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By Budhaprakash Gaikwad in IAS OUR DREAM ·
Prologue
Capitalism has been deified as the symbol of human freedom.
Actually it is a human fetter. It creates havoc on people, destroys their
nations and make the populace homeless. It destroys human and animal habitat
and turns the occupants of this great planet as the slaves and fodder that the
history has never seen before.
This man-made phenomenon will eventually be overthrown by the
very slaves it had created, not the way that Karl Marx had predicted because
his concept of human freedom is also based on man’s slavery to work, but by the
Dhaarmic concept ofPurushaartha, the four-fold human pursuit of
happiness.
The pursuit of money and the enjoyments through it (known as
materialism in common parlance) has broken all borders, destroyed all
allegiences such as nationalities, and collapsed all identities such as a Hindu
and so on pushing everyone into a one secular (evolutionary) concept of ‘human’
as opposed to animals (or even aliens), a queer distinction indeed!
This system based on this notional ‘money’ that is
increasingly seen as real (though truly unreal in absolute term) is the driving
force of the political economy that has an inbuilt attrition. This blog will
expose this fact.
Yet this system with its default possesses a surprising
ability to return after each collapse that causes massive destruction of men
and materials. This is because an alternative to it has not been grasped by
man. And truly because such alternative has to be different from the material
pursuit. The system has pushed the man to drift far and away from any spiritual
pursuit that today he is ill-equipped to try differently when the crisis sets
in, leading to the system’s collapse.
Only the Hindus had grasped the true nature of this glossy
yet ugly system. However I am conscious that such awareness of the nature of
capitalism by the Hindus would not find many takers among most of you. I owe it
to you to explain this in due course. Not only that. The true destruction of
this capitalism, root and stem, lies only in the hands of the Hindus.
Lord Krishna had said in his famous Bhagavat Geetha:
ParithraaNaaya saadhunaam vinaasaayacha dhushkrithaam
Dharma samsthaapanaarthaaya sambhavaami yuge yuge.
2. The birth of the State
In the non-state (matsya nyaaya) men enjoy (bhoga)
but do not own. It is like primitive communist society where everything
is accessed by everyone that includes conjugal relationship. The concept
of property is unknown in this non-state.
The addition of mamakaara (mineness or
ownership) makes this into a state. Themamakaaram or property
is secured by dhanda or weapon that causes bhaya or
fear. Fear forbids enchroachment. So the bhandham or
attachment to the property is called laukika. This is the
basis of civil society.
The weilder of dhanda enforces ownership by
means of pronouncements or dictum. In those early days Manu said, “the
land belongs to the one who cleared the forest and the deer to him who first
wounded it.” This is the beginning of the law. And dhandacreates
sacredness in the property. The dhanda takes the fear
out of men that their property will not be divested by vile men.
The dhanda creates security. This is the principle of
civil society.
In matsya nyaaya dharma is non-existent for
dharma is identical to the law. Matsya nyaaya is
anarchy. Dharma comes into existence with the birth of
the state i.e.dhanda. In the Hindu concept Dharma is
held higher to the dhanda. Kshathrasya kshathram
dharmam is the vedic dictum. Dharma holds the weilder
of weapons accountable.
3. Viraat Purusha
No political economy would be worth its salt if it did not
discuss the origin of society. The people of Abrahamic religions take to
the Bible to authenticate a society. Atheists take it from Karl
Marx. But we the Hindus have a different take from both of them.
In the Hindu tradition the evolution of the state starts from
the God/man called Virat Purusha. Let me give it to you of
this in our own unique tradition of story telling:
Viraat Purusha
“Naiveha kinchanaagra aaseeth. Mrthyur
naivedhamaavrudhamaaseeth,
asanayayaa. Asanaayaa hi mrthyuhu.”
(Brihadhaaranyaka Upanishad)
In the beginning there was nothing whatsoever. This universe
was
enveloped by death called Hiranyagarbha because of
hunger. And hunger is
death.
Why so?
The beginning we are talking about is the beginning of time
called ‘Kalpa’. This beginning also happens to be the end of the
previous kalpa. Time indeed is a phenomenon that has a beginning,
life and end. Like all phenomenon, it is cyclical. Well then, What is a kalpa?
A kalpa consists of 4 yugas called Sathya yuga,
Thretha yuga, Dwapara yuga and Kali yuga and like the
day succeeds another day, a kalpa succeeds another kalpa.
The principle of entropy works through the four successive yugas during
which Dharma loses its glory steadily and at the end of Kali
yuga completeadharma prevails.
Why and how did the previous kalpa end?
In all periods of time, what sustains the creation is
the Dharma. Prakrthi is made up of opposites and so there is
also adharma that opposes Dharma. Whenever adharma
takes an upper hand, Vishnu as the preserver incarnates to restore Dharma to
its glory. As it happened at the end last Kali yuga all orders
broke and complete anarchy prevailed. Vishnu the preserver felt that the
restoration of Dharma is impossible in such condition and so
he decided to end the adharma by totally destroying the creation!
He knew that food sustains the creation and so he decided to
sap the food by means of Vedic Karma. He sapped the food of all
living organisms and they died and merged intoPrithvi from where
they had arisen. He then sapped the food of Prithvi and Prithvidied
and merged into water from where it arose. He then sapped the food of water and
so it merged into fire. He sapped the food of fire and it merged into air. He
sapped the food of air and so it merged into space. He finally sapped the
primordial sound that is the food of the space and the space collapsed and
merged into him. What remained then was this great destroyer, this Mrithyu,
this death completely devoid of food and in great hunger. So we say hunger is
death.
We do not know how long this death remained as death because
there was no time to measure. As we said before there was nothing at all except
death.
“Sa vai naiva reme, thasmaadhekaakee na ramathe; sa
dwitheeyamechathu.”
In fact He did not at all feel happy. Therefore one (still)
does not feel happy being alone. He desired a mate.
Do you not say “I have every mind to do this” or “I have no
mind to do this”? Thus we know that without mind nothing can be done. “May I be
possessed of a mind” desired He, this Mrithyu, whom we now can call
as Hiranyagarbha (literally a golden potent of all creations)
and he produced the mind. This mind became his consort that is why at the time
of marriage the bridegroom takes an auspicious thread and says, “Maangalyam
thanthunanena mama jeevana hethuna.”, “by this you become the cause and
reason of my life”, and ties it round the neck of the bride as the neck is the
residence of the mind. From then on the void is filled by the wife even to this
day.
With a wife with him, Hiranyagarbha is now
qualified to perform a yagna (sacrifice), because only a
Grihastha – a man with a wife – is qualified to perform Vedic Karma.
For, again, without a yagna nothing could come about. The yagna he
performed is called Brahmahooth. Since there was nothing besides
him, he himself became the pasuor sacrifice. From this yagna came Virat or Brahma the
creator. Brahma then embarks on the creation called Pravrthi.
He churned his mouth and rubbed his hands and produced fire.
Whatever is liquid in the world He created from his seed. Soma the
Moon (who has a liquid body) is indeed the food. And fire is the eater. This
universe is this much only. The food and the eater. This mortal created Agni and Soma the
Gods who are immortal. Therefore this is a surpassing creation!
He created from his mind seven Prajapathis called Saptha
Rishis known as Marichietc. and asked them to create. They
first created women whom they gave away in marriage to each other. Then they
produced two sets of beings called Devas andAsuras. Devas were
few in number and were good guys and the Asuras were many but
were bad guys. They fought each other bitterly for world domination. Not
satisfied with this state of affairs, Brahma called the Prajapathis and
told them, “Look, if your creation is so self destructive, then there is no
hope for creation. So I want you to go back and do it again.”
So the Prajapathis went back and this time
produced Yakshas and Rakshasas. TheYakshas are
merry go lucky guys like the hippies who sang and danced and roamed the
universe. Brahma looked at them and shook his head. He was
unimpressed of their creative abilities in furthering the creation. Then he
turned his attention to theRakshasas who were cruel to others and
were even cannibals. Brahma‘s hair shot up in shock and utter
disgust. When the hair curled Snakes and vermins were produced. He was not at all
satisfied with the creative process that had taken place so far. So he said to
himself, “These Prajapathis are useless, let me create
more Prajapathis out of my mind” and he created 4 charming
young men known as Sanath Kumaras. Brahmaasked these
new Prajapathis to create. Being smart as they are, these
young boys asked Brahma, “Father, what are you going to do?” Brahma replied,
“I am going to reflect on the Self.” The curiosity of the boys increased and
they asked of their father if reflecting on the Self is superior to
creation. Brahma replied that it is the paramapurushartham or
the ultimate objective of any being. That answer proved disastrous for Brahma
for the children told the father they would rather know about the self which is
superior rather than embark on creation. That is why the maxim in all times is
that a Brahmana who sets out to know his real Self cannot be
faulted for not performing karma.
The Sanath Kumaras then went to Dhakshinamoorthi and
surrendered to him andDhakshinamoorthi taught them the knowledge of
the Self in silence (mouna vyaakyaana prakatitham) by means of Chin
Mudra indicating that the jeevathma and paramaathma are one and the
same. Thus Dhakshinamoorthi became the first guru.“Dhakshinamoorthy
samaarambam, Sankaracharya madyamaam, asmat acharya paryantham, vande guru
paramparaam.”
Now back to Brahma, who found himself at square
one, sighed to himself “There is no point in delegating any work to any Prajapati.
They are all useless, I will take over the job of creation myself”, he
declared. He instantly split himself like a pea into two, as male and female.
The female was shy and wanted to hide herself from the male and she became a
cow. The male became a bull and united with her and from them the cows were
born. Then she turned into a she-goat and he changed to a he-goat and
propagated. Then they took the forms of mare and stallion and propagated. In
this manner they continued to reproduce. She became a Naari and
he became a Nara and propagated the men and women. This way he
set out the great pravaham of pravrthi.
(This whole creation is nothing but the mind! He
creates the mind, enters it and roams in it! As He expands the universe,
He finds ‘ruchi‘ or taste in it and gets attached to it! - Maanasa
sancharare! Abhimaanasa sancharare!)
From the unmanifest world He manifested the world of names
and forms. So even now this manifest world is of names and forms only. This
Supreme Self penetrated into all these bodies just as a razor lies in its case.
People do not realize It when they view it from its particular function such as
when it is breathing, it is called Prana. Because such a view is
incomplete. He is the eye of the eye, ear of the ear, and mind of the thoughts.
Eye, ear and so on are only names due to functions. If we know each aspect then
our knowledge is incomplete. So the totality called the Self alone should be
meditated upon for knowing of which everything else is known.
“Thadhethathpreyaha puthraathu, preyo vitthaathu
preyonasmaathsarvasmaath antharatharam”
This Self is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer
than all other objects because it is the dearest than all.
Why dearer?
Because all others will perish but not the Self.
This self (before the realization of its eternal identity)
was actuallyBrahman and it knew only itself as “I am Brahman”
and so he became the Universe. Whosoever among the Gods, sages and men realize
this then they too become Brahman.
4. The birth of the cosmos and the evolution of humans
Everything in the universe has a nature of its own.
This is known as swaroopa lakshaNam. The Hindus employed the
method of extracting the essence or rasa: of the object to
discern the swaroopa lakshanam. Let us see how the Hindus
understood the cosmos and the human evolution by this method.
i) Swaroopa LakshaNam (1)
What is the essence (rasa:) of
all objects?
The Veda says:
“ Eshaam Bhoothaanaam Prithvi rasa:”
Earth is the essence of all objects. Whether you talk of
Nuclear physics or astronomy or micro biology or even poetry you talk of
objects that are all centered on earth. Therefore earth is the essence of all
objects.
The next question is: what is the essence of earth?
“Prithivya Apo rasa:”
It is the water. Astronomers scan the sky for world with
water out there because nothing can be called the world if it has no water.
Therefore water is the essence of earth.
The next question is: What is the essence of water?
“Aapomoshadhayo rasa:”
It is the vegetation that water gives rise to.
What is the essence of vegetation?
Of the herbs which give rise to food, the human body is the
essence because the human body is made of food only (Annamaya kosa).
“Oshadheenaam purusho rasa:”
What is the essence of human body?
Let’s investigate this a little bit. Let us say there are 10
guys out there. And who among them would you pay attention to? You would pay
attention to a guy who would say something even if it be calling your attention
like “Sir”. Therefore, of the human body the organ of speech called Vaak is
the essence.
“ Purushasya vaag rasa:”
Now there are 10 guys out there, all saying something. Who
would you pay attention to?
You would pay attention to the one who is knowledgeable, one
who is a vidwaan and ignore others. Therefore it
is the Veda composed of Riks that is the
essence of Vaakor speech.
“Vaacha rg rasa:”
Among the vidwaans, or among the Vedas which
is the essence?
Among the vidwaans you pay attention to the
one who would convey to you in a congenial manner, the most congenial of all is
the music. That which is music to the ears is Saaman. That is why
it is “Naadhabramha mayi Vidya”. Vidya covers the
entire sum total of all worldly knowledge, the knowledge that covers both the
world and its controller. This is Hreemkaaraswaroopam. “Hreem”
indicates space, time and causality which in turn indicate Brahma, Vishnu and
Rudhra who form the Trinity or the Universe. They know themselves as the
Universe and it is therefore the Vidya.
“Richaha Saama rasa:”
The next question is: What is the essence of Saaman?
Utgitha is the essence of Saama. Ut means
Aum. You might have seen many of our elders start any writing with the letter U
(the fifth Tamil vowel) on top or at the beginning. This is indicative of Ut the
singing of which is called Utgitha. Saama Vedadeals
with Utgitha. Utgitha is the letter OM
“Saamna udgithO rasa:”
This Utgitha is the essence of all essences, it is Supreme,
and it is competent for the highest place.
“Sa Esha Rasaanaagum Rasathamaha , Paramaha, Paraadhyaha –
Yad Udgithaha.”
This is the way we negate each one, beginning with objects,
to its essence and finally arrive at the Supreme, the essence of all essences,
the Brahman.
The Lesson therefore is:
Narayanaparovyakthaath. Narayana is beyond
the unmanifest.
Andam Avyaktha sambhavam. This manifest world
came from the Unmanifest.
And our Vedas declare: Brahmaivaapnodhi Param. The
knower of Brahman attains the Supreme!
ii) Swaroopa Lakshanam(2)
The Thrigunaas are the bricks and mortar of
all creations
sattvaḿ rajas tama iti
guṇāḥ prakṛti-sambhavāḥ
nibadhnanti mahā-bāho
dehe dehinam avyayam
The, pure-clear (sattva), the affective-active (rajas), and
the inert-dark (tamas); these nature-necessity-born modalities (gunas) bind the
imperishable embodied one, 0 Mighty-armed (Arjuna).
(Bhagavat Geetha 14.5)
Once Prajapathi went to his father and asked him. “Father, I
want to know how you created the Universe. I see all fathers teach
their sons their trade, so I want you to teach me this”.
Brahma said, “I am the whole universe. By knowing me you will
know the universe.” Saying so he disappeared.
Prajapathi surveyed the creation that consisted of this
world, the middle region and the heaven. He brooded over his father’s words and
said “All I have is this creation before me and if I know the essence of this
creation, then I would know my father.” So saying he looked at Prithvi,
this earth. The earth is dark and could not be seen but for the fire in it. So
he discerned that Agni to be the essence of the earth, as but
for theAgni the earth will not be important. Prajapathi therefore
extracted Agni as the essence of the earth.
Then he turned his attention a little higher. He saw the
space called the Antharikshamor the middle region. There was
thunder and lightening, there was so much noise and movement of the manes, the
dead ancestors. The noise and motion is indicative of their unease and fear of
having lost their dear ones and their restlessness to get back to them. These
were possible by the air or Vayu (as one would observe
in Vayu’s motion a eerie noise of fear). Prajapathi knew Vayu as
the essence of space and extracted it.
Then he turned his attention higher and looked at Dhyau
the heaven. It was bright and in its midst the Sun was shining brilliantly. He
knew the Sun or Aadhithya to be the essence of the Heaven and
extracted it.
Prajapathi brooded over these three gods – Agni, Vayu and Adhithya.
As he fixed his attention on Agni, he saw
Brahmanas were pouring their oblation onAgni saying the Rigvedhic
Manthra “AgnimeelE Purohitham.” He knew that Rigvedha as the essense
of Agni and extracted it.
And he looked at Vayu and saw the Yajur Veda
and its Brahmana held Vayu in place and so Prajapathi
extracted Yajur Veda as its essence. (The Yajur Veda Brahmanas are essential
parts of karma kaanda).
And Prajapathi turned his attention to Adhithya.
The Sun was shining brilliantly because it was chanting Utgitha (OM)
and realised that Sama Veda that teachesUtgitha to be the essence
of Adhithya and extracted it.
Now Prajapathi brooded over these three Vedas.
As he brooded over the Rig Veda, he realised that the great
utterance (vyaahrthi), “BHUHU” brought about the Rig Veda and so
he extracted Bhu as its essence. (Bhu is also
indicative of its future effect the earth, Prithvi).
Then as be brooded over Yajur Veda and realised that the
great utterance “BHUVAHA” brought about the Yajur Veda and extracted
Bhuvaha as the essence of Yajur Veda. (Bhuvaha is the praana. Bhuvarlokam is
a place where the praanas that have left the bodies get
collected).
As he brooded over the Sama Veda, Prajapathi realised that
the great utterance “SWAHA” brought about the Sama Veda and and
extracted “Swaha” as the essence of Sama Veda. (Swaha is
indicative of the Self which is self-luminous. One needs no other light to know
one’s own self).
Now Prajapathi was left with these three Vyahrthis (or
great utterances) as the essense of all that he has brooded over. Yet he was
still nowhere near knowing his father or how he created the universe.
So he brooded on these three Vyahrthis. He found
that the essence of Bhuhu was theThamasa Guna, and
he extracted it. (Thamasa Guna is indicative of darkness, ignorance
and needed the light of Agni to be known).
He found out that the essence of Bhuvaha is
the Rajo Guna and extracted it. (Bhuvahais indicative
of the motion of praana represented by Vayu).
And he found out that the essence of Swaha is
the Sathva Guna which represents luminosity and extracted it.
And As soon as he had extracted all the three gunas, he found
himself enveloped by them and this thrigunas became his upadhi or
conditioning and instantly he found himself to be one with his father Brahma.
The entire art and scheme of creation was instantly known to Prajapathi as he
now found himself to be the entire creation. (The manthra – Bhu swaaha,
agnaye idam na mama; Bhuva swaaha vayave idam na mama; Suva swaaha
Sooryaayai idam na mama; Bhurbhuvaswa swaahaPrajaapathyai idam na mama should
be understood as above).
The three gunas thus pervade the whole
universe and Brahman is its support. There is nothing in the
universe that is exempt from the play of the gunas. This is the
truth. This is the truth
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