Heaven or Hell, what is it really?

When we study the old books, the Sastras, the Puranas, the books of mythology or narrations from the olden times, not that every thought over there is great and astounding. There may be narrations vexing enough, drab and gross. But sometimes when we come across thoughts that are ringing modern to our sensibilities, the pleasure of reading such accounts or thoughts is unique. 

Hell and Heaven is a familiar concept in many religions. In Puranas and Ithihasas we come across descriptions of regions of hell or regions of heaven, which are said to be attained by souls. This forms the subject of eschatology. But is there any understanding in the old books considering hell and heaven as psychological states or mental relationships to ourselves and surroundings and people? 

In Brahma Purana there is a description, explicitly stating that hell and heaven are really mental states and attitudes. But the chapter is titled as descriptions of worlds of hell and heaven and some such descriptions also run in the start. But without any hesitation, the narration switches gear and as a matter of fact, begins to explain hell and heaven as mental or psycho states. That means , we have to doubt the gross descriptions or opaque pictures on any subject occurring in Puranas. And the Puranas are decidedly symbolic in their language and philosophical in intent. 

Let me give you the passage as occurring in Brahma Purana so that you can decide for yourself. 

" That which delights the mind is heaven. That which is contrary in effect is hell. O excellent brahmins, good and evil are given the appellations of heaven and hell.
The one and the same object is conducive to misery as well as happiness. It produces malice and wrath. Hence there can never be an object solely of the nature of sorrow?
The same object generates pleasure at the outset, but
later on, it yields misery. The same object causes pain, wrath but later on gives pleasure.
Hence, there is nothing which is solely of the nature of sorrow or solely of the nature of pleasure. It is the changed phase of mind that is characterised by happiness or sorrow."
(Brahma Purana, vol 33, Ed. J L Shastri, Motilal Banarsidass)
 

The original text is : 

mana: preetikara: svargO narakastat viparyaya: |
narakasvargasamjnE vai pApapuNyE dvijOttama: ||
vastu Ekam Eva dukkhAya sukAya IrshyOdayAya ca |
kOpAya ca yatastasmAdvastu dukkhAtmakam kuta: ||
tadEva preetayE bhUtvA punardukkhAya jAyatE |
tadEva kOpAya yata: prasAdAya ca jAyatE ||
tasmAt dukkhAtmakam nAsti na ca kincit sukAtmakam |
manasa: pariNAmO~yam sukhadukkhAdilakshNa: || 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Mayavaram Kamakshi Amma (Women's education in Advaita)

By the banks of Kaveri in Mayavaram. Coming in the Andhra family hailing from Dubash (Dvibashi)  Ramaswamy Iyer, in whose name Dubash Agraharam was active as on 1910. Married to Yanamandram Ramalinga Iyer and losing him when she was still in her teens in 1871, the girl took a unique step forward. She began to devote herself into Sanskrit education and that too a deep study of Advaita school of Vedanta. She rose to such a level that a jottings she made in Sanskrit for her own use, later she was persuaded by her friends to bring out as a publication, came out in 1910 as Advaitadeepika. 

Sometimes back I was writing about Sadhu Nityanandammal and now Kamakshi Ammal of Mayavaram. Many years back I wrote about Patthi Yatirajammal of Sri Perumbudur and Kalyani Mami. Do I have a special eye for these illustrious women forgotten or do these great women give me darshan I do not know. But generally I do have a complaint to make. Even in our families we do not take so much seriously the wonderful wealth of memoirs in our women be they our elder or younger ones. But if you care to listen and I mean 'listen' to what they say, you will understand a different dimension of life, missed pitiably by the always-rushing menfolk. 

Coming back to Kamakshiammal of Mayavaram, Advaitadeepika published by T S Natesa Sastriyar of T S Natesa Sastriyar and Co, Oriental Booksellers etc., Mayavaram in 1910 with an English translation still reminds one of the great lady and the life she carved out for herself at such early years. A small book of 40 pages in Sanskrit but full of intricacies of logic like anumana, paksha, sadhyata, dosha, pakshaviseshana, anyatarasiddhi, asrayasiddhi, sadhyaprasiddhi, sadhanaprasiddhi, sadharanyam, asadharanyam, vyabhichara, anupasamhara and the like. Luckily we have the translation of Natesa Sastriyar. But imagine what would have been her mental stamina to think in these lines and write a book of terse sanskrit as a just personal jottlog. 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Management Ideas and Sri Ramanuja

Sometimes seeing through modern lens the ancient content may throw fresh light not only about the content but also about the efficient use of the lens itself. When the tools and the topic both benefit, what do we lose in the venture? 

Modern management ideas are becoming more and more mystical in a sense. Rather than cut and dried approaches, opaque to any subtleties, the modern approaches in management talk about the roles of follower and sub-servient participation. To make this approach more scientific, management science can wed the 'seshatva' approach as clarified by the Visishtadvaita-sage-reformer of the 11th cent CE, Sri Ramanuja. 'Seshatva' talks about the intellectual understanding of obedience in a group activity. Traditionally it was discussed in the context of one's spiritual progress. But adapting it to the modern management theory will go a long way in enriching the toolkit bag. Even cross-disciplinary meditations on various concepts in parallel will freshen up, I think, both fields of study. 

What I am about to write here is just a small venture in this direction, so to say, testing waters. 

One idea in management is about goal-setting vs task management or you may have it as 'and' instead of 'vs'. What is the most important thing in a venture, in management? Is it setting the goal? Who will say no? Yea. Goals are the important part. But setting the goals itself, will it enable the enterprise to reach the end-result? Can goal-setting itself vouchsafe that the end-result will be the very goal of the start? If not, who determines or what, the rationality of the difference between goal and end-result? Who or what rationalizes the difference? Who or what reviews the rationality or irrationality of the goal initially set? 

If the goal can be compared to the map of the place to be reached, who or what makes it reached or approached? In management of an enterprise, simply sitting everyday and clearly visualizing the goal in all its details will not move you near the realisation. To move ahead you require a running machinery, a functioning company. To keep the machine running, to keep the company afloat for goals, a standard procedure of tasks repetitive, recurring and sometimes adapted to altered situations has to be kept up and alive. So task-management provides the body for which the soul is provided by the goal-setting. 

In Sri Vaishnavism of Nammalwar, the goal-setting was done by Nathamuni and the task-management was done by Sri Ramanuja. The goal was the prapatti marga of Nammalwar as propounded in Tiruvaimozhi. How Sri Ramanuja did task-management and made the goal a realisation or sinching the end-result with the goal, is the whole history of the path. 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

What is Paramapada?

What is Paramapada? Any new interpretation from you? 

Not from me. But from the Upanishads. 

From the Upanishads? What is that? 

It seems you are disturbed by the real meanings that are there told in Upanishads. 

No no it is all new to me. I thought that these terms carry the usual meanings of different worlds one attain after death and all that. For example , Sri Vaikunta, Maha Kailas and Brahma Loka and all that. 

It is the heart, that is, the limitless compassion, which is symbolically termed as heart, this very heart is called Maha Kailas. This very heart is called Sri Vaikunta. 

Oh Really.. your meaning or... 

Not mine. But from the Upanishads. If you go to Sri Ramakrishna Math stall you can get 108 Upanishads meaning by Sri Anna Subramanian. 

What is said there? 

"ருத்திரரே! (உள்ளமாகிய) கயிலையங்கிரியிலிருந்து கொண்டு உலகிற்கு இன்பத்தை ஊட்டுபவரே! சாந்த மானதும் , மங்களமானதும் , பாவம் நீங்கிய மோக்ஷ நிலையைப் பிரகாசப்படுத்துவதுமான உம்முடைய எந்த வடிவம் உளதோ அந்த உயர்நலமளிக்கும் வடிவால் எங்களுக்கு எங்கும் ஆத்ம தத்துவம் விளங்கும்படி. அருள்வீராக.” (ஸ்ரீஅண்ணா சுப்ரமணியன்) 

Meaning - Oh Rudra who resides in the heart which is otherwise called Kailas and gives happiness to the beings! Reveal thy form which will bestow on us the universal vision of Thyself residing everywhere in all beings. 

The mantra from Svetasvatara Upanishad - 

"yA tE rudra sivA tanU: aghOrA S pApa kAsinI | 

tayA nastanuvA santamayA girisantAbhichAkasIhi ||" 

"எல்லா முசுங்களையும் தலைகளையும் கழுத்துக்களையும் தனதாகக் கொண்டவனும் , எல்லா உயிர்களின் உள்ளக் கோயிலில் உறைபவனும் , அதனால் எங்கும் செல்பவனுமாகிய மங்கள வடிவினனாய் அந்த பகவான் விளங்குகிறான்." 

Meaning - All faces are His, all necks and all heads. He resides in the heart of all beings. He reaches everywhere. He is all blessedness. So shines that Bhagavan. 

Sri Vaikunta is this very heart. Says the Narayana Upanishad. 

"ஓம் நமோ நாராயணாய எனும் மந்திரத்தை உபாஸிப்பவன் வைகுண்ட லோகத்தை அடைகிறான். வைகுண்டலோகம் ஞானமயமான இருதய கமலமேயாகும். " (Sri Anna Subramanian) 

Meaning - One who chants Om Namo Narayanaya that person goes to Vaikunta Loka. Vaikunta is verily this heart which is Jnanamaya. (heart signifies love and compassion; when love is synchronised with Jnana it becomes Vaikunta) 

The mantra is - 

"Om namO nArAyanAya iti mantra upAsakO vaikunta bhuvanam gamishyati | tadidam pundarIkam vijnAnaghanam" 

When the desireless mind dissolves into the heart that is called Paramapadam. 

Where..? 

Wait. I am coming out with the mantra and its meaning from the Amrutabindu Upanishad. 

"விஷயப்பற்று முற்றும் நீங்கி எப்போது மனதானது இருதயத்தில் நன்கு அடங்கி நிலைபெற்று உன்மனி பாவத்தை அடையுமோ அதுவே பரமபதம் என்பதாம்.” 

Meaning - When the mind gets rid of all attachment and desires and begins to reside and resolve into the heart and completely becomes one with the heart that is called Paramapadam. 

The mantra is 

" nirastavishayA sangam sanniruddham manO hrudhi | 

yadA yAti unmanIbhAvam tadA tat paramam padam ||" 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

A dialogue on Thinking and Tradition

You see, all the Gods are in your heart. All devas in there, in the heart. What does that mean? It is simply your heart must begin to feel, to expand, be inclusive. You must feel empathy with others. This heart-activity combined with the awakening of your intelligence is all what is meant by spirituality. All religion is about this. 

What.. you will say something. Having read some English books, you people will talk big about this and that. Do you know what is said in traditional scriptures? 

My friend! what I am saying is from your traditional scriptures... 

What?.. Where is it said like that? Come on tell me. 

In Brahma Upanishad these mantras are there. 

"hridisthA dEvatA: sarvA hrudi prANA: pratishtitA: | 

hrudi prAnascha jyOtischa trivrut sUtram cha tadvidu: | 

chaitanyE tishtati ||" 

meaning - "All devatas are in the heart. All life forces are stationed in the heart. The whole life and intelligence is established in the heart. According to great Jnanis the heart is the actual sacred thread. The great Paramatma resides in the heart as the living God, Life and Knowledge." 

Not only that, it also says and lays stress on this point, that the actual and real wearing of sacred thread is developing God-perception, seeing all things as containing God and things as forms having their essence in God. This universal perception is what is really meant by wearing the sacred thread. 

It is just your interpretation... 

Here is the mantra occurring in the very same Brahma Upanishad. 

"bahi: sUtram tyajEdvidvAn yOgam uttamam Asthita: | 

brahma bhAvam idam sUtram dhArayEdya: sa chEtana: || " 

meaning - The external thread is merely symbolic and unimportant. But the real meaning is the Brahma Bhavana that must be developed in oneself. One who develops this Brahma Bhavana in himself he is the intelligent person. 

Is the Brahma Upanishad available, translated by whom, any western educated...? 

It is available even in Tamil, text and translation by the great Sri Anna Subramaniam published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. It comes under 108 Upanishads series. 

Sage Tirumular beautifully sings the whole concept in his Tirumantiram - 

"நூலும் சிகையும் நுவலில் பிரம்மமோ 

நூலது காற்பாசம் நுண்சிகை கேசமாம் 

நூலது வேதாந்தம் நுண்சிகை ஞானமாம் 

நூலுடை அந்தணர் காண நுவலிலே.” 

(காற்பாசம் (கார்ப்பாசம்) - பஞ்சு)

"The sacred thread and the Sika are physically just cotton and hair. They are just symbolic. The real meaning is Vedanta meditation and the Supreme Knowledge of the Divine that one should pursue. Whoever understands this really they are sages." 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Belief System a conversation

A conversation with a friend. Helping me to clarify a few things to myself. 

What is your belief system? or in other words your faith position or to ask in the usual way your religious subscription? 

May be I can write a long essay in reply. But I would like to give an one word answer. - Sri Ramakrishna. 

That means you believe that he is God and you subscribe to worship him. 

May be if you want to carry away that opinion by yourself, I don't have any objection. But if you care to understand how I understand my position, I can explain it, nuancing on some points. 

Yea sure. But don't elaborate too much. Don't mistake me. 

Yea nops. I understand. To think of Sri Ramakrishna as one's spiritual answer involves four positional statements. 

Four? so precise? 

Yea. First to come to an understanding in life that desire is in not a supreme, deciding factor. What is good takes precedence over what is attractive. Of course no condemnation of desire as such. But one's position of understanding never takes into account the desire as any deciding or motivating factor, not withstanding appreciating the aesthetics of desire. 

Second, trying to choose always the best, the good, the great over what is bad or peevish. Being able to distinguish between good and bad sides of things, good and bad aspects and features. 

Third, to go in passionately for knowing more and more and never being snobbish about knowledge. 

Fourth, to develop more and more in loving, compassion, sympathy meaningfully. 

What about God worship? 

Yea God-worship in any form, in any culture which promotes these four positions is aesthetic and joyful practice of life perception. If not, it is not relevant. This is what Sri Ramakrishna means to me spiritually. I think this is what Swami Vivekananda felt about his master. 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***

Eight differences but one Unity

In grammar for nouns they talk about eight declensions. In Tamil we call it 'eight differences'. (vEttrumai).

Let us take the noun Rama. Just saying the name Rama is the first declension or difference (mudAlAm vEttrumai). 

Something we do on the noun Rama is indicated by the second declension or iraNdAm vEtrrumai. Suppose in the sentence 'Call Rama', 'rAmanai azhai'. 

Third declension or mUndrAm vEtrrumai is 'we got it by Rama'. rAmanAl kidaitthadu. 

Fourth is 'we give this to Rama'. rAmanukku kodu. 

Fifth is from Rama. Sixth is with Rama. Seventh is in Rama. 

Eighth is calling Rama. Inviting Rama. 

In all these eight declensions or ettu vEtrrumaigal some person has composed this sloka in the past ages 

centering around Rama. i.e. Rama, on Rama, by Rama, to Rama, from Rama, with Rama, in Rama, Hi Rama! 

"Let Rama reside for ever in my heart along with Seeta. (Ist)

I salute Rama along with his brothers (and also along with my brothers) (IInd)

Let all my sins be destroyed by Rama. (IIIrd)

All my actions done through mind, words or deeds I dedicate to Rama. (IVth)

I do not know anything different from Rama. (Vth)

And I do not know any word to pair with Rama Nama. (VIth)

I perceive all the  universe in Rama. (VIIth)

Oh Vira Rama! protect me every day." (VIIIth) 

Now the sloka - 

"rAma: sItAsamEtO nivassatu hrudayE 

sAnujam rAmamIdE 

rAmENa kshINa pApa: 

trividhamapi krutam karma rAmAya dadyAm 

rAmAt anyam na jAnE 

na kimapi vachO rAmanAmna: samAnam 

rAmE pasyAmi visvam bhuvanam 

anudinam pAhi mAm vIra rAma !" 

You see! how simply they have taught both bhakti and grammar in a single stroke! 

Srirangam Mohanarangan 

***