Hari Om Parents,
We began with the Opening Prayers. We continued to learn to chant Bhagavad Gita chapter 2 verses, Swamiji's video – Verses 29 & 30 was shown. We continued with chanting of Shiva Panchakshari Stotram.
We had initially talked with the students for some time to come up with plan & topics for our monthly program. All the students have been assigned to various roles / topics. We will start rehearing from next week on!
Recap: We saw the four Mahavaakyas last class. These great declarations or statements are taken from each Veda. These Mahavaakyas are concise and forceful and indicate the relationship between Atman and Brahman. The first Mahavaakya is Pragnanam Brahma from Rig Veda. Its translation is Consciousness is Brahman. We will try to understand or glean its message in this class.
We have seen in earlier classes that Consciousness is the enlivening factor in all living things and beings, because of which we function or 'alive'. Just like the electricity is the 'enlivening factor' for all the bulbs and lamps. How do we perceive this? Understand this?
First, let's look at the logic of the Seer and the Seen.
When a seer sees an object; the object is distinctly different from the seer / subject. For example, this is a book, this is a car etc. are all separate from the seer. Suppose the object belongs to me, I will then say, this is my book, this is my car, this is my house this is my dog…...These are still different from me. We can also appreciate that if there are changes happening at the object/seen level those changes can be perceived by the subject/seer who is not changing. I can see a car color changed from yellow to blue as I am the changeless observer with respect to the car. Now, let us look at our body. Our body can be perceived and we can see changes in it – from childhood, youth, middle age and old age. Just like an object that is seen is distinct from the seer, and applying the same logic, we can say the seer of the body is separate from the body. So if the body belongs to me, we can say, this is my body, this is my hand etc. But in reality how do we perceive? We identify with the body and say - I am tall, not, this body is tall. We say I am strong, I am sad and not this body is strong or this body is sad. I own this house but I am not the house. I own this dog but I am not this dog. We need to apply this same logic to our body too. This is my body but I am not the body. Stretch the same logic to our thoughts, emotions too. If we develop this new way of seeing ourselves, our attitude towards life will change. So we can infer, I am not the body - the body belongs to me.
There is a constant unchanging seer who is witnessing the changes at body, mind and intellect level. This witnessing factor is Consciousness – which is same in all living beings. Going back to the declaration that Consciousness is Brahman, we should try to apply this understanding in our lives. That is, the Self in me is the Self in all. That means, we are all "same', or we are all part of the same Consciousness. This understanding should automatically make us compassionate towards all that exists.
The Buddhist monk, Dalai Lama said, "Compassion makes our lives meaningful. It is the source of all lasting happiness and joy." We are all part one big family, Vasudaiva Kutumbakam. There is no room for greed, jealousy or hatred etc.
Hunter story.
Once in a forest a hunter use to put grains on the ground, cover it with a net and catch birds. A kind ornithologist saw this and was saddened. He wanted to protect the birds. So he talked to them about the hunter and warned them not to get caught in his net. To test if they understood him he asked them to repeat what he told them – the birds said "beware of the hunter; he will come spread the net and grains. We will peck at them and get caught." Ornithologist was satisfied and went home. Next day when the hunter came he heard all the birds chirping "beware of the hunter, beware of the hunter". Hunter was surprised but he still laid down the net and spread the grains; and took a nap. When he woke up to his surprise several birds were caught in the net, they we are saying "beware of the hunter, he will come spread the net and grains. We will peck at them and get caught."
We are also like the birds we mechanically repeat words of wisdom without understanding them nor applying them in our lives to make positive changes.
That Thou Art – Tat Tvam Asi: Second Mahavakya – Chandogya Upanishad.
Sage Uddalaka had a son by name Svetaketu. Father sent his son to gurukula for his studies. When Svetaketu returned from gurukula after few years, father was disappointed to see some arrogance in his behavior. Sage Uddalaka asked him if he knew that Knowledge knowing with one will know everything. Svetaketu replied that he did not know such Knowledge. Sage Uddalaka taught him Brahma Vidya – just as when one know a lump of clay, one will know everything that came from clay. In same way there is one thing in the world knowing which we know all. That is Brahman or Consciousness. Svetaketu eventually attained that Knowledge under the guidance of his father.
If we put a little salt in water and taste it from any part of the bowl – we will experience the saltiness. We may not see the salt but we can experience it. Similarly we may not see God but He is present in each and everyone of us as Consciousness. When we cut an apple seed – what do we see? – nothing! But it is from this 'nothing' a whole big apple tree springs forth bearing many more apples; which in turn can lead to many more apple trees. We normally don't recognize this potential within the apple seed. Similarly we all have this potential within us which helps us to see, hear, taste …This potential is the Consciousness, which we are not aware of at this present time. This Consciousness is our own real nature. We may bring water from different rivers, but when we pour them all in a bowl; then all lose their identity and become one homogeneous mass of water. Similarly we all in the end return to the Consciousness or Brahman. When we walk blindfolded we can never reach our destination; we need someone to take off the blindfold and lead us in the right direction. That is what a Guru does for us – he removes our ignorance and leads us on the path to attain Self Knowledge or Brahman.
We then shared a video of - The Missing Piece Meets the Big O – by Shel Silverstein.
The Missing Piece Meets the Big O by Shel Silverstein
We paused few times to discuss and analyze the findings with the students. We are always trying to look outside ourselves to find completeness and happiness. We may find someone who is 'perfect' after some struggle. But with time either you or the other person changes and then there is discordance in your relationship. Or we may find temporary completeness by accumulation of wealth, house, objects etc but with time we realize even these do not lead us to permanent happiness or completeness feeling. In this story a piece of pie tries to find completeness by looking for companionship – but fails in finding a permanent partner. Then Big O comes and tells it that it can make itself complete through self-effort. Initially the missing piece does not believe what Big O has to say – after a while the missing pie piece starts to lift itself – initially it flops on itself, then it bumps on; it sharps edges start to become round and very soon it starts rolling on itself as it has become a circle. Similarly we have to realize that we can only lift /help ourselves – not wait for some magic to happen from outside to lift / help us. We don't realize our potential right now; but if we keep on striving we can also sharpen edges of our personality and become whole!
We have a zoom class on Saturday with the students on March 13th from 6 – 7PM to discuss our monthly program; please make sure they attend.
Pranam,
Rukmani Sriram
Devender Akula
