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PURUSHA AND PRAKRITI AS RECONCILED BY PARAMA TATWAS
By V.D.N. RAO

Hindu thought asserts that The Unknown Almighty manifested the ‘Anda Chatushtaya’ or the Four- folded ‘Brahmanda’ viz. Shakti, Maya, Prakriti and Prithvi - or the Supreme Energy, the Ignorance/ Make Belief, the Nature and the Earth. The entire Universe, replete with that Almighty is all-resplendent in abstract form, yet in entirety. He is on top of the Parama Tatwas; the Shuddha Tatwas or the pure Elements viz. Paramatma and Maha Shakti and the Parama Tatwas representing the ‘Swa swarupas’ or the forms of individual selves as the unique integrated Maha Tatwa. The Swa-Swarupas are representative broadly of Chid-Ananda-Ichaa-Jnaana-Kriya the pancha maha shaktis. The collective form is named ‘Atyanta Chamatkaara Swaswarupa’ or the extremely astonishing reflection of the Avyakta- Shaaswata- Vishnu- Ananta-Aja-Avyaya or the unknown everlasting-all pervading-self manifested and unending Supreme and there beyond the Maha Tatwa.   Now, the Tatwas in depth: Niyati Tatwa relates to where a Purusha resides specifically. Kaala Tatwa specifies the age, maturity of mind and characteristics, sex, and environment and such. Raaga Tatwa of the Purusha concerned, attachment accessories, aspirations and desires. The Purusha seeks fulfillment of this type of material wants. Vidya Tatwa is essentially knowledge based. Indeed knowledge is limitless and as much one acquires, so much more remains.  Maha Maya obstructing the clear vision of Pure Consciousness due to ‘Shad Kanchukas’ or Six Layers / Coverings and ‘Malaas’ or defilements of ‘Aaanava’, ‘Maayiya’ and ‘Karma’ nature, being the inner most, the interior and the outer parts of the husk that cover in three layers before obtaining the pure grain orAantaratma the Inner Self with neither desirable nor the totally free from the stains of the pristine Self! Pancha Bhutas, Panchendriyas and Tri-Tatwas viz. Manas, Buddhi and Ahamkara total up to Prakriti.  Prakriti is the totality of the 23 products, each produced from the cause and effect cycle and together Prakriti and Purusha activise the entire universe composed of 36 tatwas! From Prakriti up to Earth, creation encases ‘Chaitanyam’ or the Pure Consciousness by ‘dehabhava’ or mortal feature as concealed, just as chaff covering the food grain. This Chaitanyam is covered by Maya aided by indriyas or the sense organs or ‘kalaas’ to specific gross physical elements. Thus the process of creation is composed by seven steps beginning from Paramatma-Shakti-Sadashiva - Maha Vishnu-Shudda Vidya or the Pure Knowledge-Maya or the Make Believe and Kaala the creativity of the time schedule ranging from ‘kshanas’ to ‘kalpas’. Vigjnaana is a flow of Self Awareness and is conceptual only. Hinduism strongly believes that Supreme Consciousness is possible by ‘sambhavopaaya’ or ‘icchopaaya’ or as coincidental or as being desirable. It may be like the myth of a rope as a snake.  But surely Maha Maya has no role in this illusion. Finally one concludes that the self-consciousness and Supreme Consciousness are true mirror images since the former has no role in the pluses and minuses of the mortal bodies as per their panchendriyas, mind, buddhi sustained by vital force, the ‘praana’ and the individual consciousness is a mute spectator only and surely the photo image of Paramatma! Being a great sportsman, Paramatma plays hide and seek with make-belief and reality and at times he kicks up a mendicant high to great fortunes. Universal Creation, Preservation and Dissolution akin to waking, dreaming, and dreamless sleep sushupti appear in the Parameshwara Himself and on the ultimate state of the jeevatma merging into Paramatma the Supreme Himself!  Just as the huge expanse of sky could never be tarnished and polluted by clouds, smoke or dust, could the acts of Maha Maya which are so mysterious and complex otherwise affect the Inner Self whose mirror image is Almighty Paramatma Himself!  Each and every Being in Srishti or the Creation of the Universe is a soft target to ‘sukha duhkhas’, ‘mayaa vyamohas’, ‘janma-maranas’ and several problems and predilections.  When ‘ghata gagana’ or ether fills dust in a jar another ether elsewhere at another place too does not fill up with dust. Similarly some human beings might have a tragedy and death in one house but in another street, another house might be enjoying a wedding party. Thus ‘sukha duhkhas’ are dispersed; Parmatma is totally unaffected by Maha Maya and in fact He created her himself to assume the Task of Srishti-Sthiti-Samhaara repetitively. Having dismissed the above misconception, Paramatma also smashes up the ‘agjnaana’ that the Individual self or the Antaratma is separate from Paramatma as the former might be subjected to the pulls of panchendriyas and mind sustained by praana. The entire Universe is the amalgam of three ingredients viz. Prithivi, Prakriti and Maya and these correspond to the gross, the subtle and the most subtle. From Prithvi to Maya this Universe is full of differences. Gold which could be in varied forms and shapes like belts, bracelets or rings and similarly in other metals like silver, copper and zinc or alloys thereof.  The Supreme Parameshwara is pure, ever tranquil, ‘abheda’ or undifferentiated, ‘sama’ or equable, ‘sakalam’ or complete, ‘amritam’ or everlasting, ‘satyam’ or the singular manifestation of Truth, that rests in Shakti who is the appearance of natural radiance. Enlightenment is three folded to know, to seek and attain. Only these Ichha-Jnaana-Kriya Shaktis are capable of accomplishing the Akaasha Kusuma the Sky high Fower viz. Paramatma. Thus the Immortal rests and depends on Maha Shakti.  Parmatma has the facility of possessing the trident of Maha Shakti viz. the ‘iccha-jnaana-kriya Shaktis’ with which He could bestow the Beings of Atma Darshana. Thus the Supreme Awareness sums up the concept thus: Iccha-jnaana- kriya, the three Shaktis named as the trident versus their perfect victories of materialism and their combined manifestation of Maha. Maya who further makes the merger of the Beings with Paramatma, even while the latter is totally aware that both the entities are just the same. He achieves the task of  external creation of three eggs more with their infinite variety in order to make way into the external world as several subjects and objects to the process of expansion of the balance of the trident Shatkis amalgamated with two further Shaktis viz. ‘Sat  Chid Ananda’ or the commanding power of  Consciousness and that of bliss coupled with the erstwhile Iccha-Jnaana-Kriya Shaktis this totalling five forms of Paramaatma-Shakti- Sadaashiva-Vishnu and Shuddha Vidya are together named Paramatma.The Supreme Lord  makes the wheel of Shakti and declares of ‘Ahmata’ or the ‘I am-ness’ showing various things in the mirror of the Universe the Maha Maaya.This is how the wheels of Shakti groups are revolved by the Almighty as His eternal sport stating ‘Ahamta’ or ‘Sarvaswam Ahameva’; ‘It is Me’ as the Universe is reflected like jars in a mirror. From me the entire Universe is derived in varied forms and feelings and essentially I alone am manifested in the bodies of all the Beings with panchandriyas and panchabutas with praana and mind besides all kinds of shades be it illumination or darkness akin to knowledge and ignorance. Besides the body and Indriyas, I create Shaktis in multi-faceted swarupas, and essentially by five principal forms with Sat-chit-ananda or the power pure consciousness and the might of bliss and so on.  I am engaged in the play of the ‘Srishti Sthiti Samhara’. In me the that the Universe is illuminated and I am the awakenness-dream stage-sushupti and Essence of ‘Paramartha’. I am the Vishwa Rupa with hands feet and senses. Yet, even without body and Indriyas, I can see, hear sounds, breath, feel, think and move fastest. The entire Universe is my playground and illuminate in all modes since the thread of unity ties in all beings like men and women, children, pashus, birds and inanimate beings too. Falsity besides the break of the cycle of births and deaths as also the limitations of ‘kaala maana’ and so on get severed even as he finds himself in the effulgence of Almighty Himself basking in the eternity of Surya! Once the physical body is destroyed then whither does he dwell especially the full force of Maya Shakti is freed forever! Then the husk and bran of the grain of his erstwhile form has no further regermination and no further ‘aanava- maayiya and karma’ tarnishings and defilements. He then attains a state of pure consciousness as of the Supreme Himself! Once the gems of Supreme Vision are collected in the treasure house of one’s own mystic heart, which indeed is akin to that of Mahatma’s Himself, then in that state of ecstasy, the Self would tend to announce that: ’I am all and everything’! Liberation from the revelation of Maha Shakti that is basically embedded on one’s own true Self is Moksha which severs the knots of ignorance. Agjnana or fantasy of ‘moha’ or the perfect knot. This is what needs to be untied and then discover ‘atma swaatantra lakshama’ or the true feature of freedom of the Self. That indeed is the Ultimate Lesson.  As the bonds of ignorance are slashed and liberation has dawned, then he realises that the bondage of physical body alone is the hindrance. Once the seed of life would be scorched it would not be capable of rebirth. As the body once destroyed the limitation on buddhi would be off and the Inner consciousness merges the unique Pure Consciousness.   Once an enlightened person gets the awareness that he is but an agent of whatever is being performed by him is but of Paramatma’s volition only and that he was only of mere instrumental nature. The jnaani who decides to execute an action of virtue gets inspired by his Atma Jyoti or the internal illumination.  The jnaani who decides to execute an action of virtue gets inspired by his Atma Jyoti or the internal illumination. This is how, the Antaratma of the concerned person of whose spiritual consummation is attained yet continues to exist, albeit with neither fear nor favour yet enjoying the sublimity and the play of divinity on the stage of the materialistic Universe! Such a semi insentient Being moves about and behaves without any normal ‘deha vikaaraas’ or bodily action-reaction syndromes like arrogance, happiness at achievements, anger, lust, fear, avarice and delusion, and receipts of admiration from the onlookers and so on like a dumb and speechless one. How an illuminated person is totally unaffected much unlike the normal embodied person? How indeed, ‘mada’ or conceit, ‘harsha’ or happiness and such human limitations could affect a person of the radiance of Atma Jnaana as he would already have had the vision of the non-dual Self!  He would as well declare that He would be different as He was the all-pervasive Brahman himself!!  Since the person in that state of the periphery of ‘atma jnaana’ has no value of Brahma’s worship, havana karyas, and of ‘dwaita tatwa’; in that state of nonduality, he has no need to worship of a secondary reality as He is Reality already. He has no need to visit Deva Mandiras. There is nothing distinct from Himself to whom he has to greet, praise or worship any further! He would thus enjoin those ‘bhaktas’ and praise or pray to since he is already a liberated Being! To a perfect and mature ‘jnaani’, either his or of another’s is stated as the abode of the Self. This abode comprises of ‘Shat Trimshat Tatwas’ or thirty six Elements. Now, the tatwas are fully equipped with the respective senses too of the physical organism to perceive any external object. Thus the Gyaani realises that one’s body is the temple of the Self. In other words one’s own physical body is the abode of his self-consciousness which is the ‘antaratma’ itself. In other words the bodily temple is akin to an external temple itself! The prayer by way of japa symbolises the thirty six tatwas by way of Atma tatwa or Parama Tatwa and as praana the viral force named Prana Shakti by way of inbreathing and outbreathing and the channel of the spinal cord resulting in ‘naada’ the sound waves expressed as ‘anaahata naada’ arising from ‘chakra madhyama’ and its apex of the circle called ‘Bindu’. In other words when the ‘japa’ of a mantra aimed at a certain form of deity, one’s consciousness moves the vital breath in a swing of up and down movements even without one’s knowledge and the resultant low sound creates ripples of spiritualism of varying degrees. Once Paramatma along with His intrinsic Shaktis is meditated to, along with incessant worship by way of abhisheka, tarpana, archana, homa karyaas and so on the resultant joy is boundless. What type of worship is to be done! The reply is ‘Atma Paraamasha’or self-analysis! Who are the ‘parivaaraas’or the worshipped attendants! These are ‘Chitanya kaarana bhuta shaktis of Chid-Ananda-Icchaa-Jnaana-Kriya-and Vaibhava Swarupis along ‘chakshu-rasana-vaak-ghraana-twak-shrotra indriyas’. Thus the Unity of diversity of inherent Shaktis signifies ‘abheda-ananta-atma devata’ or the Indivisible- Everlasting - Inner Conscience and the ‘naivedya arpanas’ or sacrifices are executed by maamsa-rudhiramajjaadis or one’s own flesh and blood at the samsaara-smashana shareera/ devaalayas or the Temples of Births and Deaths! An enlightened spiritualist who could vision the totality of the Universe as a single entity and could harness his own consciousness into that of a ‘smashana’ or the ultimate resting point of Beings should be able to realise his own body to be the symbol of the skeleton and drinks the essence of the Universe from his own skull with his own hands! This is the seemingly impossible but to a genuine spiritualist considers as an easy austerity as a ‘Vrata’. In other words a true spiritualist needs to be able to see his own dead body as but an example of nothingness and as a non- reality or Maha Maya at the threshold of Pure Consciousness represented by Paramatma; thus an austerity in the form of a ‘vrata’ towards seeking the Ultimate Truth of discovering the Inner Self as the Almighty alone manifests itself in countless forms and species! ‘---Visiting a holy place or Tirtha yatras no doubt results in punya or merit and deaths in unholy huts of chandalas would invariably transfer the Soul to narakas. This indeed the usual belief. But in what way does an already person of proven enlightenment get affected by further visiting punya kshetras? Just as a grain of rice if separated from the husk and bran would not be utilised for sprouting like other grains, the Pure consciousness in the enlightened Beings when separated from their coverings viz. the six ‘kanchukaas’ or coverings or the offspring of Maya Shakti around, then the Pure consciousness is like Supreme Himself.  The individuals are freed from the karmic and other defilements, then there is no reason as to why that seed would not sprout once again. The universe and its diverse objects is called by nescience or deep ignorance. The stages of a Being from the actuality or of awakenness-dream stage-sushupti or non- consciousness- and finally the pragjnatwa or the Self Awakening despite the continuance of the physical body. However, ‘taadaatnya’ or merger is possible only after the mortal body falls off.  In other words, Samsaara begets Agjnana or Ignorance, ‘swaatma jnaana’ or the Self Awakening as a result of the removal of the six kanchukas and three malas of aanava-mayiya-karma phalas, jeevan mrityu stage might be possible when the self feels like the Supreme but ‘tadaatmya’ or final merger of the ‘Prajnatwa’ only after the body falls only. In respect of the generally ignorant persons at the critical time of death the state of destiny  causes a merit or otherwise; this may be so not only for a human being but  in respect of an animal, bird or reptile but to a person of constant purification of the self with the incessant practice of virtue and merit, the minute of departure would be perhaps as chosen; to such a spiritualist already surfeit with the Shiva Tatwa the moment of departure would not be the simple issue of transmigration from one self to another self as per the destiny. The Enlightened Self in him at that time of enlightenment visions the Supreme Self as a mirror image, even with or without the mortal body. Thus, the embodied soul associated with the erstwhile karma and other blemishes, if any, would now not be adding further blemishes barring the past stock. Once the enlightened Self has the blessing of Paramatma to reveal Himself from mountain top as it were, that glimpse was no doubt invaluable from a distance. But the distant view is not visualised as the quintessence as all the tatwas is not; the gradual steps reveal themselves as the mountain’s elevations are crossed and clearer visions are facilitated. After experiencing the pleasures of swarga and higher lokas, the spiritualist, fallen midway on the path of yoga, returns again and again to human births to enable him to further pursue the yogic path in fits and starts. But to the extent of the practice as per the steps earlier crossed in erstwhile births would be intact. Whatever had been gained and enjoyed is a running account of the previous births too. Therefore, whosoever could make all out efforts in as short number of repeated births and deaths as least needed instead prolonging the agonies of ‘adhibhouthika’-adhyaatmika-and adhidaivika- natures i.e. physical shortcomings-psychological barriers- and Natural disasters. This is visualised in one’s own heart as the substance of the all-pervasive Bliss of the Supreme Learning at the feet of Paramatma Himself.