THE LAWS OF NATURE: AN INFALLIBLE JUSTICE by HIS DIVINE GRACE A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA.

INTRODUCTION.

Man prides himself on being a creature of reason, above the lowly beasts. Yet it seems that when he applies his reason to unlocking the secrets of nature for his benefit, he sinks deeper and deeper into a quagmire of intractable problems. The internal combustion engine gets us where we are going faster, but also results in choking air pollution, the greenhouse effect, and a dangerous dependence on oil.Harnessing the atom gives us cheap energy, but also leads to weapons of mass destruction. Chernobyl, and a rising tide of dangerous radioactive waste. Modern agribusiness produces a dizzying variety and abundance of food at the super-market, but also results in the death of the family farm, the pollution of ground water, the loss of precious top-soil, and many other problems. 

It's clear we are missing something in our attempts to harness the laws of nature for our own purposes. What is that 'something'? We find out in the very first 'mantra' of the Sri Isopanishad, the formost of ancient India's books of wisdom known as the Upanishads: "Everything in this creation is owned and controlled by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong".

In nature we see this principle at work. Nature's arrangement, set up by the Lord, maintains the birds and beasts: the elephant eats his fifty kilos per day, the ant his few grains. If man doesn't interfere, the natural balance sustains all creatures.

Any agriculturist will tell you the earth can produce enough food to feed ten times the present human population. Yet political intrigues and wars, unfair distribution of land, the production of cash crops like tobacco, tea and coffee instead of food, and erosion due to misuse ensure that millions go hungry, even in wealthy countries like the United States. 

We must understand the laws of nature from the viewpoint of the Supreme Lord, who has created these laws. In His eyes all the earth's inhabitants - whether creatures of the land, water, or air - are His sons and daughters. Yet we, the human inhabitants, the "most advanced" of His creatures, treat these sons and daughters with great cruelty, from the practice of animal slaughter to destruction of the rain forests. Is it any wonder that we suffer an unending series of natural disasters, wars, epidemics, famines and the like?

The source of our problem is the desire for sense gratification beyond the consideration of anyone else's rights. These rights are the rights of the child in relation to the father. Every child has the right to share the wealth of his father. So creating a brotherhood of all creatures on earth depends on understanding the universal fatherhood of God.

As we have seen, the Vedic literature declares that the Supreme Lord owns and controls the entire creation. Not a blade of grass moves without His sanction. He is the complete whole. Then what is our position? Again we find the answer in the Vedic literature: Our natural, constitutional role is to serve God. He is the supreme enjoyer, and we are meant to take part in His enjoyment through service to Him, not by trying to enjoy separately. He is omnipotent and thus completely independent. Our minute independence is a tiny reflection of His total independence. It is our misuse of that minute independence and our attempt to enjoy separate from Him that have resulted in our current predicament.

Why do we misuse our independence? Because we are ignorant of our real nature. The first lesson of the Vedic wisdom is that we are not bodies but rather spirit souls - minute particles of consciousness dwelling within the body and animating it. Just as a car is a machine that allows a driver to travel from point A to point B, the body is a machine that allows the spirit soul to act and to experience sensations and thoughts within the Lord's material nature. When we understand our true identity as spiritual beings, part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit, God, we understand that we are meant to serve Him just as the hand or foot serves the whole body.

Our problem, however, is that we forget our identity separate from the body and instead mis-identify ourselves with it. If a person happens to be born in America he considers himself an American, if he is born in France he considers himself a Frenchman, and so on. We also identify ourselves according to our sex, race, creed, social status, etc. But all these qualities apply only to the body, not the soul. Therefore embracing them as our true identity causes us to forget the Lord and our relationship with Him, and to see ourselves as independent enjoyers of His material nature.

The Vedic  - (Introduction, p. xii).   

TEACHINGS OF LORD CHAITANYA.

INTRODUCTION.

Originally delivered as five morning lectures on Chaitanya Charitamrita - the authoritative biography of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, by Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami - before the Internatinal Society for Krishna Consciousness, New York City, 10th to 14th April, 1967.

The word Chaitanya means 'living force', charita means 'character', and amrita means 'immortal'. As living entities we can move, but a table cannot because it does not possess living force. Movement and activity may be considered signs of the living force. Indeed, it may be said that there can be no activity without the living force. Although the living force is present in the material condition, this condition is not amrita, immortal. The words Chaitanya-Charitamrita, then, may be translated as 'the character of the living force in immortality'. 

But how is this living force displayed immortality? It is not displayed by man or any other creature in this material universe, for none of us are immortal in these bodies. We possess the living force, we perform activities, and we are immortal by our nature and constitution, but the material condition into which we have been put does not allow our immortality to be displayed. It is stated in the Katha Upanishad that eternality and the living force are characteristics of both ourselves and God. Although this is true in that both God and ourselves are immortal living beings, there is a difference. As living entities, we perform many activities, but we have a tendency to fall down into material nature. God has no such tendency. Being all-powerful, He never comes under the control of material nature. Indeed, material nature is but one display of His inconceivable energies. 

An analogy will help us understand the distinction between ourselves and God. From the ground we may see only clouds in the sky, but if we fly above the clouds we can see the sun shining. From the sky, skyscrappers and cities seem very tiny; similarly, from God's position this entire material creation is insignificant, and his tendency is to come down from the heights, where everything can be seen in perspective. God, however, does not have this tendency. The Supreme Lord is not subject to falling down into illusion (maya), any more than the sun is subject to falling beneath the clouds. Impersonalist philosophers (Mayavadis) maintain that because we fall under the control of maya when we come into this material world, God must also fall under maya's control. This is the fallacy of their philosophy.

Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu should therefore not be considered one of us. He is Krishna Himself, the supreme living entity, and as such He never comes under the cloud of maya. Krishna, His expansions and even His higher devotees never fall into the clutches of illusion. Lord Chaitanya came to earth simply to preach Krishna-bhakti, love of Krishna. In other words, He is Lord Krishna Himself teaching the living entities the proper way to approach Krishna. He is like a teacher who, seeing a student doing poorly, takes up a pencil and writes, saying, "Do it like this: A, B, C". From this one should not foolishly think that the teacher is learning his A,B,C's. Similarly, although Lord Chaitanya appears in the guise of a devotee, we should not foolishly think He is an ordinary human being; we should always remember that Lord Chaitanya is Krishna (God) Himself teaching us how to become Krishna Conscious, and we must study Him in that light.

In the Bhagavad Gita (18.66), Lord Krishna says, "Give up all your non-sense and surrender to Me. I will protect you". We say, "Oh, surrender? But I have so many responsibilities". Ans maya (illusion) says to us, "Don't do it, or you will be out of my clutches. Just stay in my clutches, and I will kick you". It is a fact that we are constantly being kicked by maya, just as the male ass is kicked in the face by the she-ass when he comes for sex. Similarly, cats and dogs are always fighting and whining when they have sex. Even an elephant in the jungle is cuaght by the use of a trained she-elephant who leads him into a pit. We should learn by observing these tricks of nature. 

Maya has many ways to entrap us, and her strongest shackle is the female. Of course, in actuality we are neither male nor female, for these designations refer only to the outer dress, the body. We are all actually Krishna's servants. But in conditioned life we are shackled by iron chains in the form of beautiful women. Thus every male is bound by sex, and therefore one who wishes to gain liberation from the material clutches must first learn to control the sex urge. Unrestricted sex puts one fully in the clutches of illusion. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu officially renounced this illusion at the age of 24, although His wife was 16 and His mother 70 and He was the only male in the family. Although he was a brahmana and was not rich, He took sannyasa, the renounced order of life, and thus extricated Himself from family entanglement.   

SEEKING THE ESSENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE HUMAN BRAIN: SPIRITUALITY OR SCIENCE?

Are you ready for this? There's an exciting debate underway among respected scientists over a theory more fascinating than Einstein's about relativity. This new, science-based theory suggests that our consciousness, even our personalities, do not die when we o, have been around far longer than we have, and continue indefinitely. Sp let's take a quick look at how some distinguished scientists have come to acknowledge our very soul, and how the brain in each of us has an identifiable, measurably spiritual nature. And we can start with something as celebrated as things and places said to be 'haunted'.

Way down in Rowan County, North Carolina, a second-hand, hand-carved bedroom suite was offered for sale for $1,000 at a Habitat for Humanity thrift store. The couple who donated this furniture to the store warned up front that it was haunted, and to be quiet honest, pass the biscuits please, they were glad to get rid of it. Now they couldn't scientifically explain this - we will get into some incredible science in a moment - but they did share their ordeal of 'continuous nightmares' when they used this bed-room set at home. They described as well how their dogs were ever so suspicious of the 1950s high-boy chest of drawers, and "would not stop barking" at the canopy bed. 

In the end, the thrift store reports that the bed-room set sold for "full price" to a pair of regular customers thoroughly intrigued with this second-hand bed-room suite and its special features. We have learned that all sorts of so-called 'hauntings' time and again amount to no more than over-reacting to something as simple as the ghostly effect of mold, or drafts that can move objects or cause sudden chills. Other culprits are those perceptible vibrations from sound waves that are at a decibel level too deep for us to hear (infra-sound). How about electro-magnetic fields that expand at night? Even a small leak of carbon monoxide is known to cause ghostly hallucinations.

Some have marvelled at Ghostly orbs or spirit beings in photographs. This often (but not always) happens with cameras when a piece of dust gets caught in the flash and reflects light, but the camera doesn't have enough time to re-focus before the shutter clicks, creating an unexpected image. Indeed, all kinds of logical origins serve to dispel the notion of hauntings. But we still come upon some 'para-normal' experiences that defy sensible explaining of any sort. Talk to hospital workers about such episodes in their jobs, or consider the many stories of 'ghosts' or 'angels' who appear suddenly to save lives or serve justice. 

So we are left with a fair share of total mysteries - that is, until we consider the remarkable work of a respected and widely published physician, Dr. Stuart Hameroff, Professor Emeritus at the University of Arizona, where he heads the Department of Anesthesiology and Psychology. Additionally, as the Director of that University's Center of Consciousness Studies, he has researched extensively over decades in the field of 'quantum mechanics', the study of the smallest types of matter. Hameroff pioneered in connecting our brain's quantum mechanics to human consciousness. And here's where science, the spiritual and the para-normal meet: in 1996, Hameroff and a distinguished physicist, Roger Penrose, joined to propose a starting theory that continues to be the subject of much debate among scientists: human consciousness comes from 'micro-tubules' in our brain cells. 

Suffice it to say that micro-tubules are remarkably complex, and play a central role in virtually all cellular operations. Further, after death, these scientists contend that micro-tubules leave the brain and continue to exists, hence the idea of out-of-body experiences. They argue further that these tubules are the very foundation of our souls. Says Hameroff, "I believe that consciousness...has been in the universe all along, perhaps from the Big Bang". From his intense work in anesthesiology and research of near-death experiences, he explains that, when the heart stops beating and blood stops flowing, the micro-tubules lose their 'quantum state', but the information in the micro-tubules is not destroyed, it is rather 'distributed to the universe at large', and if the patient is revived, the quantum information can go back into the micro-tubules of that patient's brain. 

This is where the often-repeated, vivid re-collection of revived patients comes from - a near-death experience, a white light or a tunnel, or floating out of their bodies. As Hameroff observes in his so-called Orch-OR theory of consciousness, "It's quiet possible that this quantum information can exist outside of the body, perhaps indefinitely, as a soul". His research in anesthesiology is widely recognised as proof that anesthesia targets consciousness by way of action on neural micro-tubules. Needless to say, in our secular, materialistic and increasingly shallow world, this work of Hameroff and Penrose has created quits a stir among scientists. The science community elites have little patience with theories about anything in the body that goes outside of the body and survives, unless a baby, and nothing human is indefinite. Noteworthy among these critics is MIT physicist Max Tegmark, who published an article where he argues that the quantum states of micro-tubules would, after death, survive for only 10 seconds, and absolutely cannot have an out-of-body existence.

In reply, Hameroff and others argue that micro-tubules could be shielded against the limited, physical environment of the brain when life gives out. They faulted Tegmark's analysis for using not their original criteria, but entirely different criteria in his testing of their quantum theory, thus changing the assumptions behind their theory. Many other scientists have joined this argument, and as recently as 2014, respected physicist Anirban Bandyopadhyay confirmed from his own research a central principle of Hameroff - that the shielding of micro-tubules from a dying brain environment does indeed occur. In the meantime, Hameroff's bi-annual Conference on the Science of Consciousness continues with a high level of attendance, scholarship and controversy. So what do we take from all this? These scientists have yet literally to prove their theory, but they have compiled substantial evidence to back up the assumptions underlying the theory, earning considerable support as well as criticism along the way. One can only imagine where the boundless curiosity of science will take this theory in the future - has it the potential to be one of the glories of the age of scientific discovery? 

Or could it be much ado about things we already knew? 

Hameroff and Penrose have given us a thought-provoking analysis of how the smallest types of matter might make up the very foundation of what we call ghosts, an enduring spirit, and so much more. The reader of this column is left to decide whether we have evidence in the science of quantum mechanics that establishes, in some instances, that 'ghosts' could actually exist. Then consider a compelling observation by a reputable mathematical physicist and author who backs the Maeroff/Penrose position, Dr. Henry P. Stepp. He actually goes further than they, building upon their compelling theory by submitting that a person's personality can 'exist as a mental entity after death, and if these entities can manage to pull themselves back into the physical world, things like channeling and possession by mediums can actually happen'.

One can't help but remark that pulling oneself back into the physical world would make sense for some attractive places said to be haunted right here in town, such as a magnificent old home on Main Road where a long-gone sea captain has been seen out and about, or a frequently observed, hovering mist years ago on the staircase of the old Jamesport Manor Inn, or the figures some have noticed at the homstead of the Hallocville Museum Farm on Sound Avenue. But why would any 'conscious entity', trying to 'pull back into the physical world', end up in a 1950s highboy chest of drawers? 

[Based on an article written by gleg Blass, dated 24th March, 2019].

-Challapalli Srinivas Chakravarthy, 11th March, 2020 (Wednesday)-      

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HOW TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION ALTERS THE BRAIN?

TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION (TM) involves sitting with eyes shut for 15-20 minutes twice a day while saying a mantra. The practice has several advantages for mental health but, until now, it was unclear how those effects came about. TM differs from other meditation practices in that it does not require concentration or visualisation. Instead, TM practitioners come up with a mantra, which is a word or phrase that has no real meaning. The practitioners silently think this mantra, allowing the mind to naturally transcend, while both the mind and body remain awake, yet relaxed. Most people can learn TM in a few months, and benefit s from regular practice may include reduced feelings of stress and anxiety in a person's everyday life. 

Previous Proof: Research has found some evidence of this. A 2013 study, appearing in Military Medicine, listed TM as a feasible treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in active-duty military personnel. Similarly,  a study appearing in The Permanente Journal in 2014, concluded that a TM program was effective in reducing psychological distress in teachers. A 2016 study from the same journal found significant reductions in symptoms of trauma, anxiety, and depression in prison inmates who practiced TM. With benefits seen in a relatively short period, one field of study has dived deeper into TM to find out exactly how it helps. Now, new findings published in "Brain and Cognition" point to measurable functional effects in the brain of TM practitioners.    

Lowering stress and anxiety: The study took place in the Molecular Mind Laboratory of Italy's IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca and involved 34 participants. Of the volunteers, 19 had to complete two 20-minute TM sessions a day for 3 months - one session in the morning and one in the evening. The remaining 15 participants continued with their usual daily routines. At the beginning of the study, the researchers and psychometric questionnaires to measure how well each participant could handle stressful situations. All participants also underwent a functional magnetic resonance imaging test (FMRI) to assess brain activity and functional connectivity between various areas of the brain. At the end of the three months , each participant underwent another FMRI test and filled in the questionnaires again. After 3 months, the participants who practiced daily TM perceived feeling markedly less stress and anxiety. "Specifically, following TM practice, the group of meditators reported a reduction in psychometric scores reflecting perceived depression, anxiety and stress in opposition to resilience and social skills", the authors write in the paper. Results from the FMRI scans also showed "that the reduction of anxiety levels is associated with specific changes in the connectivity between different cerebral areas, such as precuneous, left parietal lobe, and insula, which all have an important role in the modulation of emotions and inner states", says first author Giulia Avvenuti. However, "none of these changes [were] observed" in the group that did not practice TM. Avvenuti points out. 

Quick Changes: Pietro Pietrini, study coordinator and IMT SChool's Director, says these findings raise further questions about the link between the brain and the mind. "The fact that [TM] has measurable effects on the 'dialogue' between brain structures involved in the modulation of effective states opens new perspectives for the understanding of brain-mind relationships", he says. The results may also indicate just how quickly TM can have a tangible effect on the brain and the feelings of individuals. Organisations such as the David Lynch Foundation - which co-founded the study - encourage people with trauma or individuals who experience high levels of stress in work and education environments to practice TM. The organisation will likely use the results to amplify their work across the globe. This work adds to the growing body of evidence in support of this form of meditation. It also raises other questions. As Pietrini explains, his team's findings extend "the results of recent research suggesting that drug therapies and psychotherapy leverage on the same biological mechanism". Future research may, therefore, look at different ways of targeting these biological pathways.

Challapalli Srinivas Chakravarthy, 07-03-2020 (Saturday).

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EXECUTING RIGHT HABITS CONSISTENTLY.

As the saying goes - First we make our habits. And then our habits make us. Most of us create great habits but we are not great at sustaining them until they are ingrained into our lifestyle. With any activity or habit, we need to take those tiny actions, beginning from our thoughts, until they become a consistent part of our personality. Have you created a new habit which has been truly beneficial, but found it hard to sustain? Have you given up a healthy habit because you could not reinforce it, or because someone else said it's difficult to stick with ? Give yourself some time to embrace it. Any habit needs a few days of consistent, daily repetition before it becomes automatic. Till then we need to keep practicing it, even if we had failed to sustain a habit in the past, or if people feel that a particular habit is difficult to keep up. Focus on establishing one healthy habit, understand why you need it, and make it a priority to practice it for 20 consecutive days, regardless of your schedule or situation. Every day, create an affirmation for it and visualise as if it is already integrated into your routine. This makes it easier to adopt the new habit into your lifestyle. Carrying out a healthy habit is its own reward. In addition, it increases will power, health and happiness and make your relationships better and bring you success at work. Establishing a fixed routine with living your habits, increases your self-control. Start inculcating the discipline to build good habits that support your personal growth - right thinking, attitude, beliefs, exercises, meditation, spiritual study, diet, rest, sleep, work ethics, social habits and so on. Consistently create thoughts only of what you want your reality to be. Your thoughts create the right attitude and right actions and all those actions become a part of your personality. By thinking about them and bringing them into action, you strengthen your habits. Add them to your routine, they are your priority, they are part of your daily plan. Eve if you skip any of your routine activities for any reason, do not criticise yourself and do not give up. Motivate yourself, get back to executing the habit and tell yourself you can and you will. Make sticking to healthy habits the easiest thing to do for yourself. 

[Courtesy: Positive Reflections by Brahmakumaris dated 18th February, 2020 (Tuesday)].

-Challapalli Srinivas Chakravarthy, 18th February, 2020 (Tuesday)-

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START INFLUENCING, STOP CONTROLLING.

Whenever we complain about someone not being our way, we essentially imply that if we could control them, we could have guaranteed right results. The truth is we cannot control anyone, but we can influence literally everyone. Control radiates dominance, influence radiates care. Do you live with or work with someone who uses control tactics to change you? Have you also met people who have inspired you to change, just by being who they are? Let us accept that people will not be our way. Maybe they see nothing wrong with themselves, or they disagree with us, or they don't want to change. Exerting control or pressurising people to change their habits or behaviours is never a solution. If we do that, people repel us, leaving no chance for them to listen to us. Our sphere of control owing to position, seniority or role is limited. But our sphere of influence through our personality is infinite. When we consistently live the right way and when we consistently bless them instead of feeling irritated about them, our vibrations radiate to them. Our pure energy empowers and influences them to change. Start connecting with people with acceptance and respect for who they are. Remind yourself daily - I am a powerful being. People can be their way. I remain my way, the right way and influence them. Letting people be their way, I influence their habits and behaviours with my perfection and pure intention.

Look to control yourself and influence others. Bring your cheerful energy into every interaction. Listen to others, intuitively understand others, highlight their potential, give them a sense of purpose, guide them to achieve their goals. Being naturally motivated and wise, inspire everyone to bring out their best, appreciate and celbrate their success. Even if they fail to listen to you or fail to achieve, guide them and encourage them to try again. Lead by example. If someone is not your way, do not get disturbed. Empathise and influence them with your stability and unconditional acceptance. 

[Positive Reflections by Brahma Kumaris dated 11th February, 2020]. 

-Challapalli Srinivas Chakravarthy, 15th February, 2020 (Saturday)- 

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BEING STABLE IN CRITICISM.

Regardless of the form it takes and the intentions behind it, criticism can be difficult to accept. But if we learn how to deal with it, we can certainly benefit from the feedback. A large part of criticism directed towards us is not in our control, but how we respond to it is always our choice. No matter who you are or what you do, does someone always judge you? Even if things seem to be going well, do you find people criticising your ideas, behaviours, talents, efforts or results? Like it or not, criticism is unavoidable so it helps to take it in our stride. We need to be stable in the face of criticism. It usually comes with an energy of anger, insult, disrespect or rejection. So, more than the feedback itself, the accompanying vibrations hit us hard. Yet, we have the choice to only accept the feedback and be untouched by the negative vibrations accompanying it. People's criticism is more about them than about us. It mirrors weak state of mind - their hurt, their worries, their insecurities and their personalities. Basically, they are in pain and are relaying it to us. Our role is to understand, empathise and not radiate negative energy back to them. You have the power to make things better or worse when critiicised. Be courteous to them, validate their words and improve yourself if needed. Otherwise release that scene from your mind. Remain stable in criticism, just as you remain stable in appreciation. Know yourself well and do not get disturbed when someone criticises you. Sometimes when sharing their feedback, people are rude, they criticise you. Pause and think through the criticism, check if it is valid. If yes, thank them and improve yourself. If not, let go, do not create any thoughts about what they say. Remain stable and don't react or argue or defend. Just state your views assertively. Understand they might be disturbed, jealous or insecure. Understand they are different, they are only expressing their opinion, which is based on their personality. Know your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Do not take criticism personally. Remain detached as you see their nature. 

[Positive Reflections by Brahma Kumaris, dated 15-02-2020 (Saturday)]. 

-Challapalli Srinivas Chakravarthy, 15th February, 2020 (Saturday)-

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JIHAD: A TOOL OF PEACE.

One of the meanings of Islam  is peace, a permanently desired state of harmony with all that exists on the planet. Islam classifies Jihad, which literally means, "to strive" - into jihad-e-asghar, smaller battle, against evil and jihad-e-akbar larger battle, against the nafs, one's own ego. When people submit to evil, they become a source of danger to society. To ensure peace and security, these forces have to be defeated. The Quran verses sanctioning a military jihad were revealed to the Prophet after 13 years of passive resistance. During this long period, he and his followers were subjected to torture, injustice and severe oppression. Eventually, the Muslims were allowed an armed struggle. The Prophet stressed that jihad could not be pursued for economic gain, personal honour or the propagation of narrow nationalism. Laying down battle rules, he said, "Do not slay women or children or non-combatants and do not harm old people or religious people". The Prophet specifically mentioned priests, nuns and rabbis who serve God in houses of worship. He forbade the mutilation of bodies, cutting down of trees and poisoning of wells. He prohibited the burning of houses and cornfields, and the killing of livestock - except for food. The Prophet established an exemplary code of conduct for the Prisoners of War. He said, "Mercy is not taken out of anyone but the damned". The Quran urges not to let the hatred of people prevent you from being just.

Given the non-violent resistance during the founding years of Islam in Mecca, there is a rich resource of material on non-violence in the Quran and Hadith literature. The Quran speaks about the centrality of non-coercion and God's infinite compassion. Just 26 of over 6,000 verses deal directly with combat contexts with specific conditions and restraints. Some battles took place during the last 10 years of the Prophet's life. These resulted in uniting the Arab tribes who were constantly at war with each other. It is important to remember that during this period, the sword was used under the laws of the constitution of Medina and not to establish the law. While returning from the battlefield of Badr, the first armed conflict, the Prophet defined the two faces of Jihad, "We are returning from the lesser battle to the greater battle against ourselves". On another occasion, he said, "The most excellent Jihad is to speak up for the truth in the face of a tyrannical authority". According to Islam, there can be no compulsion in matters of faith. The Quran clearly states, "No coercion in religion. Distinct has now become the right way from the way of wrong; hence who rejects falsehood and has faith in God has held on to the tightest knot that could not be undone. God is all-hearing, all-knowing".

[Based on an article written by Sadia Dehlvi, a Delhi based writer and author of 'Sufism: The Heart of Islam'. The article was published in Deccan Chronicle dated 22nd April, 2017 (Saturday)]. 

-Challpalli Srinivas Chakravarthy, 15th February, 2020 (Saturday)- 

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WHY NOT WRESTLE WITH GOD LIKE JACOB AND ARJUNA?

Most of us think that we must approach God only with purity of heart and integrity of mind. In situations of doubt or depression we hide from God, thinking it's impossible to get a darshan of divinity. However, situations of difficulty and doubt are often ideal for God to intervene in order to confront, and consequently console. Religious stories often describe human beings wrestling with God. In the Bible, Jacob is portrayed as wrestling with a divine being (Genesis 32:22-32). The setting of the story is significant. Jacob has deceived his elder brother, Esau, by robbing him off his birth-right and his father's blessings. Years later, Jacob repents and returns to his homeland with fear that his brother will seek vengeance. As Jacob returns towards Esau's house, he's told that his brother is advancing towards him with many men. Frightened, Jacob prays to God: "Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, Esau, for I am afraid of him; he may come and kill us all". Jacob then spends the night in a camp. That night, "a man wrestled with Jacob until daybreak". Nothing is known about the mysterious wrestler. That he came at night suggests suddenness; that he wanted to depart before daybreak shows unwillingness to be recognised. The result of this unexpected wrestling bout is fourfold: first, the man wrenches Jacob's hip at the sciatic muscle; second, Jacob refuses to let the man go until he blesses him; third, the wrestler changes Jacob's name to 'Israel'; fourth, Jacob calls the place 'Peni-el' - Hebrew, meaning 'face of God' - saying, "I have seen God face-to-face". When God changes someone's name, that person is given a new identity and fresh purpose in life. The name 'Israel' - from the Hebrew, sarah, meaning, struggle - indicates that God is pleased with Jacob's struggle. Yet, Jacob does not escape unscathed, for now, although he receives God's blessings, he walks with a lamp! The story of Jacob and Esau not only forgives his brother, but heaps wonderful gifts upon him.
Similar to the Jacob wrestling narrative, the classical Hindu tradition has an ancient Sanskrit poem entitled 'Kiratarjuniya' by Bhairavi, which describes an episode of the Mahabharata wherein Arjuna combats Shiva disguised as a Kiraata or tribal hunter. So pleased was Shiva with Arjuna's bravery, that he gives him the powerful weapon, Pashupatastra, which aids Arjuna against the Kauravas during the Kurukshetra war. Jacob's and Arjuna's struggles with God have some elements in common: first, it is God who takes the initiative to encounter them; second, both do not recognise the Divine in their struggles; third, their grappling with God seems to bring benefits and blessings; fourth, it is the Divine One who makes the struggle successful and a new awareness of God is achieved. Like Jacob and Arjuna, why not wrestle with God? There is always an inner struggle in trying to fathom 'who' or 'what' God is. Moreover, mystics often experience heart-burn or heart-break when away from the presence of their Beloved God. Furthermore, we wrestle with God when we ask questions of ultimate meaning. We all yearn for Truth and can never be content with lies. Jacob was forced to face his deception, and after grappling with God, he made peace with his brother, Esau, whom he had wronged. It's not only the onus of believers to grapple with God. If they are genuine seekers, atheists and agnostics, too, must grapple with God - rather, without God - for scepticism and science haven't provided satisfactory answers about our origin and destiny.
[Courtesy: Francis Gonsalves, The article was published in The Times of India dated 25th April, 2017 (Tuesday)].
-Challapalli Srinivas Chakravarthy, 15th February, 2020 (Saturday)-
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ACCEPT CHANGE, DON'T RESIST IT.

Change resistance or the inability to adapt to change is the most common reason for the life stresses that all of us are faced with. There used to be a time when change was not so sudden as it is now. The modern lifestyles have made change so sudden that we have reached a point where change resistance has almost become like a syndrome or illness. There was once a businessman, who was very successful in everything he did. He earned success in his profession, relationships, earning wealth and everything else. It was all great going until one day his company began to go into a loss. At the same time, his relations with his family began to get disturbed, because of this. As a result, his self-esteem began to fall. Life was not the same again for him. This can happen to any of us, a sudden change of fortunes. Suddenly one single negative event, only a single change, can change our lives. What should have the businessman have done, to remain positive? He became, from extremely successful to unsuccessful. A change of perception you would say. And here we also throw light on the golden principle of acceptance. Acceptance follows the change of perception and also cannot take place without the perception change. It is an opposite emotion than the one which we commonly experience - that of resistance, when faced with a difficult situation. 

Taking the message further from the above example of a businessman who resisted change, accepting a difficult situation wasn't easy in his case. This is a case of a person who benefitted from the teachings of the Brahma Kumaris. He was given a five point spiritual power formula to implement. The five powers helped him re-shape his perception into a positive one. As a result he accepted a difficult situation. The first power was the power to transform one's thoughts as per one's own desires using the power of meditation. Rajyoga meditation, as taught by the Brahma Kumaris, is a connection between two minds - your own mind and the Supreme source of spiritual power - God. He is invisible to the physical eyes but visible to the eye of spiritual wisdom or what we call third eye. This connection causes spiritual energy in its purest form to be absorbed from God. It flows into one's sanskaras and changes the sanskara of thinking negatively. The second power was the power to discriminate between negative and positive information that one is exposed to throughout the day. Very often a negative piece of information received from the daily newspaper can make the perception of a negative situation full of confusion and a lack of clarity. This can cause us to become emotionally weakened. So, the businessman was given a simple advice - read the newspaper in the afternoon or evening and not the first thing in the morning. At that time, the mind is not so fresh and the absorption capability of the sub-conscious mind is lower than what it is during the morning. 

With reference to the above, the third power shared by the Brahma Kumaris to the businessman was the power to let go of all the memories of past negative events. He was advised to take out time to indulge in pure service - shatre all that he had learnt at the Brahma Kumaris with one person everyday. He made a principle of his life called Each One Teach One Each Day. This became his hobby. All the past negative incidents that were reducing his ability to perceive positively a negative situation and accepting it were pushed back and forgotten. he became a new person, from one with a negative past to one with a fresh mind eager to fill new positive experiences in itself. This would help him in crossing an uncertain present and constructing a positive future. Also, another power to achieve success in the change of perception and then accept was the power to think correctly based on beliefs based on spiritual truths. For example, the belief - I will be unable to emerge victorious over this negative event in my life was replaced by - Every negative situation is a blessing to achieve significant transformation in the self. These spiritual truths were a part of the complete spirityual knowledge of the Brahma Kumaris which is in the form of a week-long, an hour per day, introductory study course. This course was undertaken by the businessman. The last power was the power of an everyday morning input of holistic and pure knowledge after the week-long introductory course was undertaken. This was taken at the centre of the Brahma Kumaris, which as discussed earlier, went a long way in creating a positive environment inside his mind. It was an environment full of positive perceptions. As a result, negative circumstances became easy to face. 

[Courtesy: Brahma Kumaris Positive Reflections

[Challapalli Srinivas Chakravarthy, 14th February, 2020 (Friday)].  

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AZAAN: CALLING THE FAITHFUL TO PRAYER.

"Kaankar-paathar jori ke masjid lah chunnai/Ta chadni mulla baang de kya bahira huaKhudai?" - A mosque is built with stones and pebbles. A cleric from there calls; Is God hard of hearing? This is an oft-quoted doha (couplet) attributed to Kabir. But the great social reformer azaan - a call for Islamic prayer was invoking God or praying to the Almighty, despite his being a brilliant observer of social and religious aberrations and anomalies. Azaan is a call for prayer: The rauazzin (Arabic for the caller) calls the faithful to the mosque for offering namaz. Hazrat Mohani says, "Ek awaaz se bulaya daata ke darbar mein / Sawaab se hi milti hai ye gismat". Just one call can make devout followers rush to the mosque / Only great piety creates such sublime fate, the caller is imbued with. Here lies the relevance of irrelevance of azaan. Young Professor Hamilton Gibb wrote a letter to Allama Iqbal in Arabic. This letter can still be read at Lahore University's Department of Islamic Theology. Gibb asked Iqbal, "Shouldn't the faithful and devout Muslims come on their own to offer namaz to Allah? Why should they be called when it's their fundamental duty? This is like a shepherd calling his sheep when it's time to go back home in the evening. Human Beings aren't sheep". Iqbal wrote back with a Hadis (not Hadith as it is erroneously spelt by most: the compilation of Prophet Muhammad's teachings), though Imam Bukhari didn't mention his Hadis. Hadis Qudsi and Abu Dawud did mention this. Iqbal wrote to Gibb, quoting the Hadis that Prophet Muhammad said to Bilal - Islam's first muazzin, who was a slave from North Africa, freed by the Prophet - "Bilal, neo-Muslims need to be called to get accustomed to the new-found ways of Islam from their Pagan beliefs. But as they will evolve, they will come on their own. There might not be any calling in future because faith is a matter of heart and one listens to his inner voice when it comes to worship".

An evolved Muslim or any evolved worshipper needs no azaan or a call for prayer. Hakim Sanai writes in Persian, "Footsteps carry you to the mosque well before the muazzin gets ready to call you. Eventually, he gives up happily, seeing you there before he calls". So the issue of using loudspeakers or any modern technological equipment to call for prayer, gets redundant because elsewhere Prophet Muhammad himself opines that azaan should be so musical that it shouldn't break the slumber of others. During Prophet Muhammad's time, everyone didn't accept Islam and there were Christians and Jews in the vicinity. Moreover, Islam puts an accent on musicality of prayers and prayer related aspects. That's why Qeerat (why to recite the Quranic verses and there are seven ways of reciting them; Egyptian Qeerat being the most mellifluous) is so euphonic and when you get to hear the recital of Quranic verses, you are moved beyond words. Even a hardcore atheist like yours truly is moved by the musical cadences of Quranic creation. So it's really incongruous to use loudspeakers to call the faithful to the mosques. The problem with the followers of all religions is that they have not understood the symbolism and archaic practices of their faiths and they still cling on to them obstinately.

[Courtesy: An article written by Sumit Paul, published in The Times of India dated 21st April, 2017 (Friday)].  

Challapalli Srinivas Chakravarthy, 11th February, 2020 (Tuesday).

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I HAVE A DREAM.

I have a dream, a song to sing, to help me cope with anything...go the lyrics of a famous song by ABBA. It is not surprising that all of us are fascinated by our dreams. After all, we spend one-third of our lives sleeping or rather, we are in the world of dreams. From a scientific perspective, our dreams are made up of a combination of thoughts, images and emotions. The majority of our dreams are thought out during our Rapid Eye Movement stage. However, metaphysically speaking, dreams are a way of communicating with our soul, our spirit or our higher consciousness. It is said that many great discoveries or pieces of literature have been inspired by dreams. Friedrich Kekule, who gave the world the structure of benzene, had actually seen the structure in his dream, where he saw a snake eating its own tail. The US President, Abraham LKincoln had a premonitory dream about his death just before he was assassinated. Numerous people have been trying to analyse and find meaning in their dreams. In fact, there are some common symbols that most people see in their dreams. Many people dream about being abducted. It actually indicates that you are being manipulated by someone in your life. To see a baby in a dream signifies new beginnings. Driving a car means you are taking control of your life and working towards fulfilling your ambition. Many people dream that they are being chased. This dream represents insecurity or might signify that you are trying to evade a certain situation in life. If you dream that your teeth are broken, it refers to the consequences of your words and/or what you say about others. 

My dear readers, I wish that you pay attention to your dreams as they represent your feelings, moods, memories or messages from your masters. Oscar Wilde had opined, "Yes, I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world". Dreams give you the power to fine-tune your sixth sense and might even be pre-cognitive in nature.

TRUST IN DREAMS, FOR IN THEM IS HIDDEN THE GATE TO ETERNITY. (Kahlil Gibran).

Challapalli Srinivas Chakravarthy, 11th, February, 2020 (Tuesday).  

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UNLOCK THOSE EMOTIONS AND FEEL FREE.

There are some people who are unable to express anything at all. If display of excessive emotion is a baggage, bottling it up is a quietly-ticking time bomb. It is easy to spy the difference between people who express emotions naturally and those who keep them in strict check. While the former are easy-going and happier with a fluid-ness of movement, the latter are most likely the serious-looking ones, with rigid body language. Those who laugh out loud in happiness and give vent to tears and sobs in grief are able to sort through and resolve their emotions faster. This is especially so in the case of grief or pain. They go through the cycle of emotional resolution quicker by emoting talking about it, seeking help and actively dealing with the problem. But a person who refuses to face emotions - anger, grief, pain, or depression - by accepting that he is affected is unable to resolve his feelings, and so suffers much longer and deeper. Typically, women find it easier to expresss emotions. Historically and socially, they are allowed to display weakness, while the same is a no-no for men. Men feel responsible and do not allow themselves to indulge their feelings. They would rather be out there solving problems than sitting around resolving inner conflicts. However, there are always exceptions to the rule.

People hold back emotions for a number of reasons. Some refuse to display any sign of weakness as they feel it leaves them open to attack. Others store up emotions as a sign of diffidence, either because they have low self-worth or love being martyrs. Some others use their withheld emotions to be used to blame others - they expect others to guess how they are feeling and help them out anyway. Yet others may be scared of dis-approval rejection for signs of emotional weakness. Whatever the reason, the result of holding on to unresolved emotions is almost always an emotional outburst at some point. Those who repress feelings are more prone to angry outbursts. They avoid dealing with matters head-on, preferring to avoid problems. Dissatisfied with their own selves, they are also likely to be more critical of others. When we do not express to loved ones what makes us happy or sad, we are unable to help the relationship grow in a desired, satisfying direction. Unless you express to a friend or loved one your extreme irritation with something they do, where is the scope for resolution? Unresolved emotions and dissatisfying relationships further lead to anxiety and depression. It is important to let extreme emotion play itself out by sharing your feelings and seeking cures and ways to ease the pain. This is possible in many ways; talking to another is not the only solution. An equally effective way to give vent to your emotions is to write them down. Maintaining a personal diary could be a big help in facing your feelings, sorting them and then letting go, slipping through like sand from a tightly-closed fist. Yoga helps us resolve our emotions too. Pranayama is all about achieving a balance and can help sort out and deal with emotions. People also find emotional resolution through exercise or other art forms. When disturbed by an emotion, take a pause. Consider how you are feeling. Why does the emotion frighten or threaten you? Does it make you feel vulnerable? Vulnerability is human and isn't necessarily a weakness. From that vulnerability can rise great strength. Do not avoid it; instead indulge in your emotional vulnerability, feel it and then calm down and tell yourself you are okay. You will taste a unique form of freedom...

[Courtesy: Vinita Dawra Nangia's book Love is Always Right - a sequel to the best-seller 'Best of O-zone - It's Your Life!' The article was published in The Times of India dated 07th May, 2017 (Sunday)].

c s chakravarthy, 29th January, 2020, Wednesday. 

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WHEN GOD BECOMES YOUR SLAVE.

What you call as your body and mind are a certain accumulation of memory. It is because of memory - or you can call it information - that your body has taken the particular shape that it has. For example, if a man eats a piece of bread, the bread becomes a man. If a woman eats it, it becomes a woman. If a dog eats the same bread, it becomes a dog. That's a smart piece of bread! No, it is not the bread but the kind of memory that one's system carries that transforms bread into a man, woman or dog. Your very existence is an accumulation of memory. If we take away all the memory, you will cease to exist. This is what is meant by Karma Nashana - if you destroy all memory, the very being ceases to exist. That is a state of mukti because you are free from existence - you don't have to exist anymore because your very existence is memory. Yet, there is a dimension of intelligence within you that is free, unsullied by memory. In yoga, we call this chitta. If you touch this dimension of intelligence, you can live in this entire edifice built of past memory but you can be free of it, untouched by it. You can remain in such a way that this memory, which gives you a certain physical and psychological structure, has no influence on you. If these aspects of life do not come into the experience of individual human beings, they will naturally seek other means for excitement. If people are not offered a way to engineer themselves the way they want to be - joyful and blissful - drink and drug will dominate. It has already become prevalent in the west, and it is becoming very big in urban India, too. I another 70-80 years, if we do not sweep the world with a logically correct, scientifcically verifiable spiritual process. I would say 90% of human beings will depend on chemical solutions to keep themselves pleasant.

This will happen because every human being is trying to have a larger slice of life. Whether someone goes to the templeor bar, whether someone gets doped out or meditates, they are essentially looking for a larger slice of life. The question is only about what is sustainable. If you want human beings to have a phenomenal experience within, but without causing damage to themselves, you have to turn them inward. This can mean many things. One simple way of understanding it is that you touch chitta - that dimension of intelligence which is the very basis of your making. There is no such thing as your chitta and my chitta. It is just there. The question is whether you as an individual have access to it. This is not yours or mine, this is a cosmic intelligence - the source of creation. Chitta is keeping you alive, making life happen. If you access this dimension that is the linking point to one's consciousness, you don't even have to wish or dream for anything. The best possible thing that can happen to you will anyway happen to you. When people touch this dimension, in yoga, the yogis have a mischievous way of expressing it. It is said, "God will become your slave". He works for you from now on. 

{Courtesy: Sadhuguru Jaggi Vasudev. The article was published in The Times of India dated 18th April, 2017 (Tuesday)}. 

c s chakravarthy, 29-01-2020 (Wednesday).

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