Mukundan Pandiyath | Ignou - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Mukundan Pandiyath
The Modi-God Dialogues: Spirituality for a New World Order, 2022
A woman and a man desire to come together stirred by the primal fire of Kama and the man deposits... more A woman and a man desire to come together stirred by the primal fire of Kama and the man deposits his egg in the womb of the woman. This egg develops into a human undergoing nine or ten months of evolution. This process is the microscopic replication of the method evolved by God to create the universe. Rigveda (10.121) mentions Hiranyagarbha, the Golden Egg as the source of the creation of the universe. It is said that God, wishing to create the world, produced an egg as big as the cosmos. God meditated for a thousand years sitting inside the egg and when the egg burst, the Lord himself was born out of the egg as the Progenitor of the universe (“He made Himself by Himself.”, Taitiriya Upanishad: 2.7.1). The Rishis called the Egg Brahmanda (the Cosmic Egg), and the Progenitor Manu. Scientists have discovered that the universe has an oval shape. Like the nine months of the evolution of the human egg, the Cosmic Egg also undergoes nine stages of evolution before it gets dissolved during what we call ‘Maha Pralaya’. The Puranas mention that Brahmanda has 14 biospheres, seven nether and seven upper inhabited by different types of souls. If we count from the human world, there are ten dimensions of consciousness. Rishis called these astral biospheres Mandalas/Lokas with different wavelengths and colours. Sri Karunakara Guru referred to them as Avasthas, or spiritual stages. The Buddhists and Hindu esoteric sects such as the Theosophical Society explain these levels of the Absolute in terms of Physical plane, Astral plane, Mental plane, Buddhic plane, Atmic plane, Anupadaka plane, Adi plane and Shiv and Shakti. These Avasthas are related to the expanding consciousness reaching up to the core of the Cosmic Egg, the Paramatma. Like a spider which creates a web around it sitting in the centre, and withdraws it in the end, Paramatma creates and withdraws webbed multi-dimensional universes. Nobody can say when it started and when it will end as it is a beginningless and endless process.
Although the authors of Puranas and Smritis agree that the episodes of creation happen through 14... more Although the authors of Puranas and Smritis agree that the episodes of creation happen through 14 Manus they have demoted Manu below Brahma in order to show that the gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are supreme. They did this probably to integrate and bring the three main pre-existing ancient sects -Saiva, Vaishnava, Shakteya under one umbrella for the promotion of Vedic religion and ritualism under the suzerainty of Vaidikas.
This was an error against Manu Dharma and the Manvantara Time Cycle. The Manvantara Time Order is the Sankalpam of God for spiritual evolution through the course of Yugas, which happens through the medium of a chain of Kalanthara Gurus (Guru Parampara). A Jeeva has to evolve through ten spiritual stages or Avasthas to attain mukthi in Brahman; that is why this system of yugas is in place through the Manvantara Time Cycle.
The ancient Vaidikas torpedoed this system of Sanatana Dharma through the composition of Puranas in which Trimurti gods were extolled as the authority of creation, sustenance, and dissolution so that their worship can be perpetuated. They developed complex tantric rituals for this purpose over which they have a more or less total monopoly.
With the introduction of Vedic caste system, the Indian society had lost its unity . The majority... more With the introduction of Vedic caste system, the Indian society had lost its unity . The majority of people was suffering under the millstone of caste system. They remained impassive even when the country was being plundered by outside forces.. Caste is different from the Varna concept. Caste was the invention of a group of greedy vaidikas to subjugate the subaltern population of India. The Varna system was not based on hereditary or external features but on innate soul qualities. After observing austerities, the Kshatriyas and Vaisyas obtain spiritual elevation and thus become qualified to be initiated into the path of spiritual realisation. Through such spiritual realisation they become brahmanas. Brahmana means a sage or a guru, the possessor of transcendental knowledge, one who has realised Brahman (the Supreme Light). Great sages like Vishwamitra who was a kshatriya by birth attained the title of Brahma Rishi (Brahmanhood) by performing long years of penance. It is with such penance (tapas) the kshatriya and vaisya become eligible for initiation (deeksha). The Sudra is also eligible for initiation which becomes clear from the mantra in Aitareya Brahmana – 'Yadyapah Sudranam Sah Daksha'. The Sudras were initiated by water in yagna ceremony. From this mantra as well as from some others, it becomes clear that Sudras also had the right to initiation as against the institutes of Manu and other dharma shastras, which are obviously interpolated versions. The desire for brahmanhood is denoted by brahma varchasa kamana. It is said about a person in Srimad Bhagavata Purana that he obtained brahma-varchasam (brahmanhood) discarding kshatriyahood. Tapasaa kshatram utrujyo lalabhe brahma varchasam. Indra, the head of devas (gods), is said to have desired brahma varchasam (brahmanhood) through the performance of a yaga. Brahmavarchasam praayachhat (indra). Sayana in his treatise on Vedas has defined the word brahmana as one who lives by the knowledge of Brahman and Vedas or who has realized Brahman. (Braahmana Vedenaananthena Cheshtanthe, Nitya naimittikaadiini karmaani Kurvanthiiti Braahmana, or 'Brahma adhiiyate vidanthi va braahmanaa.) Whatever Varna one belongs to, the basis for becoming a brahmana is internal qualities like self-enquiry through a life of penance.
Varnashrama Dharma, which is wrongly quoted as the basis for caste system, is the categorization ... more Varnashrama Dharma, which is wrongly quoted as the basis for caste system, is the categorization of different spiritual statuses based on inborn tendencies of man. It is universal and has nothing to do with birth, race, community and religion. On the contrary, ‘jati’ is birth-based social segregation of people according to their race, profession, worship, community etc. and is a creation of the Vaidikas (the Vedic priests).
In the jnana or wisdom path (Manu-centric Guru tradition), it is the enlightened all-knowing Guru... more In the jnana or wisdom path (Manu-centric Guru tradition), it is the enlightened all-knowing Guru, who is the spiritual authority. Such gurus appear at every yuga intervals for providing spiritual guidance to humanity. This system of spiritual guidance by enlightened sages was done away with by the Vaidikas with the temple tradition in order to fulfill their vision of a priest-centric society. They had already fortified their position by instituting caste rules through the Smritis and Puranas (Vedic subsidiary scriptures) which authorize only the Brahmanas (the priest class) for the conduct of Vedic rites and rituals. Therefore, the system of worshiping devi-devas or demigods was a connivance of the Vaidikas.
The history of the ‘original sin’ and the Manu cycles is a very important topic because it has th... more The history of the ‘original sin’ and the Manu cycles is a very important topic because it has the potential to unite us spiritually. The history of Manu or Adam is shrouded in mystery. The Bible writers mention about the story of Adam and Ave and the sin they committed against the will of God. It is presented as a myth, which is both conceptually vague and lacking in historical details. The Adam myth relates to a long forgotten spiritual error in the history of human race...
Drafts by Mukundan Pandiyath
The Indian Rishis perceived time in its mathematical structure. They defined and calculated time ... more The Indian Rishis perceived time in its mathematical structure. They defined and calculated time from its minute (anu) measurement to cosmic proportions in terms of Kalpa, Manvantara and Yuga cycles. Manvantara Time Order is the exclusive contribution of Indian Rishis to human civilization. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru explains it as the fulcrum for evolving a universal spiritual order. He also explains how the Manvantara Time Order was lost sight in human history owing to an error by a spiritual authority in the remote past. He explains how a lineage of spiritual masters (Manu Parampara) govern and regulate the system of spiritual evolution of all life forms to its destined perfection through the scheme of Yuga cycles. Another contribution of Sri Karunakara Guru is the concept of Kalanthara Gurus (epochal preceptors) as well as the scheme of spiritual planes related to evolution of life.
We have only one religion – the Religion of Liberation', said Navajyotisri Karunakara Guru (1927-... more We have only one religion – the Religion of Liberation', said Navajyotisri Karunakara Guru (1927-1999), the founder of Santhigiri Guru Parampara about the path of Dharma he founded. Guru Dharma deals with principles related to the spiritual scheme of time cycles (Yuga Dharma), wisdom transmission (Guru Dharma) and the laws concerning soul's transmigratory journey for the fulfilling experience of non-dual consciousness. Guru revealed the way for experiencing the pure vision of non-dual Truth living in the duality of phenomenal existence. We might take time cycles i.e. Yugas, Manvantaras, and Kalpa as some obscure concepts from an unknown past. Just like time in the form of day and night as well as year and season is bound to human destiny, Yugas and Manvantaras are the measurements of infinite time, related to the origin and evolution of life and consciousness in the solar system. The solar system has come into being with such matchless perfection by the Will of Brahman, the Transcendental Light (Brahma Prakasham).
Books by Mukundan Pandiyath
Practices of Peace, Contemporary Forms of Gandhian Spirituality, 2024
Peace or Shanthi is the condition of harmony wherein man can evolve his soul with the right knowl... more Peace or Shanthi is the condition of harmony wherein man can evolve his soul with the right knowledge of universal truths. What shatters peace is man’s spiritual, intellectual, mental, and physical debilities and limitations. Man’s imperfections are reflected in his actions in all areas of life including politics and governance. Man can acquire the knowledge of neutralizing these limitations through spiritual discipline under the guidance of a fully realized Master. Indian spirituality is focused on this single aim – the peace of man. Only a man of peace can spread peace in the world around him. The work for peace is not limited to dissertations, dialogues, and debates, it necessitates a process of inner cultivation at the individual and societal level. The micro-level peace process begins with the individual and family. It is premised on the belief in the existence of the soul and its nourishment for peace and fulfillment in life. It creates in man the fear of truth, as well as the inspiration for cultivating peace and harmony within.
The macro-level spiritual process for peace should be able to relate and evaluate the phenomena of time, in its past, present, and future dimensions along with the good and bad deeds of past generations, their curses and benedictions, and the lingering influence of their actions, faith, and rituals on the living. Without shoveling away this spiritual garbage behind the backyard of every human society, the way to lasting peace will be difficult to find. The irreconcilable ethnic and racial confrontations as well as the cultural mores of human societies have their roots in the karma of ancestors. If the past weighs down on the present, then the past needs to be evaluated and realigned with the present and future to streamline the path of peace. When man is made aware of the riddle of time, and life’s origin and evolution, it will make him reflective and tolerant. The result will be peace, a durable one. The life and teachings of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru stand as an everlasting model for peace and spiritual fulfillment.
Better Indeed Than All the Lands: The Contemporary South Asian Discourse of Nationalism”, Edited by Saji Varghese, 2023
Vedic literature mentions that Indian civilization originated from Manu the founding patriarch of... more Vedic literature mentions that Indian civilization originated from Manu the founding patriarch of mankind. Ikshvaku, one of Manu's ten sons, ruled Ayodhya and founded the Solar dynasty (Surya Vamsh). Manu had a daughter called Ila. Her son Pururvas founded the Lunar dynasty (Chandra Vamsh). Among the descendants of Pururuvas were the famed Nahusha and Yayati. Five tribes (Vamsh) originated from the five sons of Yayati, and they spread. Bharat, after whose name India is known, was one of the progenies of Yayati. He founded Bharat Vamsha, the Indian civilization. A few seers (rishis) in this clan received revelations that were compiled in the form of Vedas. Indians are the descendants of this great ancient civilization which has survived the ravages of time and continues to flow as lively as ever through the twists and turns of history. India that is Bharat is the birthplace of four dharmic religions-Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, and has produced from her bosom a long lineage of seers and sages, thousands of them.
No country can progress without a sound philosophy of life that integrates materialism with spirituality. Governance without the base of dharma will defeat the very purpose of human life. The word dharma has a different meaning other than religion. Dharma means the cosmic laws concerning the birth, existence, and evolution of souls to perfection, which are revealed through jnanis, the knowers of the past, present, and future course of life. In ancient India, the kings ruled taking guidance from such jnanis. Manava Dharma cannot be separated from governance, so India integrated dharma. Secularism when bereft of dharma is bound to lead India to a greater disaster because what is at stake is the right spiritual direction for the perfection of human life in a harmonious world.
The Modi-God Dialogues: Spirituality for a New World Order, 2022
The Upanishads reveal that in the beginning, nothing existed: “This was but non-existence in the ... more The Upanishads reveal that in the beginning, nothing existed: “This was but non-existence in the beginning. That became existence. That became ready to be manifest”. (Chandogya Upanishad 3.15.1) The creation began from this state of non-existence or nonduality, a state comparable to (0). One can add any number of zeros to (0), but there will be nothing except a big (0) because (0) is a neutral number. If we take (0) as Nirguna Brahman (God without any form and attributes), then from where and how did the universe come into existence?
The neutral power (0) cannot produce anything without having an element of duality in it. Although Nirguna Brahman is neutral, it has a positive, negative, and neutral pole, constituting its Prakriti or nature. Prakriti has three latent Gunas (modes or qualities): Satva, Rajas, and Tamas. They are related to Gyana Shakti (the power of knowledge) Sankalpa Shakti (the power of ideation), and Kriya Shakti (the power of action). Science says that Atom is the basic element from which the universe evolved. The Atom has three nuclei- electron, pluton, and neutron. The Satva, Rajas, and Tamas in Indian spirituality are nothing but the mystical names for the nuclei of an atom.
According to Bhagavata Purana, Prakriti is also constituted of the elements of Time, Karma (action/destiny) and Swabhava (innate nature). Time disturbs the equilibrium of Gunas. From the aspect of Karma is produced an entity called Mahat, in the form of intelligence. Mahat is dominated by Satva and Rajas. From Mahat manifests the next evolute dominated by Tamas with three predominant qualities – Dravya (substance), Kriya (action), as well as intelligence. It forms to become the Ego principle (Ahamkara).
Ahamkara has three modes – Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. Satvic is Jnana oriented, Rajasic action-oriented and Tamasic Dravya (substance) oriented. From the Tamasic Ahankara, five gross elements are produced (ether, air, fire, water, and earth - Akash, Vayu, Agni, Jal and Prithvi). From the Satvic Ahamkara, guardian deities (the sun and moon, deities of sense organs, and organs of action) and from Rajasic Ahamkara, ten senses (Indriyas), five senses of perception, five organs of action, the faculties of intellect and Prana (life breath) are produced.
Bhagavata says that since these energies, elements, and faculties remained disassociated, they were combined to form a Cosmic Egg. The egg floats in the primal waters for a thousand years. Then God enters this Cosmic Egg and manifests himself as the Cosmic Purusha. He is the first nucleus, the God particle equivalent to the number (1) which is the embodiment of everything in the universe. The concept of creation and dissolution in Hinduism can be compared to the waves in an ocean that appear and disappear incessantly. The Manvantaras are such successive episodes of creation emerging from the Cosmic Person, the Manu who is embodied God-Consciousness, God himself. These episodes of creation are measured in Hinduism in terms of Manvantaras, the epochs of Manus.
Manu is the ‘First-Born’ (1) of God, the Cosmic Purusha from whom the world has originated. This Cosmic Person (Purusha) has been described as having fourteen biospheres (heavens) that are inhabited by various life forms in the order of evolution of consciousness. If we begin from the human biosphere (Bhuloka), there are ten astral biospheres that a man must transcend to attain liberation or Mukti from the cycle of births and deaths.
The number (1) produces the primary numbers up to (9) through the transmutation of the creational energies and qualities. The process can be related to the descent and cyclical evolution of (1) through ten spiritual stages, finally merging with the nondual (0). The number (10) marks the merger of (1) with (0). The Hindu worldview is that all life forms in an episode of creation must evolve to become one with the non-dual state (0) to attain liberation from the cycle of births and deaths in a cyclical process.
The Modi-God Dialogues: Spirituality for a New World Order, 2022
Although God is a neutral power, without name and form, he takes a form for himself relative to t... more Although God is a neutral power, without name and form, he takes a form for himself relative to the human world. The point of creation is from this Cosmic Mind. The name of that Cosmic Person is Manu alias Purusha, Adam, and so on. It is said in the scriptures that Manu, the Cosmic Person split himself into two, as a man and a woman at the beginning of creation, and the human race originated from their union.
The Modi-God Dialogues: Spirituality for a New World Order, 2022
A woman and a man desire to come together stirred by the primal fire of Kama and the man deposits... more A woman and a man desire to come together stirred by the primal fire of Kama and the man deposits his egg in the womb of the woman. This egg develops into a human undergoing nine or ten months of evolution. This process is the microscopic replication of the method evolved by God to create the universe. Rigveda (10.121) mentions Hiranyagarbha, the Golden Egg as the source of the creation of the universe. It is said that God, wishing to create the world, produced an egg as big as the cosmos. God meditated for a thousand years sitting inside the egg and when the egg burst, the Lord himself was born out of the egg as the Progenitor of the universe (“He made Himself by Himself.”, Taitiriya Upanishad: 2.7.1). The Rishis called the Egg Brahmanda (the Cosmic Egg), and the Progenitor Manu. Scientists have discovered that the universe has an oval shape. Like the nine months of the evolution of the human egg, the Cosmic Egg also undergoes nine stages of evolution before it gets dissolved during what we call ‘Maha Pralaya’. The Puranas mention that Brahmanda has 14 biospheres, seven nether and seven upper inhabited by different types of souls. If we count from the human world, there are ten dimensions of consciousness. Rishis called these astral biospheres Mandalas/Lokas with different wavelengths and colours. Sri Karunakara Guru referred to them as Avasthas, or spiritual stages. The Buddhists and Hindu esoteric sects such as the Theosophical Society explain these levels of the Absolute in terms of Physical plane, Astral plane, Mental plane, Buddhic plane, Atmic plane, Anupadaka plane, Adi plane and Shiv and Shakti. These Avasthas are related to the expanding consciousness reaching up to the core of the Cosmic Egg, the Paramatma. Like a spider which creates a web around it sitting in the centre, and withdraws it in the end, Paramatma creates and withdraws webbed multi-dimensional universes. Nobody can say when it started and when it will end as it is a beginningless and endless process.
Although the authors of Puranas and Smritis agree that the episodes of creation happen through 14... more Although the authors of Puranas and Smritis agree that the episodes of creation happen through 14 Manus they have demoted Manu below Brahma in order to show that the gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are supreme. They did this probably to integrate and bring the three main pre-existing ancient sects -Saiva, Vaishnava, Shakteya under one umbrella for the promotion of Vedic religion and ritualism under the suzerainty of Vaidikas.
This was an error against Manu Dharma and the Manvantara Time Cycle. The Manvantara Time Order is the Sankalpam of God for spiritual evolution through the course of Yugas, which happens through the medium of a chain of Kalanthara Gurus (Guru Parampara). A Jeeva has to evolve through ten spiritual stages or Avasthas to attain mukthi in Brahman; that is why this system of yugas is in place through the Manvantara Time Cycle.
The ancient Vaidikas torpedoed this system of Sanatana Dharma through the composition of Puranas in which Trimurti gods were extolled as the authority of creation, sustenance, and dissolution so that their worship can be perpetuated. They developed complex tantric rituals for this purpose over which they have a more or less total monopoly.
With the introduction of Vedic caste system, the Indian society had lost its unity . The majority... more With the introduction of Vedic caste system, the Indian society had lost its unity . The majority of people was suffering under the millstone of caste system. They remained impassive even when the country was being plundered by outside forces.. Caste is different from the Varna concept. Caste was the invention of a group of greedy vaidikas to subjugate the subaltern population of India. The Varna system was not based on hereditary or external features but on innate soul qualities. After observing austerities, the Kshatriyas and Vaisyas obtain spiritual elevation and thus become qualified to be initiated into the path of spiritual realisation. Through such spiritual realisation they become brahmanas. Brahmana means a sage or a guru, the possessor of transcendental knowledge, one who has realised Brahman (the Supreme Light). Great sages like Vishwamitra who was a kshatriya by birth attained the title of Brahma Rishi (Brahmanhood) by performing long years of penance. It is with such penance (tapas) the kshatriya and vaisya become eligible for initiation (deeksha). The Sudra is also eligible for initiation which becomes clear from the mantra in Aitareya Brahmana – 'Yadyapah Sudranam Sah Daksha'. The Sudras were initiated by water in yagna ceremony. From this mantra as well as from some others, it becomes clear that Sudras also had the right to initiation as against the institutes of Manu and other dharma shastras, which are obviously interpolated versions. The desire for brahmanhood is denoted by brahma varchasa kamana. It is said about a person in Srimad Bhagavata Purana that he obtained brahma-varchasam (brahmanhood) discarding kshatriyahood. Tapasaa kshatram utrujyo lalabhe brahma varchasam. Indra, the head of devas (gods), is said to have desired brahma varchasam (brahmanhood) through the performance of a yaga. Brahmavarchasam praayachhat (indra). Sayana in his treatise on Vedas has defined the word brahmana as one who lives by the knowledge of Brahman and Vedas or who has realized Brahman. (Braahmana Vedenaananthena Cheshtanthe, Nitya naimittikaadiini karmaani Kurvanthiiti Braahmana, or 'Brahma adhiiyate vidanthi va braahmanaa.) Whatever Varna one belongs to, the basis for becoming a brahmana is internal qualities like self-enquiry through a life of penance.
Varnashrama Dharma, which is wrongly quoted as the basis for caste system, is the categorization ... more Varnashrama Dharma, which is wrongly quoted as the basis for caste system, is the categorization of different spiritual statuses based on inborn tendencies of man. It is universal and has nothing to do with birth, race, community and religion. On the contrary, ‘jati’ is birth-based social segregation of people according to their race, profession, worship, community etc. and is a creation of the Vaidikas (the Vedic priests).
In the jnana or wisdom path (Manu-centric Guru tradition), it is the enlightened all-knowing Guru... more In the jnana or wisdom path (Manu-centric Guru tradition), it is the enlightened all-knowing Guru, who is the spiritual authority. Such gurus appear at every yuga intervals for providing spiritual guidance to humanity. This system of spiritual guidance by enlightened sages was done away with by the Vaidikas with the temple tradition in order to fulfill their vision of a priest-centric society. They had already fortified their position by instituting caste rules through the Smritis and Puranas (Vedic subsidiary scriptures) which authorize only the Brahmanas (the priest class) for the conduct of Vedic rites and rituals. Therefore, the system of worshiping devi-devas or demigods was a connivance of the Vaidikas.
The history of the ‘original sin’ and the Manu cycles is a very important topic because it has th... more The history of the ‘original sin’ and the Manu cycles is a very important topic because it has the potential to unite us spiritually. The history of Manu or Adam is shrouded in mystery. The Bible writers mention about the story of Adam and Ave and the sin they committed against the will of God. It is presented as a myth, which is both conceptually vague and lacking in historical details. The Adam myth relates to a long forgotten spiritual error in the history of human race...
The Indian Rishis perceived time in its mathematical structure. They defined and calculated time ... more The Indian Rishis perceived time in its mathematical structure. They defined and calculated time from its minute (anu) measurement to cosmic proportions in terms of Kalpa, Manvantara and Yuga cycles. Manvantara Time Order is the exclusive contribution of Indian Rishis to human civilization. Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru explains it as the fulcrum for evolving a universal spiritual order. He also explains how the Manvantara Time Order was lost sight in human history owing to an error by a spiritual authority in the remote past. He explains how a lineage of spiritual masters (Manu Parampara) govern and regulate the system of spiritual evolution of all life forms to its destined perfection through the scheme of Yuga cycles. Another contribution of Sri Karunakara Guru is the concept of Kalanthara Gurus (epochal preceptors) as well as the scheme of spiritual planes related to evolution of life.
We have only one religion – the Religion of Liberation', said Navajyotisri Karunakara Guru (1927-... more We have only one religion – the Religion of Liberation', said Navajyotisri Karunakara Guru (1927-1999), the founder of Santhigiri Guru Parampara about the path of Dharma he founded. Guru Dharma deals with principles related to the spiritual scheme of time cycles (Yuga Dharma), wisdom transmission (Guru Dharma) and the laws concerning soul's transmigratory journey for the fulfilling experience of non-dual consciousness. Guru revealed the way for experiencing the pure vision of non-dual Truth living in the duality of phenomenal existence. We might take time cycles i.e. Yugas, Manvantaras, and Kalpa as some obscure concepts from an unknown past. Just like time in the form of day and night as well as year and season is bound to human destiny, Yugas and Manvantaras are the measurements of infinite time, related to the origin and evolution of life and consciousness in the solar system. The solar system has come into being with such matchless perfection by the Will of Brahman, the Transcendental Light (Brahma Prakasham).
Practices of Peace, Contemporary Forms of Gandhian Spirituality, 2024
Peace or Shanthi is the condition of harmony wherein man can evolve his soul with the right knowl... more Peace or Shanthi is the condition of harmony wherein man can evolve his soul with the right knowledge of universal truths. What shatters peace is man’s spiritual, intellectual, mental, and physical debilities and limitations. Man’s imperfections are reflected in his actions in all areas of life including politics and governance. Man can acquire the knowledge of neutralizing these limitations through spiritual discipline under the guidance of a fully realized Master. Indian spirituality is focused on this single aim – the peace of man. Only a man of peace can spread peace in the world around him. The work for peace is not limited to dissertations, dialogues, and debates, it necessitates a process of inner cultivation at the individual and societal level. The micro-level peace process begins with the individual and family. It is premised on the belief in the existence of the soul and its nourishment for peace and fulfillment in life. It creates in man the fear of truth, as well as the inspiration for cultivating peace and harmony within.
The macro-level spiritual process for peace should be able to relate and evaluate the phenomena of time, in its past, present, and future dimensions along with the good and bad deeds of past generations, their curses and benedictions, and the lingering influence of their actions, faith, and rituals on the living. Without shoveling away this spiritual garbage behind the backyard of every human society, the way to lasting peace will be difficult to find. The irreconcilable ethnic and racial confrontations as well as the cultural mores of human societies have their roots in the karma of ancestors. If the past weighs down on the present, then the past needs to be evaluated and realigned with the present and future to streamline the path of peace. When man is made aware of the riddle of time, and life’s origin and evolution, it will make him reflective and tolerant. The result will be peace, a durable one. The life and teachings of Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru stand as an everlasting model for peace and spiritual fulfillment.
Better Indeed Than All the Lands: The Contemporary South Asian Discourse of Nationalism”, Edited by Saji Varghese, 2023
Vedic literature mentions that Indian civilization originated from Manu the founding patriarch of... more Vedic literature mentions that Indian civilization originated from Manu the founding patriarch of mankind. Ikshvaku, one of Manu's ten sons, ruled Ayodhya and founded the Solar dynasty (Surya Vamsh). Manu had a daughter called Ila. Her son Pururvas founded the Lunar dynasty (Chandra Vamsh). Among the descendants of Pururuvas were the famed Nahusha and Yayati. Five tribes (Vamsh) originated from the five sons of Yayati, and they spread. Bharat, after whose name India is known, was one of the progenies of Yayati. He founded Bharat Vamsha, the Indian civilization. A few seers (rishis) in this clan received revelations that were compiled in the form of Vedas. Indians are the descendants of this great ancient civilization which has survived the ravages of time and continues to flow as lively as ever through the twists and turns of history. India that is Bharat is the birthplace of four dharmic religions-Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, and has produced from her bosom a long lineage of seers and sages, thousands of them.
No country can progress without a sound philosophy of life that integrates materialism with spirituality. Governance without the base of dharma will defeat the very purpose of human life. The word dharma has a different meaning other than religion. Dharma means the cosmic laws concerning the birth, existence, and evolution of souls to perfection, which are revealed through jnanis, the knowers of the past, present, and future course of life. In ancient India, the kings ruled taking guidance from such jnanis. Manava Dharma cannot be separated from governance, so India integrated dharma. Secularism when bereft of dharma is bound to lead India to a greater disaster because what is at stake is the right spiritual direction for the perfection of human life in a harmonious world.
The Modi-God Dialogues: Spirituality for a New World Order, 2022
The Upanishads reveal that in the beginning, nothing existed: “This was but non-existence in the ... more The Upanishads reveal that in the beginning, nothing existed: “This was but non-existence in the beginning. That became existence. That became ready to be manifest”. (Chandogya Upanishad 3.15.1) The creation began from this state of non-existence or nonduality, a state comparable to (0). One can add any number of zeros to (0), but there will be nothing except a big (0) because (0) is a neutral number. If we take (0) as Nirguna Brahman (God without any form and attributes), then from where and how did the universe come into existence?
The neutral power (0) cannot produce anything without having an element of duality in it. Although Nirguna Brahman is neutral, it has a positive, negative, and neutral pole, constituting its Prakriti or nature. Prakriti has three latent Gunas (modes or qualities): Satva, Rajas, and Tamas. They are related to Gyana Shakti (the power of knowledge) Sankalpa Shakti (the power of ideation), and Kriya Shakti (the power of action). Science says that Atom is the basic element from which the universe evolved. The Atom has three nuclei- electron, pluton, and neutron. The Satva, Rajas, and Tamas in Indian spirituality are nothing but the mystical names for the nuclei of an atom.
According to Bhagavata Purana, Prakriti is also constituted of the elements of Time, Karma (action/destiny) and Swabhava (innate nature). Time disturbs the equilibrium of Gunas. From the aspect of Karma is produced an entity called Mahat, in the form of intelligence. Mahat is dominated by Satva and Rajas. From Mahat manifests the next evolute dominated by Tamas with three predominant qualities – Dravya (substance), Kriya (action), as well as intelligence. It forms to become the Ego principle (Ahamkara).
Ahamkara has three modes – Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. Satvic is Jnana oriented, Rajasic action-oriented and Tamasic Dravya (substance) oriented. From the Tamasic Ahankara, five gross elements are produced (ether, air, fire, water, and earth - Akash, Vayu, Agni, Jal and Prithvi). From the Satvic Ahamkara, guardian deities (the sun and moon, deities of sense organs, and organs of action) and from Rajasic Ahamkara, ten senses (Indriyas), five senses of perception, five organs of action, the faculties of intellect and Prana (life breath) are produced.
Bhagavata says that since these energies, elements, and faculties remained disassociated, they were combined to form a Cosmic Egg. The egg floats in the primal waters for a thousand years. Then God enters this Cosmic Egg and manifests himself as the Cosmic Purusha. He is the first nucleus, the God particle equivalent to the number (1) which is the embodiment of everything in the universe. The concept of creation and dissolution in Hinduism can be compared to the waves in an ocean that appear and disappear incessantly. The Manvantaras are such successive episodes of creation emerging from the Cosmic Person, the Manu who is embodied God-Consciousness, God himself. These episodes of creation are measured in Hinduism in terms of Manvantaras, the epochs of Manus.
Manu is the ‘First-Born’ (1) of God, the Cosmic Purusha from whom the world has originated. This Cosmic Person (Purusha) has been described as having fourteen biospheres (heavens) that are inhabited by various life forms in the order of evolution of consciousness. If we begin from the human biosphere (Bhuloka), there are ten astral biospheres that a man must transcend to attain liberation or Mukti from the cycle of births and deaths.
The number (1) produces the primary numbers up to (9) through the transmutation of the creational energies and qualities. The process can be related to the descent and cyclical evolution of (1) through ten spiritual stages, finally merging with the nondual (0). The number (10) marks the merger of (1) with (0). The Hindu worldview is that all life forms in an episode of creation must evolve to become one with the non-dual state (0) to attain liberation from the cycle of births and deaths in a cyclical process.
The Modi-God Dialogues: Spirituality for a New World Order, 2022
Although God is a neutral power, without name and form, he takes a form for himself relative to t... more Although God is a neutral power, without name and form, he takes a form for himself relative to the human world. The point of creation is from this Cosmic Mind. The name of that Cosmic Person is Manu alias Purusha, Adam, and so on. It is said in the scriptures that Manu, the Cosmic Person split himself into two, as a man and a woman at the beginning of creation, and the human race originated from their union.