Practical Aspects of Advaitha

06/18/2004

Vaasanath Vaasudevasya Vaasithanthay Jagathriam
Sarvabhootha Nivaasoasi Sree Vaasudeva Namoasthuthay.

( The Divine fragrance and effulgence associated with Vaasudeva has filled the
three worlds i.e., the entire universe. Oh Sree Vaasudeva, Thou art the
In-Dweller of all that exists. My salutations to Thee. )

NB: 'Vaasudeva' here (as also in the dwaadasa-akshari manthra 'Oh Namo
Bhagavathay Vaasudevaaya) does not refer to the embodied personal Deity
Lord Krishna, son of Vasudeva. 'Vaasudeva' implies 'Vasathi ithi Divyathi' i.e.,
'That which Exists and Shines', 'Sthithi and Prakaasam', the Universal
Consciousness or 'Brahman'.
- - - - - - - - -
Hello everybody! Sukravaaram Suprabhaath!

The Vedanthic concepts that emanated from ancient India, were universal
in nature and universally applicable. They were for the entire humanity, without
distinctions of race or religion, caste or community. They were beyond the
limitations of time and space, for all and for ever. The quintessance of those
concepts was Advaitha. A peep into that vast realm, the core subject of all the
Upanishads, was given in three earlier Fri-Calls.The basic concept seems as simple
for an intellectual comprehension,as is difficult to put into practice and experience
it. It postulates that there is an all-pervasive Universal Consciousness, the One
without a second, which alone truly exists, and, all that is perceived is Its mere
appearance (manifestation), an illusion. All that undergoes change, cannot be
real. But this postulation is not that easy to digest and assimilate. Looks a
Herculian task to understand its full import. Nevertheless, even an intellectual
understanding of the concept, would be of immense value and benefit in
expanding one's outlook, developing a soothfast nature, in leading a righteous
life, and, in trying to identify oneself with the One Universal Existence. One very
obvious blessing of that knowledge is to inculcate in us the desire to take to a
spiritual path, the first step towards which is to attempt to implement the
guidelines given in the 'Saadhana Chatushtaya' (item 3 of Fri-Call 04 June 04) and
develop 'thrikarana sudhhi' i.e., purity in thought, word and deed, and thus
become eligible for further progress. These elevate us to a state where we
would not be identifying our 'self' with our body, mind or intellect, and, develop
in us an attitude to make us embrace the entire humanity, nay all beings, nay
the entire universe as it were, realising that it is the same Divinity shining thru all.
What exhilaration would we all be experiencing when all (beings and things) are
felt to be just waves dancing on the Ocean of Existence, the Ocean of
Consciousness, emerging from It and merging with It !
However, the practical aspects and blessings of such a comprehension, can be
conveyed in no way better than the inspiring revelations of that great spiritual
luminary Swami Vivekananda:
" Man, after vain search after various Gods outside himself, completes the circle
and finds that the God he was imagining as sitting in Heaven ruling the world, is
his own 'self'. None but I was God, and the little "I" never existed.
" Know the Truth and be free in a moment. All the darkness will then vanish.
When man has seen himself as one with the Infinite Being of the universe, when
all seperateness has ceased, when all men and women, all Gods and Angels, all
animals and plants, and the whole universe, have melted into that Oneness - - -
then, all fear disappears. Can I hurt myself ? - - - Whom to fear ? Can you fear
yourself ? Then will all sorrow disappear. What can cause me sorrow ? I am the
One Existence of the universe. Then (knowing this) all jealousies will disappear.
Of whom will I be jealous ? Of myself ? Then will all bad feelings disappear.
Against whom can I have bad feeling ? Against myself ? There is none in the
universe but me. "

Thus would one grow from a mere pin-point dot of existence to Infinity,
encompassing all and everything !