electricity or Bulb has no light. When electricity contacts the bulb there is light. Similarly when Atman contacts the matter layer there is a scintillating expression of life. Atman has no life. Matter has no life. When Atman functions through matter layer there is a scintillating expression of life.

The five organs of perception (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin) take stimuli from the external world. The five organs are the awareness through which the world enters. Things are registered at the level of mind and intellect. Otherwise there is no perception. Out of the 5 organs, eye and ear are used in 1^st mantra of Upanishads.

Speech that articulates words is an organ of action. There are 5 organs of action. The others are the Hand that grabs, the feet that cause locomotion or movement, the generative organ and the excretory organ.

Student asks how do the organs of perception and organs of action function? How does the mind function and Intellect function?

There are matters of layers for intellect to think various thoughts. What enlivens them? This is the question.

This can be explained by an example.

Imagine a dirty warehouse with darkness inside it. There is a hole in the wall. A beam of Sunlight comes through the hole in the wall. You can see a spot of sunlight on the ground. You start sweeping the floor when you can see a solid beam of sunlight from the sunlight to the spot on the floor. Even before the dust particles were disturbed there was a beam of sunlight. The moment the dust particles are released, you see a solid beam of sunlight. What is sunlight is the question? Sunlight is what you see minus the dust particles.

How you would explain the presence of Electricity? Switch on the light. Switch off the light. That which makes the bulb glow is electricity.

Student approaches the Guru to find out what the ultimate reality is? Who is God? What is God? Where is God?

This shows the thoroughness in the student to understand the truth and the difficulty the master has in explaining this concept.

Education moves from the known to the unknown. Unless you give one known factor an unknown factor cannot be known. This is the fundamental principle of education.

What makes you hear? It (God) is the Ear (God) of the ear. Derive what the first Ear is? An unknown factor cannot give you knowledge of god. First Ear is in capital letter. Ear of the ear; when I am talking with you: you hear out of your ear.

Example: Seeing a landscape with your eyes. If your mind is elsewhere, you cannot see the landscape in front of you. It is the stimuli from the external world. Colour form in the eyes is not perceived unless it enters the centre senses of the mind. Reach the centre of the mind. Then you become conscious. Consciousness by which you are able to see, hear and touch. That consciousness is designated as God.

It is the consciousness which enables eyes to see, ear to hear, nose to breathe. All the organs of action have the consciousness which enliven them. It is the life that keeps breathing going and not the other way. Brahman enlivens (gives life) prana and not the other way. God is that which enables you to hear and not what you hear with your ear; which enables you to see and not what you see with your eyes. What makes intellect to think is God. It is not what you thought of.

Dharma is that which makes the thing what it is and without Dharma it is not what it is. The Dharma of sugar is in its sweetness. How to impart knowledge about God? It (God) is the Subject. It is not an object of comprehension, of perception, of emotion. When you lack knowledge you say you know. We should know that where there is no Vinaya there is no Vidya. There is no knowledge where there is no humility.

The sign of knowledge is humility. It is full knowledge. Upanishads is subtle. No repetition. What makes you see is God, not what you see. This is the highest human thought. God has infinite compassion, infinite mercy. God functions in each one of us. We are all heterogeneous persons. No two bodies and intellect are the same. We are called Atman, Brahman. No two performances are same because of the equipment through which they function. From the consciousness emerge prana, intellect, and mind. You are conscious of colour, sound, feelings, and thoughts. That consciousness that enlivens our emotions and thoughts is the reality.

You have got to change from the external objects of perception, emotions and thoughts. That which enables you to feel emotions, perceptions, action, feeling and thoughts is God. You can’t see god. You can’t hear god. What you have understood is not god. You can’t comprehend god. It is a Subject of experience and not an object of experience.

Supreme Brahman is unknown to those who comprehend. A self realized person declares that he doesn’t know Brahman. Atman is beyond the known and the unknown. Four sources of knowledge are; Knowledge can be got by direct perception, inference, comparison and tradition (agami). Shara>Akshara>Uttamapurusha – Explained in the 15^th Chapter of Gita.

What is known to you is this world. This world is perishable. That what supports this world is imperishable (akshara). Snake is perishable. Rope is there which supports the snake. Rope is imperishable. Brahman is beyond the perishable and the imperishable. Changeless substratum upon which the changes are projected is Brahman. It is a changeless principle.

Hope you enjoyed going through this post. You can get to know more if you go through the scriptures in detail. This is an attempt to only make you understand and induce you to read the scripture in detail.

Be blissful.

S.Sekar

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

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THE EVERLASTING TRUTH

At the outset we should understand that a master can only help us. What we need to do is to get to the truth ourselves. Similarly a scripture can help you when you go through the same. To reach a destination sign posts are required. Sign posts are means to an end. Your own efforts will take you there (destination) finally.

You could be in the proximity of a great master. You could read all spiritual literature. It will help you to gain Knowledge. You have to put in the effort to reach the goal and that effort is called Wisdom. Knowledge stays with you for a while and you forget it. What exactly is required is knowledge with wisdom.

Truth is manifested everywhere and yet we miss it. We have no idea what the truth is. Try to understand what our difficulty is. What is the problem we are facing? By doing this we get to know the truth. Knowledge is different from Jnana (realization), say the scriptures. Jnana or the truth is not related to the number of books one reads or expands philosophical arguments.

Thousands may struggle to attain perfection, but maybe one among them is successful; but even among these perhaps one is able to realize God, says the Lord (Krishna). The realized soul experiences the presence of the divine in everything.

Take three mud pots with colour green, blue and red painted on them. The pots can be given any colour and any shape but they all contain the brown powder which is the mud. Colour, Shape and form are perishable aspect. Mud is beyond this. Mud itself is stable. If we take away the mud, there is no colour and no shape of the pot. Thus we see the perishable aspect of imperishable Truth. You are involved in seeing the name and form in everything. If you take away the reality there is no name and no form. We have to think constantly of something higher, something nobler and try to become an Adikari. Adikari is a person who is qualified for worship in a temple. Thus we see that the entire universe is the truth while the different names and forms of the beings and creatures in it are manifestations of it. The world and the inert objects exist because of the Lord.

If we take away the string there is no necklace. {Jewelry consisting of a cord or chain (often bearing gems) worn about the neck as an ornament (especially by women)}. Similarly there is nothing higher than “Brahman” which is the eternal Truth. We see the necklace but we fail to see the string which holds the necklace. Similarly we see the Colour and the picture in a painting. We forget to see the Canvas which holds the painting. We are able to see the manifestation of Truth. We are not able to see the Truth that enables the manifestation because our faculties are not capable of this insight. Even the body, and the faculties of speech, sight, hearing, touch, etc., functions only because of this truth.

We are carried away by the beauty of the expression. We are not interested in what supports the expression. We miss the supporting factor. The supporting factor is the concept of understanding the truth. You can’t capture the truth with your feelings and perception. It enables you to feel and perceive it.

In pole vaulting, the participant uses a long flexible pole to swing himself up and over a very high crossbar. The pole helps him to a certain height after which he has to heave himself over the hurdle. Thus we can see that he runs a certain distance and leans himself to a particular height and discards the pole and jumps. Similarly when you have to reach that height you have to put enormous effort to reach that point. To achieve this you have to purify the feelings, clarify your thoughts, actions, perceptions. Physical body is given to use your experience to lead you to something higher and not to satisfy your demands. Hence you have to do something higher i.e. something nobler in life. The physical and mental faculties have to be used to heave ourselves up to understand the higher reality.

In the 12th chapter of “Bhagavad Gita” there is a discussion on Bhakti. Out of the 35 qualities of a Bhakta the first and Foremost is the One who hates nobody. Who hates No creature. This is a quality of Bhakti and the Lord doesn’t talk about going to a temple.

You can hold a Brass vessel which is looking bright in your right hand and another brass vessel which looks dull, dark, tarnished in your left hand. You can use a polish and can make the dull one Shiny by rubbing with a brasso and dissolving the dirt on it. It is not the polish which gave it the brilliance. Brilliance is covered by the dirt of ignorance. Similarly the essence of anything is truly divine. That is ‘Atman’, ‘Brahman’. Symptom of divinity is covered by our ignorance. Thus the difference between a polished brass vessel and an unpolished one is only in its unpolished state. Otherwise they are identical. Our self is covered by the dirt of ignorance and once this dirt is removed the Self shines in its original glory.

In Upanishads it is mentioned that you should have a strong mind and intellect. As long as you live you must be active. You must be filled with full of energy. It is your inability to understand the world (Truth); your inability to understand your true nature. You have to look at this world with that understanding of the truth; that principle which supports everything. World is a projection of your own thoughts. It is not the world that distress you but how you relate to it. If you don’t have a strong personality, you can be influenced. If you have a sharp intellect you can’t be hypnotized.

Through countless births, it has (our self) acquired inherent tendencies (Vasanas) and carries them through various births. Layers of Vasanas have enveloped its true nature and the Self is unable to identify itself as eternal, pure and full of bliss. Vasanas are inherent tendencies in you which make each person different from the other. Your own past actions, feelings, and thoughts has become your present Vasanas. You wake up when you meet consequences.

You are the combination of three qualities Viz. Satva which is the highest quality; you are calm, Mature and objective. Rajas which is the medium quality; you are dynamic, active, enthusiastic in this world but with agitation you do your action. You have lot of desires. Tamas which is the lowest quality; you are Lazy, Lethargic, Indifferent.

At every birth the Self identifies with the particular body it has taken and gets involved in the business of living in full earnest without a thought about the Self and its nature. The law is ‘as you think so you become’. Every human is composed of spirit (the ultimate reality or truth called ‘Brahman’) and matter. You have to identify the Gunas in you and go through the consequences of the gunas.

Let me focus on Gunas and enable me to change the consequences of the gunas. I have to identify something beyond the gunas which is the Truth.

Hope you enjoyed reading this post.

Be blissful.

S.Sekar

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

Sekras – turning your aspirations into Success. Call us. We care for you

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TIPS TO LIVE A HAPPY AND FREE LIFE

Happiness & Freedom Awaits....

Are you feeling stressed out, fed up of the rat race and basically a bit down on life at the moment? Here I share 3 simple steps to working towards living a free life and being happy all the time. We all have the ability in us we just need to know how to put it into practice.

Step 1:

Have some “me” time and really define what it is you are happy with at the moment, if this doesn’t amount to much then focus on what you would be happy with. Ask yourself the following questions and write down the answers, take the focus away from the unhappy elements and put your focus on the more positive things in your life this way you can work towards bringing more things to be happy about into your life:

What do I have in my life right now which makes me happy? What more do I desire in life to add to my happiness? What are my ultimate happiness goals in life?

So now you have a better idea of what you want. This is always a great place to start, if you don’t know what makes you happy then how can you work towards being happy all the time?

Final question for step 1 – What can I do today to bring me closer to being happy all the time?

Be honest. Don’t let the answers scare you off continuing with this exercise!

Step 2:

Now it’s time to make a move. So you have ascertained what makes you happy, what you want more of and what your ultimate goal is. Take your focus towards what action you can take, look back at your answer to the final question in step 1 and take action!

Now I expect a lot of your answers to Step 1 are in someway connected with the following:

Personal Freedom
Financial Freedom
Time Freedom
In fact….. Total Life Freedom!

Happiness does always come back to what we have in life or what we don’t have in life. The action you need to take is towards jumping off that treadmill of life, escaping the rat race and creating your own destiny rather than being caught up doing what you think you should be doing in life.

So what action can I take to change my circumstances?

As we approach a new era in technology a lot of people are starting their own home businesses online, franchises are a thing of the past and the internet has taken over. Have you looked into any opportunities online? Have you thought outside the box? Thousands of people across the globe start their own businesses everyday, find something where you can start small, give yourself and light at the end of the tunnel.

Step 3:

What do I choose? Where do I start? Decisions Decisions!

The aim here is to be happy all the time so the obvious choice needs to be connected with your own development as a person along the way. Where better to start than in personal development. You can think of Home business opportunities. You get to increase your own personal strength and build yourself up to leadership levels alongside assisting other people to do the same, in turn building your financial freedom. The perfect match!

These opportunities can be started on a small financial scale without too much outlay meaning you would not be in a situation where you are actually adding more stress or unhappiness into your life by some large financial investment which may, if we are honest here, just about tip you over the edge.

Last question for Step 3 – I’ll answer this one for you…..

When do I start?

Start today! Don’t Delay! There is no time like the present; procrastination won’t get you anywhere fast. Set goals stick to them and make it happen. A great saying to keep in mind:

“If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me.”

I speak from personal experience after building a career in senior management for twenty-five years at the age of fifty three I was stressed and burnt out. I escaped the rat race and now live a happy and free life fulfilling my dreams and working with the Law of Attraction which is my passion. I’m just an average person who had a dream and hope this will be an inspiration to you.

If you found this Useful help me Spread the Positive Vibes around the World & Back ~ Share & Re-tweet ~ Sekar appreciates you ♥ Positive vibes to you, Learn How to Create the Life of Your Dreams…. Then Live it!

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

Sekras – turning your aspirations into Success. Call us. We care for you. Happiness is assured.

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SUCCESS SUCCESS SUCCESS

One thing that stands in the way of success is your ability to believe in yourself. There’s more to it than just having a positive attitude. You must believe in yourself. The first thing you need to do is sit down with a piece of paper and start to write down the things at which you are genuinely good. For every skill or task that you OWN (and it doesn’t matter what it is), there is a way to put those abilities to good use and a way to make it your own personal success story. Now that you’ve done that, think about things you *love* to do. Make another column on your paper and begin to list things you really enjoy and could do every day for the rest of your life—and not dread going to work. Draw lines between things in your two columns that might go together. On my paper, I’d write “I’m good at organizing things” in one column and “I like to write.” They don’t seem to go together, but what if I began writing about getting organized? What if I started an email list with tips on how to get organized and wrote notes to encourage my subscribers? And then what if I started to talk to companies who would custom-make things for my subscribers to help keep them organized and began seeing profit from all of this?

Would you call that “success”? I would. So are you beginning to see how some creative thinking and listing your skills and passions can come together for success? I hope you’re learning to think outside the box in this exercise, because that’s what it takes.

So the moral of this story is that you CAN do this. You CAN succeed at this and you DO have what it takes to be successful. Go work on your lists and remember to think outside the box!

A positive mind and happy, upbeat attitude will help you succeed. A person living in a happy state generally gets much more in just everything they do. Bad attitude pulls you down and won't help you meet your goal. I agree with u ....I have some suggestion

1. Believe in Yourself
2. Set Goals
3. Develop a System
4. Stop Making Excuses
5. Hold Yourself Accountable
6. Tackle the Goals for Early Success
7 Create Your Own Luck

One of the most powerful tips for becoming successful in life is to believe that you’ll achieve your goals. If you do not believe in yourself, you will never make it. Remember the young man who came from a broken

home and made it all the way to the White House chanting, “Yes, we can”? If you believe in yourself and your ability to reach every goal you set forth, you’re sure to succeed!

"Doing doesn’t come from inspiration; inspiration comes from doing". If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always got. Try to do things differently with passion and perseverance and you'll get what you are looking forward to.

"What may just be your hobby or interest can be converted into a successful business proposal". The strength of a person lies in his/ her intuitiveness, and this should not be masked in the race to become a hardcore businessman. Learn to be unique, do things differently, be innovative and develop networking skills.

Modern races are won in the mind even before the actual race begins. This is true and this has happened in the case of Usain bolt, the Jamaican sprinter who came first in 100 meter race in the Olympics and put a positive face before the event began. His 2008 season began with his first world record performance – a 100 m world record of 9.72 s – and culminated in world and Olympic records in both the 100 m and 200 m events at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. His 2009 record breaking margin over 100 m is the highest since the start of digital time measurements. His achievements in sprinting have earned him the media nickname "Lightning Bolt". Winning in the mind even before the game has begun is the sure road to success. You should have a winning attitude in your entrepreneurial spirit. One should be willing to take risks in order to make a profit.

We should keep in mind that every successful effort begins with the first step and a focused leader. “When you enjoy doing something it becomes a passion and you don’t treat it like a job that needs to be dealt with. I have always enjoyed doing what I do. I am very passionate about my work. I have always tried to get totally involved with my work and the people I work with.

If you can dream it, you can do it.

If you possess foresight and business acumen, you’ll realize that the knowledge (Consulting) industry is poised to take off. Clearly this is an opportunity waiting to be tapped. All you need is the confidence and the determination to make a start and there’s no one more qualified to do this than yourself provided you believe in yourself.

Energy flows where the attention goes. Let your attention be focused with full of energy.

Come to Sekras >>>>>> High Performance Always

Sekras – turning your aspirations into Success. Call us. We care for you.

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

Quotable Quotes

"He who knows others is learned. He who knows himself is wise".

“Some men see things as they are and ask “Why”? I dare to dream of things that never were and ask “Why not”?

"You will never win if you never begin".

“Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today”.

MANAGING STRESS

The consequences of allowing stress to rule our life are not only emotional. Physical structures throughout the human body take a beating. Tiny spines on the dendrites of brain nerve cells are worn away by the effects of stress hormones. Stress also affects the immune response and is associated with increased fat around the organs, which is a serious health risk. A zone at the tail-end of each chromosome, called a telomere, unravels as we age. In recent years, scientists have found that when we are under stress, telomeres come apart more quickly.

The good news: For most of us, avoiding this onslaught of harm may be as simple as spending focused time with loved ones, and learning to consciously dwell on the positive things in our lives. A life of contentment doesn’t come from external sources. We have to create it through our own thoughts and actions. People under chronic, extreme stress may require more involved interventions to avoid serious health effects. But taking a deep breath and appreciating what we have is a good first step for all of us.

As professionals, managers and leaders, what advice can you share with others about managing stress in your professional lives?

Whenever there is a disconnect between the world and our expectation of it, the outcome is stress. When there is a disconnect between our outer being and our inner being, once again the outcome is stress. Pretence and losing the connect from within again leads to stress.

The fight or flight syndrome is the biggest stress producer. The way to silence this is through:

a) Eating well and on time
b) Excersing: The excuse of having no time is a pattern of resistance
c) Spend time with friends and alone too (walk in the park is not a bad idea)
d) Keep learning and studying (a language, a new skill)
e) Sleep 7 to 8 hours
f) Criticise no one and blame no one; accept responsibility ALWAYS!
g) Speak less and only if you have to.
h) Wake up with a prayer and say something nice
i) Appreciate your spouse or partner and do more than you get
j) Try and go blank (let the noises in your head die out).

Stress, is more often than not self inflicted and leaves one with a feeling of being stuck in the rut. Losing one’s self esteem is stressful too and often comes when one feels threatened with ones surroundings or peers. So let go and empower your own self from within. There is nothing out there. We are all space time events and probabilities of existence; constructs of our own consciousness. But then our logical mind and our penchant for rational thinking always come in the way. That is a pattern too.

Stress produces Cortisol (negative emotion releases a biological toxic chemical called Cortisol) and causes pain. Smiling releases Serotomin a chemical that has a calming effect on your mind – the perfect antidote for stress.

If you worry about a trouble, it becomes double. But when you smile at it, it disappears like a bubble.

Yoga and meditation have long been known to help people eliminate stress, be mindful of others and approach situations with peace. Bringing those skills to our work environment can be a crucial factor in our personal and professional success.

We are worried about our physical future, financial future and family future and are materialistic. We call anxiety nowadays as “Stress”. We have to move from distress to destress for which we have to read Vedas. Vedas help us in discovering Peace, Security and Happiness. Saraha of Vedas is the Scripture called “Bhagavad Gita”. Bhagavad Gita gives peace, Security and Happiness. If we have all these three then Life becomes an asset. If we lack these three things then Life becomes a liability.

Thus we can see that Smile, Yoga and Meditation and reading Scriptures like Bhagavad Gita will help us confront life and destress ourselves. Let us take passion in whatever we do and also be happy with ourselves and create a stress free work.

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

WHAT IS A MAHAVAKYA?

Any sentence that reveals the identity between jiva, the individual, and Ishvara, the Lord, is considered a Mahavakya(s), the great saying(s).

Mahavakya is a compound of words mahat, meaning "great", and vakya, the form of the root vac, "to speak". Mahavakya compound means "that which is great and which is a sentence", a major sentence that is great because of its important subject content.

1. Mahavakya "Tat Tvam Asi", That thou are (ChU 6.08.07 in Samaveda)

In the Mahavakya "tat tvam asi", the immediate meaning of the word tvam is "you", the jiva I take myself to be. The meaning of the word tat is "that", Ishvara. That I, the jiva, am separate from Ishvara is experientially true. As a created being, I find myself bound and limited, and Ishvara is the creator of the whole cosmos. To say that this limited jiva is that omniscient Ishvara leads to confusion. The immediate meaning of Mahavakya tattvamasi "that thou art" appears to be contradictory, implying that it is not an ordinary sentence.

Through an understanding of the implied meaning, contradiction is negated and commonality is proved. Creating the proper context, the rishis and gurus wield the words with grace to reveal the common factor between tvam and tat, jiva and Ishvara, which is Brahman. Brahman viewed as total creation is Ishvara; viewed as individual, Brahman is jiva. In the implied meaning of tvam and tat, there is no difference-Brahman is the truth of both. The verb of being reveals this identity: That Ishvara thou art.

A Mahavakya is a great equation. If one can see that all that is created-in spite of differences-is ONE Brahman, then all the differences are resolved.

2. Mahavakya “Ayam Atma Brahma" (MaU 02 in Atharvaveda)

Ayam Atma word refers to this "I" the Awareness. A simple word like "speaker" means the one who speaks and also the thinker is one who thinks. Similarly "Awarer" reveals an "I", an individual with reference to a function. What is the function here? I am aware of something; hence I am called an "Awarer". The awarer is aware of all objects around him or her. If the objects are removed, the content of "awarer" will remain. When objects come, I become an awarer. When objects are gone, I am the content of the awarer "Awareness". In awareness all objects and thought exist. Even when thoughts are gone, awareness remains.

The space is in awareness. The space is, awareness is. Space is not-as we are not aware of space in our sleep, where there is no space-awareness is. Similarly time is, awareness is, time is not, awareness is. Does awareness have form? The awareness has no form. All forms are objects of awareness. Awareness itself has no form. Awareness is formless, it is spatially limitless. Space is, awareness is. Therefore star is, awareness is. The limitless awareness is, space is. Space is, the limitless awareness is. Now between limitless awareness and the space, what is the distance? And also, between space and stars what is the distance? There is no distance. Between space and the moon, what is the distance? There is no distance. The moon is in awareness because I am aware of the moon. Between awareness, you and the moon in awareness, what is the distance? There is no distance. Between I the awareness and the moon in awareness, if there is any distance what should it be? Space. And where is the space? In awareness. Between awareness and space there is no distance. Therefore, in awareness is the space, in the space is the moon, in space is the sun, in space are the stars, in space are all the planets. The whole physical universe is in the awareness. Therefore between awareness and any object in the world, what is the distance? There is no distance between awareness and this physical world.

The Limitless Brahman
This physical body is in space. In the awareness is space; in space is this body, in space all bodies exist. All the bodies exist in space and space itself is in awareness. And therefore, between awareness and this body or any other body that exist, there is no distance. Therefore where am I? There is no location for I. Awareness is not located. The body is located in space and space itself is located in awareness. And where is awareness located? The question does not arise. The awareness is not located anywhere. In awareness is located space. With reference to space we say 'here' and 'there', and so on. And therefore in awareness is space; in space is this body and everything else. So where is awareness? Where the Akasha (space) is. Where Akasha shines, there the awareness is. Awareness is not located in space. In awareness is space. Therefore awareness is called all pervasive.
There is only one limitless awareness. There is no second limitless awareness. Therefore awareness is rightly called Brahman. Aham Atma Brahma. Atma, the self is Brahman.

Nature of Awareness
Awareness is not subject to time, nor does it have a beginning or an end. It exists at all time and is referred to as Sat in Vedanta; and the same awareness is also called the Cit, consciousness.

Note: This article is based on Swami Dayananda Saraswati's ( Arsha Vidya Pitham, Saylorsburg, PA) book "Who am I?"

The basic teachings of the Upanishads are summed up in six great sayings (Mahavakyas). These are:

"I am Brahman" (Aham Brahmasmi). This states the identity of the inmost consciousness of the individual with that of the supreme Divine. The ultimate truth of Vedic knowledge is not that some great savior is God or the Lord or that such and such a God or name and form of God is the supreme. It is not the worship of a person, book, image or idea. It is not even the worship of God. The Upanishads say that whatever we worship as truth apart from ourselves destroys us. They teach that our own Self is the true Divinity, that it is the presence of the absolute within our heart and all the universe.

"The Self is Brahman" (Ayam Atma Brahma). This also states the identity of the soul with the Absolute but in a more objective and less direct manner. Not only is our Self the Divine. It is the same Self in all beings that is the same Absolute truth.

"That thou art" (Tat tvam asi). Whatever we see or think about we are that. Not only is the I That, the You is also That. We are that ultimate I and Thou in all. The consciousness in the other is also the Divine.

"Intelligence is Brahman" (Prajnanam Brahma). Our discernment of truth is the truth itself. It indicates that the Divine intelligence is present within us and has the power to return us to the Divine. Our inmost intelligence is that supreme intelligence through which we can merge into the Absolute.

"The Universe is Brahman" (Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma). The entire universe is the Divine, which includes our self. The Divine is not only the consciousness principle in you and I, it is also the being principle in all things. It is the ultimate object as well as the inmost subject in all beings. It is one and all and all in one.

"He am I" (So'ham). This shows the identity of the self with the Divine Lord inherent within the natural movement of our breath. "So" is the natural sound of inhalation, "ham" of exhalation.

These are statements of the identity of the individual consciousness with the Absolute or Divine reality. They all derive from and merge into Om (AUM), the Divine Word of "I am all".

Be Blissful.

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

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BRAHMAN AND NIRVANA

one who says that I know Brahman does not know; one who knows the Truth says that I do not know. Brahman is the unknown to a person of true knowledge, it is known only to the ignorant

---Ken Upanishad 2.01-03

An attempt by: Ramananda Prasad

In Sanskrit the meaning of a word is based on the verbal root from which the word is derived. The word “Brahman” (also spelled as “Brahma”) is a noun derived from the verbal root “Briha” which means to become big. Thus the noun Brahman derived from the verbal root “Briha” means “bigness”. In English, however, the word Brahman is not translated as bigness, but as Absolute Reality. Let us first examine the meaning of Absolute Reality. Absolute means ultimate, independent, existing all by itself or complete by itself and reality means nature, quality, or substance of objects. Thus Absolute Reality means ultimate nature of objects, called Brahman in Sanskrit. This word also means the substance that exists independent of all other substances and from which all other substances are derived. That from which the origin, sustenance, and dissolution of this universe are derived is called the Absolute. Thus the Absolute Reality, the substance from which everything is derived, must be “Big” or limitless, because everything else is either derived from it or is included in it. Because it is absolute, there is nothing else other than the Absolute Reality, the substratum of everything. Thus Brahman is all encompassing substance --- the root cause of everything, known or unknown, seen or perceived, feelings or emotions, thoughts or things. Everything is included in the “Bigness” of Brahman. Nothing is left out --- including God.

Brahman is indestructible, dimensionless, beginningless, and limitless. It cannot be measured, seen, or described by a human being that is limited in every way. Brahman is ever present and beyond time and space. Actually time and space are included in Brahman. It is the ever present reality of all objects and is also called “Sat” or permanent in Sanskrit. It is also present in the form of consciousness (Chit) or awareness in all living beings that cannot be seen or felt. Brahman in the form of awareness is not present in non-living objects, but Sat is present in both living and non-living objects. Brahman is also limitless (Ananta). Thus Brahman is referred as Sat-Chit-Ananta, or Sacchidananta from point of view of all objects, living or non-living.

Everything, perceivable or non-perceivable, in the cosmos is nothing but an apparent transformation of Brahman. It is the cause of all causes. Thus there is Brahman and Brahman only and nothing else. Brahman has apparently assumed different forms like water assumes different forms such as ice, vapor, ocean, waves, ripples, etc. The entire creation is born in time and space, and the time and space abides in Brahman. Thus Brahman is the absolute reality of everything including me, you, the animals, plants, minerals, our thoughts, knowledge, ignorance, happiness, suffering, etc. Thus there is nothing other than Brahman.

Brahman is often described as formless, because its transcendental or subtle form cannot be perceived by our senses. It can take any form. All forms are nothing but an apparent change of Brahman from one form to another. Thus it cannot be formless in a real sense. Everything has a form --- visible or invisible to human eyes. The process or the forces (Shakti) that cause this apparent change or creation is called Lord, the creator. The product of the change is called creation that includes both living and non-living beings.

Brahman itself is action less awareness, and without Maya, the power of nature, it cannot create the world of objects, emotions and thoughts. This Maya, the efficient cause of creation is not separate from Brahman. Similarly, both the material of creation or the material cause of the creation is also in Brahman. Thus the Brahman is not only the entire creation, but also both the material and efficient cause of the creation. It is the creator as well as the creation, all in one. One who understands Brahman in this way can say: I am the limitless Brahman, called Atma, that dwells in the body-mind complex; and not this body-mind complex which is limited. With the dawn of the knowledge of Brahman, one gets rid of want, unhappiness and limitations and attains full maturity and bliss called Nirvana.

The purity of mind that comes from selfless service, Karma Yoga, is required to gain the knowledge of Brahman or the Self-knowledge. "Truly, there is no purifier in this world like the true knowledge of the Supreme Being. One discovers this knowledge within, naturally, in course of time when one's mind is cleansed of selfishness by Karma Yoga. (See also Gita 4.31, 5.06, and 18.78). (Gita 4.38)"

THE SUPREME CAN BE DESCRIBED BY PARABLES, AND NOT IN ANY OTHER WAY

I shall fully describe the Supreme Being  the object of knowledge. By knowing this one at­tains immortality. The beginningless Supreme Being is said to be neither eternal nor temporal. (See also 9.19, 11.37, and 15.18) (13.12)

In the beginning there was neither Eternal Being nor Temporal Beings; no sky, no air, neither day nor night. There was nothing else whatsoever other than the Absolute Supreme Being . The Absolute is beyond both Temporal Beings (celestial controllers, Devas) and the Eternal Being (the Spirit) (Verse 15.18). Therefore, He is neither temporal, nor eternal. The Supreme Being or the Absolute is also both temporal and eternal (Verse 9.19) and beyond temporal and eternal (Verse 11.37, 15.18); because, He is everywhere, in everything, and also beyond everything. Therefore, the Absolute is all three  neither temporal nor eternal; beyond both temporal and eternal, as well as both temporal and eternal  at the same time.

The Supreme Being has His hands, feet, eyes, head, mouth, and ears eve­rywhere, because He is all-pervading and omnipresent. (13.13)

He is the perceiver of all sense objects without the physical sense organs; unattached, and yet the sustainer of all; devoid of the three modes of material Nature, and yet the enjoyer of the modes of material Nature by becoming the living entity. (13.14)

The Self walks without legs, hears without ears, performs many actions without hands, smells without a nose, sees without eyes, speaks without a mouth, and enjoys all tastes without a tongue. All His actions are so marvelous that one finds His greatness utterly beyond description (TR 1.117.03-04). The Supreme Being may be de­scribed only by parables and paradoxes and in no other way. (See also ShU 3.19). Self expands Himself as the living entity to enjoy three modes of material Nature.

God does not possess a body like an ordinary being. All His senses are transcendental, or out of this world. His potencies are multifarious. Any one of His senses can perform the action of any other sense. All His deeds are automatically performed as a natural consequence.

He is inside as well as outside all beings, animate and inanimate. He is incomprehensible because of His subtlety. And because of His omnipresence, He is very near  residing in one’s inner psyche  as well as far away in the Supreme Abode. (13.15)

He is undivided, yet appears to exist as if divided in beings. He is the ob­ject of knowledge and appears as the creator (Brahmaa), sustainer (Vishnu), and destroyer (Shiva) of all be­ings. (See also 11.13 and 18.20) (13.16)

One planet earth appears divided into so many countries, one country appears divided into several states, one state appears divided into counties and so on; similarly, one Reality ap­pears as many. These are apparent divisions, because they have the same order of reality. The term God is used for the Generator, Operator, and Destroyer aspects of the Self.

The Supreme Being is the source of all lights. He is said to be beyond darkness of ignorance. He is Self-knowledge, the object of Self-knowledge, and seated in the inner psyche as consciousness (See verse 18.61) of all beings, He is to be realized by Self-knowledge. (13.17)

Be Blissful.

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

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