| One very significant aspect that I have noticed about | | | | Indra,the king of the Lords, once went to their |
| those interested in Advaita Vedanta is that most are | | | | grandfather, Brahma, the Lord of creation (Hindu |
| more inclined towards the intellectual knowledge rather | | | | mythology) to know the truth. When asked, Brahma |
| than the transcendental knowledge. Almost everybody | | | | said 'You are That'. Virochana, because of his |
| among us understands the basics, principles and | | | | extreme attachment towards worldly objects, thought |
| philosophy of Advaita, but there is a lack of interest in | | | | that if he is That, he should not worry. He went back |
| the realization of this philosophy. In simple words, there | | | | to his palace and engaged himself in the enjoyment of |
| is less effort in translating Advaita Vedanta into our | | | | the senses. But Indra, the King of the Lords had a |
| day to day life. | | | | noble mind, and after hearing, 'You are That', he asked |
| For example, if you ask somebody 'have you realized | | | | himself, 'what is 'me' then?' Which one is 'me'? Is the |
| the Self?' most of us respond in a way which makes | | | | body 'me'? If the body is me, then the body should be |
| things more complicated than ever. Instead of | | | | true. Truth implies that existence which remains |
| answering yes or no, the answer in most cases is 'I | | | | unchangeable within and beyond time. But there is |
| am the Self', 'The truth cannot be known', 'It is what it | | | | always a modification going on within the body, always |
| is', 'just be' and so on and so forth. We should be able | | | | we are moving, inch by inch towards death. So the |
| to answer this question very clearly, either yes or no. | | | | body is not me. Then what, the mind? Apparently, yes, |
| When I say 'I am That', I should know about what I am | | | | because it is the mind which makes the body move, it |
| talking, I should know who this 'I' is and how to realize | | | | is through mind that we dwell in this world. |
| this 'I'. Like, when I talk about my father, immediately an | | | | So, I am the mind. But, which mind? The mind that I had |
| image of my father comes to my mind, his character, | | | | in the morning, or the mind that I had in the afternoon, |
| the experiences with him come to us in a nutshell. We | | | | or the evening mind, or the mind which I will have after |
| should ask ourselves, when we talk about the Self or | | | | 5 minutes which is still unknown to me? The mind is |
| God, does this happen? Does the realization of the | | | | also changing, perhaps more rapidly and faster than |
| Self come to us in a flash of time? | | | | the body, so fast that we cannot even understand |
| Reading books, journals, on-line magazines and | | | | when, how and in what way it shifted. Therefore, the |
| watching videos, we grow our perception of the Self | | | | mind is also not the truth, so I am not the mind. Then |
| and there is an untiring effort to impose these | | | | comes the intellect, which is the deciding element in the |
| perceptions into the mind of the inquirer. Though we | | | | mind, maybe this is 'me', I am the intellect. But have I |
| talk about freedom we actually cover their mind and | | | | ever noticed, that the intellect also is influenced by the |
| intellect with such ideas that they find it hard to grasp. | | | | objects present within the mind or the thoughts? So |
| But, is the explanation of Self-realization so | | | | the intellect also has a relative existence and thus it |
| complicated? Is the path of Self-realization | | | | cannot be true, for truth is free. So I am not the intellect |
| complicated? Or is the Self itself complicated? The | | | | also. Maybe I am the ego. |
| answer is an obvious 'no'. Another thing is the role of | | | | The ego always represents the 'I ' factor within me |
| the Guru in the life of an aspirant. The most popular | | | | and without. What does the ego do? The ego |
| view nowadays is that we do not need a Guru, a | | | | imposes its existence on the various perceivable and |
| teacher, we are self-sufficient, suggesting that visiting | | | | non-perceivable objects. If it is true, why should it |
| or taking lessons from a Master is similar to idol | | | | impose? Truth is completeness, infinite, it doesn't need |
| worship or some kind of superstition. Little do we | | | | to impose itself on anything, rather everything is |
| realize that saying this, our subtle tendency to become | | | | imposed on Him. So I am also not the ego.Then who |
| a Guru in the mind of others is reflected clearly. 'I have | | | | am I? was his question again to his grandfather. The |
| seen God like I see you', was the clean and clear | | | | answer again was 'You are That'. Indra then |
| answer of Thakur Ramakrishna when asked, 'can you | | | | transcended his body, mind, intellect and ego and |
| show me?, 'Yes' was the answer. I think this is the | | | | reached that state of consciousness which is |
| best approach. Instead of engaging oneself into the | | | | unmodified, unlimited, unbounded. He knew |
| wave of words which are not even clear to us | | | | spontaneously that this is what he was. This |
| completely, instead of talking about people and their | | | | consciousness, this infinite existence and this eternal |
| experiences whom we have not known or seen, it is | | | | blissful state is He. This is Self-knowledge. To know |
| better to search for a person who can say firmly and | | | | this, we have to approach a person to whom this is |
| clearly, 'yes, I have realized my Self'. | | | | known. He shows the way. He is the Master or Guru, |
| I want to elaborate a story mentioned in the | | | | a compulsory person in the life of an aspirant. |
| Upanishads. Virochana, the king of the demons, and | | | | |