Children and their talents

Developing the talent in children is like making way for a flowing water.  Kids are full of energy and talent, though not visible outside, just as water flow has the energy embedded in it.  Farmers cut pathways to make the water flow to the needed areas. They create the environment and ways to prevent any restrictions or hurdles in the flow.  They know the water cannot pushed physically into flow, it only splashes and goes waste.  Similarly depending on the talent and interest of the children, the right environment and opportunities should be made available. That is the only job of parents/guardians.  The flow and blooming of the talent takes place automatically.  The children should not be pushed to parent's tastes and interests.  Parents or guardians come from a different time period and probably from different place & environment, it is not the same as the current environment of the children.  As the celebrated poet Rabindranath Tagore said "Don’t limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time",  do not force children to your thoughts.  Humans are born more intelligent and capable in every new generation, that is the rule of evolution.  So let them bloom in their own way!

Hari Om.

Intellect - Gross & Subtle

Of late there has been a lot of discussion on the need to educate and bring ethics and moral values in people. As much as this is correct and important,  I think this education has to run deeper into soul of each individual, not just at the peripheral level. Having the individual read books, watch videos & documentaries and laying down the court rules does only to a certain extent and limited time.  The transformation has to happen from the soul layer and change the IMB layers in that order- the reverse of BMI (Body, Mind, Intellect).  The Atman (soul) is the pure truth with no gunas (character) and no blemishes. Intellect (I) is the thinking layer close to it that is reflected from the Atman. The intellect advises the mind of the right & wrong, truth & untruth,  light and darkness, correct & incorrect etc. etc.  Mind (M) usually sways to the external influence of sense organs in the Body (B), but the individual has to train his/her mind to listen to intellect which preaches the truth as per the Atma.  Once the Mind is brought under control, it can easily control the Body and the related sense organs in the righteous way.  In this way , the entire personality is integrated and brought to moral ethics.

Sw. Chinmayananda brings out the above point wonderfully in his  analysis of Adi Shankara's VivekaChoodamani.  In the meaning for slokas 213-214, Sw. Chinmayananda says as below:

"With a gross intellect, we see only gross things.  The grosser the intellect, grosser the vision. Our intellect at this moment is so gross, so full of sensuality, that we no more see a woman going along, we only see "lust" moving on legs. When the mind is made a little subtle,  you see "beauty" going.  A little more subtle and you see a "living being". Make it as subtle as that of a philosopher's and you will see a "divinity" on the move.

How do we make our intellect subtle? Subtle intellect means that intellect which is not running headlong to crash into sense objects. That intellect that is not working under the pressure of its vasanas, the intellect which is fully redeemed from their deadening pressures, is a subtle intellect. Vasanas are removed through dedicated activity (Nishkaama Karma)."

Vrittis

Ego is Mind-Intellect identifying with the Body.  When we detach all the BMI layers and remain identified with our soul (Atman), there is no ego.  That soul is just part of the macrocosmic soul which is Brahman. Destroy the BMI layers and the individual soul merges with the universal Brahman

Sariravrittis, Manovrittis, Indriyavrittis:  All vrittis (disturbances) caused due to BMI.

The vritti (disturbance) at the body level (B) is pain; comfort is pleasure

At mental level (M) it is sorrow & happiness respectively

At intellectual level (I) it is loss & win respectively

Hari Om.

Yoga-Kshemam

Sw. Chinmayananda has very beautifully explained the meaning of the common usage ‘Yoga-Kshema’ in our scriptures.  In today’s world, all our energies are dissipated in two main directions – Procuring (Yoga, योग) and maintaining (Kshemam, क्षेमम).  We seem to spend all our effort, energy and time on procuring material pleasures or benefits and worrying about maintaining them our entire life.  Because of this, we do not seem to have the time  to engage in spiritual or welfare work (seva).

However, Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita in Ch, 9  emphatically says that for those true seekers who are dedicated in spiritual pursuits and attaining the Self (HIM),  HE (Lord) will take care of the ‘Yoga-Kshema’ work of HIS devotees.  This means, those who have transcended the body-mind-intellect (BMI) layers and have realized the Self in themselves (and in all) will not be interested or worried in the procurement and maintenance activities of life. It is something that automatically happens to such people without worry, just as body ages, hair grows etc.  It is ironically observed and found that if people go behind some goals specifically, they never seem to attain it (a specific position or win in politics or business profits etc.), however if they are dedicated to doing the 'Dharma' of their work and do not worry on others, these goals automatically come to them.
Hence, dedicate your life to Self realization and meditation; leave the rest in the hands of the GOD as it happens! 

Hindu philosophy - Dwaita, Visesha-Advaita and Advaita

Sw. Chinmayananda very nicely and convincingly explains the differences in the three schools of Hindu philosophy - Dwaita, Vishesha-Advaita and Advaita as follows in VivekaChoodamani (verse 160).  He says the differences should be considered as having been due to the difference in the type of students (people) the philosophers (of these schools) addressed during their respective times.

In Shri. Madhvacharya's period, many people were not mature in their spiritual awareness.  Thy identified with the external gross layer (body) and behaved as such in the outside world. For such students, the Supreme is different from their gross layers.  The Brahman is different from all three BMI layers, but the people of those period are probably not intellectually mature enough to understand it.  Hence for them, Dwaita school of thought where GOD is different from others are preached.

As the intellectual maturity of the people increased, they became more of the "thinking-feeling" entity and hence operated on the subtle levels of mind and emotions.   They realized there is a spark of divinity in them, but they considered themselves as their body-mind and divinity as separate.  For such students, Shri. Ramanucharya explained that "You are not separate from the Truth; You are part and He is the whole". This is 'Visishta-Advaita'.

In Shri Adi Shankaracharya's time, his students were highly matured, very spiritually inclined, who through sadhana and upasanas, developed a subtle intellect and able to understand as well as practice Viveka (discrimination) and Vairagya (non-attachment). For such students,  Shri. Shankara boldly declared 'Tat Tvam Asi' - You are That and That is you.  You (we) are all one with GOD - the Brahman.  This is the school of Advaita.

Hari Om

The Gunas

Peace, Joy, intelligence, intuition are all inherent in every human.  These all are Saatwik qualities that come in-born and exist in the soul due to the reflection of the supreme Consciousness (Atman). However, man tends to collect Rajasic (agitated) and Tamasic (dull) impurities from his vasanas (desires) and resulting interactions with the  outside world.  This results in the dimming of the Saatwik gunas (good character) in the personality of the man.  Through prayers, selfless services and meditation, when the Rajasic and Tamasic gunas are removed from the personality layer, the pure Satwik character shines forth,  making the person brilliant and capable in his work outside.

Hari Om