Meditations on Transcendence

  Are We Born Into Abhava or the Pursuit of Poornata ? By Raamrasa At birth, we step into a world laden with abhava (lack), an intrinsic condition that defines our human journey. These lackings create lakshya (goals), setting the stage for virodha (conflict). Yet, the abhava of material desires cannot be fulfilled in the fleeting world of samsara . Instead, the call is to turn inward, toward poornata (completeness). As the Bhagavad Gita (2.55) teaches: “When one gives up all desires born of the mind, and finds satisfaction in the Self, then that person is called sthita-prajna (steadfast in wisdom).” This inward quest reveals that true santosha (contentment) is not achieved by satisfying external ichha (desires) but by aligning with the infinite brahman . The Mahabharata emphasizes this through Bhishma’s wisdom: "The one who sees atma in all beings and all beings in atma transcends all dualities." Here lies the essence of poornata —to see beyond the loka (world)...

 *The Unity of Atman and Brahman in Hindu Philosophy* In Hindu philosophy, the concept of 'Atman' refers to the inner self or soul, believed to be the essence of an individual. It is considered eternal and is seen as the true identity beyond the physical form. The term 'Jiva' represents the individual soul that embodies the life force in living beings. 'Parabrahman' is the supreme, unchanging reality, often associated with Sri Krishna, who is revered as the ultimate reality in many traditions. The idea that Atman is Parabrahman suggests a fundamental unity between the individual soul and the universal spirit. This unity is beautifully illustrated in the divine play, or 'Lila', of Radha and Krishna, symbolizing the duality of existence as the enjoyer and the enjoyed. The philosophy encourages the realization that we are not separate from the divine essence; rather, we are an integral part of it, participating in the cosmic drama of existence. This perspec...

 **Ode to the Guru, the Liberator** O venerable Guru, radiant beacon of the night,   In tangled realms where modes obscure the light,   You, the liberator, break the chains that bind,   And lead the soul to truths it’s long resigned. In the maze of senses and the body’s snare,   Where passions weave their intricate affair,   You cast away the veils of ignorance so dense,   Unveiling wisdom’s pure and sacred essence. With Krishna’s ancient words, you gently guide,   “Tribhir gunamayair bhavair ebhih sarvam idam jagat, mohitam nabhijanati mam ebhyah param avyayam” (7.13)—   Through modes of nature, the world is veiled,   But in your light, the hidden truth unveiled. Adi Shankara’s voice, in reverence we hear,   “गुरुं विनाऽध्यात्मविद्या न सिद्ध्यति” —   Without your grace, the self remains unclear,   Yet with your touch, the soul finds freedom near. You are the key ...

An improved perfect self already exists Purification is needed to manifest the improved self Uncovering layers is our focus When there is a mixture only one needs purification Where there is required and not required substance, entity, to separate one needs purification Identification, separation and elimination are various steps in purification Knowledge and awareness is needed to identify unwanted things in heart Otherwise there is no regulation of unwanted things Wanton kingdom of unwanted things in the heart Unwanted is well integrated with wanted making the process difficult The wanted in dormant and unwanted is active Daman is complete supression of the unwanted with help of Lord Damodara One can catch, group and tie the unwanted - desires and ahankara Destroy and eliminate them Meditation is the culmination of the entire curriculum of the Gita which aims at removing the three main defects of our personality: mala, vikshepa and aavarana. tatrekaagram manaha kritvaa yatachittendri...