Wednesday, January 14, 2009

FIRST BLUFF-SPIRITUALISM

FIRST BLUFF – SPIRITUALISM
ALL THE BLUFF-CALL THE BLUFF


GLIMPSE OF THE KEY THOUGHT

Knowledge about self in its entirety is a domain of science. The first recorded scientific approach about the knowledge of self as. ‘ATM GYAN’ (आत्म ज्ञान) is available in all the four Vedas-the books of knowledge from India. The authors of these texts are modest enough in their exhortation that ‘a lot’ has been found out but ‘a lot’ still remains to be found out and there is no end to this ‘a lot’ after ‘a lot’. On the other hand the proponents of ADHYATM (अध्यात्म), a word wrongly translated in English as SPIRITUALISM; want us to believe in some imaginary, ethereal, unscientific and an end all concept of self. For this a lot of playing around with words is resorted to. To find out the mechanics, read on and call the bluff.

WHY OF THIS BLUFF?

Spiritualism is bread and butter for many all over the world and a roaring business for a few. It must be having a large following. Rather, in India this is the only commodity which has been exported successfully over and over again. There are many in India who pride themselves in a self given title of VISHWA-GURU (विश्व गुरु) i.e. ‘the teacher of the entire world’ for this reason alone. Is voluminous statistics in favour a criteria good enough to not to call it a bluff? On the contrary, it is good enough a reason to call it ignorance employing bluff as a tool to spread itself as far as possible.

BLUFF VERSUS KNOWLEDGE

Let me now recapitulate the difference between ‘knowledge’ and bluff.

• ‘KNOWLEDGE’ exists within and all around and it is found out either by accident or by deliberate effort It is beyond interpretation. It can only be seen, observed, inferred, experimented upon and is being disseminated by all of us every now and then. All these actions of ours can possibly reflect only part awareness as the knowledge is limitless and there is no end to it.

• On the other hand a BLUFF (भ्रम) is a bluff because of its non-existence. It is bound to be the result of some arbitrary interpretation of knowledge. Whenever and wherever a non-existing thing is made to exist by any kind of manipulation; it is bluff. In VEDAS (वेद), the holy books of knowledge from Indian continent and as per YOG SUTRAS (योग सूत्र), the principles and formulae ascribed to PATANJALI (पतंजलि); if a non-existing concept is made to exist by any intellectual manipulation, it is ignorance. I call it intellectual bluff.

Has the concept of spiritualism been projected as existent knowledge by some intellectual manipulation? Yes, it has been. It doesn’t exist at all as knowledge. It exists as bluff only. In the name of some really existing knowledge and found out with untiring deliberate efforts by the authors of VEDAS (वेद); a concoction of misinterpretations has been made to exist and given the name - ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) i.e. the ‘study of self’ and translated into English as ‘spiritualism’. It all started in India and is now happening all over the globe. How? To find out, read on. Nothing to be scared about as the humanity at large in its evolution process is passing through this bluffing stage as per the knowledge of the same books referred above .I have already hinted this in my introduction titled YOGIC ENLIGHTENMENT-ALL THE BLUFF-CALL THE BLUFF; and will discus it in details after ‘calling the vital bluffs’.

SPIRITUALISM AS UNDERSTOOD IN ENGLISH

In spiritualism’s case, quite strange things have happened. Spiritualism is taken as the English translation of the Sanskrit ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) i.e. ‘the study of self’- the literal meaning of the Sanskrit word. But the ‘study of self’ can never be translated as spiritualism by any imagination. In fact, there is no equivalent of this Sanskrit word in English language. In the English speaking world spiritualism is, therefore, interpreted in more than one way. First is that group of thinkers which is of western origin and has come into contact with Sanskrit ADHYATM (अध्यात्म), YOGA योगा etc they tend to bracket this concept with Christian Mysticism as they understood it or as they were given to understand it and dismiss it as such. In this category also fall those Indian thinkers who have come into contact with Sanskrit word ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) not through Sanskrit but through the window of English language. They too tend to dismiss it as ne-science. Next is the group of native speakers of English who consider spiritualism a kind of concept dealing with the spirits, ghosts etc. For them it is a belief in the possibility of receiving messages from the spirits of the dead or a practice of attempting to do this. Can this be a discovered knowledge? Many questions and doubts abound. Further the church introduced the elements of religion and soul into it and bishops and archbishops became the members of House of Lords as ‘Lords spiritual’. Many cults and sects in Christianity claim enlightenment based on arbitrary stretching and manipulation of spiritualism. All these cults sects and the branches of Christianity have a common strain that each claims to be the correct and only authoritative approach as it alone is the derivative of Voice of God i.e. the Bible. In India also it happened exactly on the similar lines. It is interesting to compare the coinage Lords spiritual with ‘Negro spirituals’ which mean the religious songs as sung by Negroes in the U.S.A. So spiritualism in English language is straightaway ignorance being perpetrated as sophisticated intellectual activity by the tool of bluff. A non-existing concept has been made to exist either by spurious translation or a figment of imagination.

SANSKRIT ADHYATM अध्यात्म

Now we come to the Sanskrit word ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) meaning the ‘study of self ‘. It is a well known fact that the concept and the content of this word were introduced and brought into circulation by some UPANISHADS (उपनिषद); the treatises promoted as the explanations and commentaries on the subject matter of VEDAS (वेद). But the authors of such UPANISHADS (उपनिषद) did not restrict themselves to the role of explanations and commentaries. Instead, they propagated their works as the authoritative interpretations of the VEDAS (वेद). The Sanskrit ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) is thus again a figment of imagination of such interpretations like the English word ‘spiritualism’ with only difference, that too a menacing big one. The English spiritualism remained in the state of confusion while Sanskrit ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) has become confusion worse confounded acquiring the terrific proportions of a cankerous monolith threatening the very psyches of those who happen to come into contact of it and does not permit them to be even aware of its lethal consequences. It is interesting to narrate two anecdotes from such UPANISHADS (उपनिषद) which claim to be the interpretations of Vedic knowledge. These anecdotes in CHHANDOGYA UPANISHAD (छान्दोग्य उपनिषद) (7-1) and MUNDAK UPANISHAD (मुण्डक उपनिषद) (1.1.3.) are a fair guide to form an idea about the concept and subject matter of ADHYATM (अध्यात्म). These two UPANISHADS (उपनिषद) claim that in VEDAS (वेद) there is no mention of such knowledge and ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) is a completely new discovery. In CHHANDOGYA UPNISHAD (उपनिषद) sage NARAD नारद approaches the teacher SANAT KUMAR सनत कुमार and informs him that he has studied all the four VEDAS (वेद) and UPVEDAS उपवेद and that way he has become the master of all the physical sciences but he hasn’t found anything about self. Quote “SOHAM BHAGVO MANTRAVIDEVASMI NATMVIT” (सोऽहं भगवो मन्त्रविदेवास्मि नात्मवित्) Similar is the strain in MUNDAK UPNISHAD (उपनिषद) where sage SHAUNAK (शौनक) approaches the teacher ANGIRAS and requests him to impart the knowledge of ‘self beyond’ (Quote “PARA VIDYA” परा विद्या) as he has mastered the knowledge of all the VEDAS (वेद) and VEDANGS (वेदांग) which have given him the knowledge of physical sciences only i.e. (Quote APRA VIDYA अपरा विद्या) .Isn’t it strange that the learned sages in the above mentioned UPNISHADS (उपनिषद) vouched ignorance about the ‘knowledge of self’ even after mastering all the four VEDAS (वेद) while three of the four subject areas of VEDAS (वेद) deal with the ‘knowledge of self’ only. Was it feigning ignorance? Even stranger things have happened to this Sanskrit word ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) than what has happened to the English word ‘spiritualism’. It claims to interpret ‘self’, therefore, the literal meaning-‘the study of self’. It means that ‘self’ is an existing knowledge that must have been discovered earlier, then only the authors of this ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) can lay claims to interpret it. The strange things are:-

 The authors of this word want the authority of VEDAS (वेद) on one hand to prove the existence of ‘self’ as knowledge but don’t want to accept it on the other hand as already discovered knowledge in VEDAS (वेद). So they twist the purport of ‘self’ as found out by the authors of Vedas and retain the title to create confusion.
 The authors know it fully well that any attempt to interpret will amount to ignorance or bluff as per the knowledge concept of VEDAS (वेद). So they are bent upon labeling their interpretation as their unique discovery of some original knowledge and justify it by quoting VEDAS (वेद) only as authority. The VEDAS (वेद) have advocated untiring and continuous pursuit of knowledge as human goal...
 For this faking of discovery also they want the authority of VEDAS (वेद). In their unfailing obeisance to Vedas lies a very strong, time tested reason which, generally speaking, any practitioner of bluff can ill-afford to neglect. That is acceptability. By this time the ‘divine origin’ and ‘revealed knowledge’ concepts of VEDAS (वेद) must have gained infallible currency. Again outright bluffs- but have to be adhered to for achieving acceptability for their newly imagined and concocted, doctrine of ADHYATM (अध्यात्म).

For achieving acceptability as it ensures wealth and power for a few at the cost of misery, helplessness and cowardice for many; the authors of the so called original concept of this Sanskrit word ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) are constrained not only to concoct this area of Vedic knowledge i.e. ‘knowledge of self’ (ATM – GYAN आत्म ज्ञान) but the remaining three areas also viz ‘knowledge of entire creation’ (BRAHM –GYAN ब्रह्म ज्ञान); ‘knowledge of methodology of finding knowledge’ (YAGYA –VIDHAN यज्ञ विधान) and ‘knowledge of ethical practical application’ (DHARMIK –VIDHAN धार्मिक विधान or VYAVHARIK–NAITIKTA व्यवहारिक नैतिकता ).All this is being done in the name of Vedic knowledge I shall be dealing with these three as and when these bluffs are discussed later under this series. Presently, for how the knowledge of self is twisted, mutilated and concocted by this imaginary ADHYATM (अध्यात्म), with a plethora of pedantic and pedagogic words, we first must know the concept of ‘self’ as discussed in VEDAS (वेद).

ASPECTS OF KNOWLEDGE OF SELF IN VEDAS (ATM GYAN (आत्म ज्ञान)

The ‘self’ i.e. ATM (आत्म) in Sanskrit (“A” pronounced as in father) is a subject of detailed investigation in VEDAS (वेद). The ‘knowledge of self’ is, therefore, alluded to as ATM GYAN (आत्म ज्ञान) repeatedly in the texts. The various aspects of ‘self’ in these texts have been discussed with a clear understanding that the aspects and the findings within the aspects are not the ends in themselves for the knowledge is limitless and there is no end to it. The aspects are:-

 Origin of self - its genesis, concepts of matter, energy and various properties etc.
 Origin of self in the context of entire creation – its relation with the environment; factors affecting its structure; continuous, complete, rhythmic and cyclic process of creation always-no destruction etc.
 Overt structure of self – its physical, physiological, biological, and chemical composition etc.
 Covert structure of self i.e. – its mental, psychological, behavioural and genetic composition like. SANSKAR (संस्कार), SMRITI (स्मृति) and VRITTI (वृत्ति) meaning the impressions, memory and specific intelligence respectively.
 Principles of existence, organization and functioning of self – indestructibility, evolution, cause and effect etc
 Capabilities of self – Understanding of absolute knowledge i.e. ISHWAR (ईश्वर) / BRAHM GYAN (ब्रह्म ज्ञान) made up of unlimited number of limited and specific knowledge i.e. VRITTI (वृत्ति), through an inbuilt apparatus i.e. CHITT (चित्त) / PURUSH (पुरुष) present in the covert structure of self.
 Methodology and principles of developing self i.e. YOG (योग) – avoiding ignorance / bluffing etc.

The above list may not be complete as I am not a qualified VEDIC scholar but it is sufficient to bring home the point that the primary concern of Vedic knowledge is ‘self’ only. Why do the sages in the above mentioned UPNISHADS (उपनिषद) still prefer ignorance of ‘Vedic self’ to the extent of even non-existence of such knowledge in VEDAS (वेद) in front of their teachers? The reason is obvious; willingness to be a party to misinterpretation and that way the myth of ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) came into existence. Yes, Sanskrit ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) is a myth only.

THE MECHANICS OF MISINTERPRETATION

The misinterpretation process, with self assumed authority of VEDAS (वेद) with sole aim to achieve acceptability to convince masses thus starts gaining momentum of terrific proportions. It requires indomitable courage and Herculean effort for any individual to get out of this ‘bluffing stage’ of human evolution which is a possibility for any individual any time if one decides to do so with the help of inbuilt apparatus i.e. CHITTA (चित्त) as mentioned above; or wait for the natural evolution of humanity at large to reach the next stage of non-ignorance and thus enlightenment. This is what the ‘knowledge of self’ ATM GYAN (आत्म ज्ञान) is; in a nutshell, as per the concept of VEDAS (वेद). It has been understood and practiced earlier by many all over the world and is being pursued by many today, and will be the pursuit tomorrow. Many out of these many have done so without ever coming into contact of this Vedic knowledge of self i.e. ATM GYAN (आत्म ज्ञान) which clearly exhorts the possibility for any individual anywhere because of the presence of CHITT (चित्त) in his / her covert physical structure which helps one refuse falling prey to the charms and holds of any ‘ spiritualism’ But in India the hold of ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) was a stranglehold that resulted into dangerous complacency leading to slavery and a sort of disdain towards progress in any field of human activity and still basking in the imaginary self instituted crown of VISHWA GURU - (विश्व गुरु) i.e. the teacher of the entire world. The ill effects of this misinterpretation are so overbearingly painful and damaging at present that to get out of this is the crying need and the solution for which must be found out. For that the mechanics of ‘bluffing’ employed by ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) must be understood first. The following actions are generally visible:-
• JUXTAPOSING KNOWLEDGE OF SELF AND THE STUDY OF SELF
• PLAYING WITH THE EXISTING AND COINING NEW WORDS
• INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT OF SOUL
• SYSTEMATIC TAMPERING WITH THE ASPECTS OF VEDIC ATM GYAN आत्म ज्ञान
• LIMITING THE VEDIC CONCEPT OF INDESTRUCTIBILITY OF KNOWLEDGE
• MUTILATING THE PHILOSOPHIES DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT MATTER OF VEDAS WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA
• PLAYING WITH THE VEDIC CONCEPT OF GOD
• SEAL OF ULTIMATE KNOWLEDGE ON ADHYATM – IMPOSSIBILITY

JUXTAPOSING KNOWLEDGE OF SELF AND THE STUDY OF SELF

The Vedic ‘knowledge of self’ (ATM GYAN आत्म ज्ञान) is projected and propagated as ‘study of self’ (ADHYATM अध्यात्म). Both the words are related to ‘self’; so not much of difference in nomenclature. But this projection gives leverage to sell the innocuous looking argument that without ‘study of self’ (ADHYATM अध्यात्म) the ‘knowledge of self’ (ATM GYAN आत्म ज्ञान) cannot be gained. So in one stroke the authority of Vedas, the holy books of knowledge is obtained on one hand and on the other a sort of license to set the arbitrary syllabus and convenient methods of studying it, is ensured. Such ingenuity would have compelled even Shakespeare to revise his opinion about, “What is there in a name!”

PLAYING WITH THE EXISTING AND COINING NEW WORDS

Since license is so attractive, it becomes an exercise which is free for all. Who doesn’t like to make easy money? Whosoever could, he came out with his self designed methodology and syllabus by smearing himself with holy ash and sandal mark on his forehead in order to exploit the simpleton and religion-scared populace. That way India became the land of illiterate or ill educated people but still flaunting themselves as learned PANDITS. The twisting, mutilation, addition and subtraction, innovation and use of pedantic and pedagogic words becomes rampant All tricks of trade, magical, rhythmical and musical, awesome and fear generating miracles etc. are employed to charm , create and spread the hold on the masses This could not have been done without the concurrence of state.

INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT OF SOUL

In syllabus of ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) the Vedic ATM GYAN (आत्म ज्ञान) i.e. the knowledge of ‘self’ becomes ATMA – GYAN (आत्मा – ज्ञान) i.e. the knowledge of ATMA (आत्मा) meaning the ‘soul’. Similarly, ADHYATM (अध्यात्म), the ‘study of self’ becomes the study of soul. The origin of self becomes the origin of ATMA (आत्मा), the soul.

SYSTEMATIC TAMPERING WITH THE ASPECTS OF VEDIC ATM GYAN आत्म ज्ञान

All the aspects of Vedic ATM GYAN (आत्म ज्ञान) given above are tampered with. The knowledge of origin of man and entire creation is dismissed as inferior knowledge not worth pursuing. The newly manufactured syllabus of ‘ATMA GYAN (आत्मा ज्ञान) (the knowledge of soul) replaces the Vedic concept of human evolution from the stage of ‘ignorance / bluffing to the stage of enlightenment’ by the ‘deliverance of soul’ and recommends it as the only goal of human existence with a seal of finality – the panacea for all sufferings. Who won’t desire it! But for that one has to die and no dead person has ever come to tell about that panacea. So keep on bluffing.

LIMITING THE VEDIC CONCEPT OF INDESTRUCTIBILITY OF KNOWLEDGE

The Vedic concept of ‘indestructibility of knowledge’ which applies equally to both the overt and covert structures of ‘self’ is replaced by the indestructibility of newly emphasized term ATMA (आत्मा) i.e. the soul only. The overt structure of ‘self’ as given above with its various compositions becomes STHUL SHARIR (स्थूल शरीर) i.e. ‘gross body’ which is as per ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) is destructible and, therefore, not worth pursuing being inferior knowledge. The covert structure becomes SUKSHM SHARIR (सूक्ष्म शरीर) i.e. ‘ethereal body’ to be understood as ATMA (आत्मा), the soul which alone is indestructible. For structural composition of this soul a few existing words in Vedas are taken for the exercise of misinterpretation with different connotations and adding a few more words like PUNAR JANM (पुनर्जन्म) meaning reincarnation, SANCHIT KARM (संचित कर्म) i.e. the impressions of ‘to be carried actions by the soul, PRARABDH (प्रारब्ध) i.e. the impressions of the carried actions from the previous birth of the soul etc. thereby completely negating the genetic compositional structure of covert ‘self’ wherein the words like SANSKAR (संस्कार), i.e. impression, SMRITI (स्मृति) i.e. memory, VRITTI (वृत्ति) i.e. specific intelligence and CHITT (चित्त) i.e. master intelligence etc conveyed the sense of inbuilt genes capable of mutation and always remaining present in any of the four forms discussed in PATANJALI YOG SUTRAS (योग सूत्र पतंजलि). Thus the concepts of mutation, ever presence and indestructibility of Vedic ATM GYAN (आत्म ज्ञान) were reduced to never verifiable, fear and awe generating theories of PUNAR JANM (पुनर्जन्म) and KARMIC (कार्मिक) dispensation, eulogizing reward and punishment of SWARG / NARK (स्वर्ग / नर्क) i.e. heaven / hell etc.

MUTILATING THE PHILOSOPHIES DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT MATTER OF VEDAS WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA

To give credence to their concept of ATMA (आत्मा), the presence of this word in Vedic texts in derivative forms of ATM आत्म as per the rules of Sanskrit grammar comes handy. To substantiate the concept of ADHYATM (अध्यात्म), besides tampering with the other three areas of Vedic knowledge as mentioned above, the existing philosophies viz KANAD’S VAISHESIK (कणाद का वैशेषिक), GAUTAM’S NYAYA (गौतम का न्याय), KAPIL’S SANKHYA (कपिल का सांख्य) and PATANJALI’S YOG (पतंजलि योग), dealing with the subject matter of Vedas are also subjected to mutilation and concoction to fit into the newly created concept of ADHYATM (अध्यात्म). The philosophies actively involved in spreading this ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) are GEMINI’S MIMANSA (जैमिनी की मीमांसा) and BADRAYAN VYASA’S VEDANT (बादरायण व्यास का वेदांत). I shall be concentrating on YOG (योग) as it deals with the practical aspects of ‘self’. YOG (योग) has been spiritualized or I may coin the term ‘ADHYATMISED’ (आध्यात्मीकरण) beyond recognition and spiritualized version has come to stay as YOGA (योगा). I shall be using this term everywhere rather mockingly or in a derogatory sense throughout as my aim is to bring out the MIRACLES OF YOG (योग) and not to spread the BLUFFS OF YOGA (योगा). The inbuilt apparatus of self i.e. CHITT / PURUSH (चित्त / पुरुष) as discussed in YOG SUTRAS (योग सूत्र) is stretched to fit into ATMA (आत्मा), the soul concept of ADHYATM (अध्यात्म). As per PATANJALI, this inbuilt apparatus CHITT (चित्त), residing in heart in covert structure of self is present in all the human beings as a solid recognizable gene having the potential of becoming the MASTER GENE as it is capable of understanding the functions of all the innumerable genes present in the human body and make selective, judicious use of them. It also mutates like any other gene and is, therefore, indestructible. Thus it is nowhere near the abstract, unidentifiable and imaginary ATMA (आत्मा) of ADHYATM (अध्यात्म). Hopefully, the science of Genetics is able to identify this vital gene and include it in the genetic signature of an individual tomorrow enabling educationists and social scientists to frame syllabus that develops this particular gene. That’s a good hope for transcending the barriers of ignorance / bluffing. Till date it has happened all over the world either by accident or a deliberate effort by a few who knew. Tomorrow it is going to be an organized effort.

PLAYING WITH THE VEDIC CONCEPT OF GOD

The Vedic concept of God is given the final burial by this ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) and an army of personalized gods, demi-gods, semi-gods, goddesses and incarnations in human, animal, plant or impossible hackneyed forms, is created as replacement. In Vedas, God is discovered as BRAHM (ब्रह्म) meaning ‘KNOWLEDGE’. All the synonyms like OM (ॐ), PRANAV (प्रणव), ISHWAR (ईश्वर), BHAGWAN (भगवान), SHIV (शिव), RUDR (रूद्र), VISHNU (विष्णु), DHI (धी), PRAGYA (प्रज्ञा), SAVITA (सविता), VIVEK (विवेक), PRAKASH (प्रकाश), GAU (गौ), ASHWA (अश्व) etc used for BRAHM (ब्रह्म) in VEDAS also mean knowledge or attributes of knowledge. The word OM (ॐ) has been used over and over again with most of the MANTRAS i.e. Vedic hymns as a repetitive reminder that the ‘KNOWLEDGE’ is within and all around and this fact should never be lost sight off in any human effort. The ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) reduced this word OM (ॐ) to the level of ridiculous and ceremonious utterance only. Like the twisting of ATM GYAN (आत्म ज्ञान) to ATMA GYAN (आत्मा ज्ञान) the Vedic word BRAHM GYAN (ब्रह्म ज्ञान) was twisted to BRAHMA GYAN (ब्रह्मा ज्ञान) meaning the knowledge of some personalized God. All the adjectives used for God are easily applicable to knowledge. The ‘KNOWLEDGE’ is within and without, omnipresent, ever present, source of entire intelligence and power, therefore, omniscient and omnipotent which no person can ever be. A person has to have form and KNOWLEDGE is formless. Still innumerable rituals have been created and colossal amounts of money, time and effort are wasted daily to get blessings i.e. VARDANS (वरदान) and to avoid curses i.e. SHRAPS (श्राप) of these very self created and imaginary gods and goddesses in the name of ‘ADHYATMIK-AASTHA’ (आध्यात्मिक आस्था) i.e. spiritual faith. Who to tell and how to tell these victims of bluff that if at all there is anything like faith, it has got to be conviction only; otherwise it is blind faith. And conviction comes from knowledge (read God) alone which can be acquired by hard work only. There is no short cut to it. Had they spent only a fraction of that money, time and effort on acquisition of KNOWLEDGE; they would have got its blessings galore to liberate them from the clutches of ignorance / bluff. The ‘knowledge’ would have been thus recognized and understood as God, which is the purport of VEDAS.

SEAL OF ULTIMATE – IMPOSSIBILITY

Free license resulted into a variety of ADHYATMS (अध्यात्म), the spiritual dispensations, each claiming itself on the authority of VEDAS (वेद) as final and ultimate in knowledge decrying others as bogus. Besides decrying each other all these varieties have one more bluff in common. All these contradictory theories of ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) claim the sustenance from VEDAS (वेद); so all of them have propagated VEDAS (वेद) as books containing and encompassing entire knowledge that is final, being direct revelation by an imaginary God to an imaginary chosen few. Even the authors of VEDAS (वेद) haven’t made such a preposterous and impossible claim of finality anywhere in these books. On the contrary they have made it amply clear that there is no end to knowledge and it is limitless and to consider what one has accidentally or by deliberate effort found out about knowledge as final is ignorance. Let me add that to spread this ignorance as final is bluff. Whether these pundits of ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) understand it or not but the authors of VEDAS (वेद) knew it fully well that their texts contained such and such number of words and this number was not sufficient enough to explain even one branch of knowledge. The question of entirety does not arise at all. Had ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) been the existent knowledge, all these varieties would have conveyed the same meaning without decrying others as bogus. The only conclusive statement can be, ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) is a myth and misnomer.

COMMONALITY BETWEEN ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) AND SPIRITUALISM

It is evident that the source of sustenance for both as reliable knowledge is in propagation of respective scriptures i.e. Vedas and Bible as revealed and final knowledge by God, former to a group and latter to His son Christ. It is strange that all the adherents of major religions of the world have included the element of Divine revelation in some form or the other as the start line. This can’t be a coincidence. It is bound to have been started by the oldest and followed by the rest as a good instrument for spreading acceptability in the weak and awe-struck human beings; which they are even today. The whole edifice of ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) and spiritualism crumbles like a house of cards if the bluff of Divine Origin is called. It crumbles for the simple reason that a concept based on bluff can be bluff only. It can never be knowledge.

SPIRITUALISM AS MOTHER OF ALL BLUFFS

Spiritualism is the mother of all bluffs for it has given birth to a variety of bluffs which are responsible for bluffs after bluffs. Had spiritualism been propagated as knowledge yet to be known like many physical sciences; it would have been an inquisitive approach. But it was not to be. Rather the fear of unknown of human psyche was exploited to the hilt through bluffing i.e. misinterpretation that has acquired the dimensions of mal-interpretation today. One has to accept spiritualism as either definite, highly evolved ultimate knowledge or be condemned. That way ‘exploitation’ and ‘acceptability’ became the pivotal words of our entire thought process generating systems of which we are as proud of as milestones of civilization and culture. The systems are born out of the subjects like; Religion, Politics, Economics, Administration, Management, Philosophy, Education, Industry Business, Commerce, and Law----the list is unending. All of them are the extensions of the path shown by spiritualism. If spiritualism / ADHYATM (अध्यात्म) can use ‘exploitation’ and ‘acceptability’ for ‘Religion’ successfully, these branches of so called knowledge can also do the same. Most of the branches use ‘acceptability’ for achieving ‘exploitation’ or vice versa. These branches are indulging in it by using gilded and enchanting words like success, motivation, competition etc Even the authority of science is invoked to pass on the bluff as knowledge either by adding the word science to it or by beginning the first chapter as------------ (name of subject) as science and asking students to prove so. In spite of this vast net of bluffs propagated as knowledge, we witness a failure of a system daily and wonder why. We still refuse to accept that knowledge does not hanker after ‘acceptability’ and does not advocate ‘exploitation’. For it is always there and is not waiting for acceptability. One can only try and should reach it as per Vedic dictum; “TAMSO MA JYOTIR GAMAYA” (तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय) i.e. let me go from darkness to enlightenment. For it is there for “SARVA JANA HITAYA SARVA JANA SUKHAYA” (सर्व जन हिताय सर्व जन सुखाय) i.e. for the benefit of all and for the well being of all. The Knowledge is not meant for exploitation while a bluff is.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

i will take some time to comment on it.it requires more than one reading.heavy stuff.............right now i can only say 'GREAT JOB'b

Aditya Rana said...

"Thine own reproach alone do fear"

You should only fear criticizing yourself

What does it mean?

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

In modern language of management it only means:
shun negative thinking.never pity yourself. AND
In Vedas and Yogic language it means:
"KNOWLEDGE is colourless,don't make it positive or negative because of your ignorance/bluff.you are an image of knowledge.realize your potential.
Both mean the same thing,only the approach is different.the first approach will lead to depression-a sure sign of ultimate failure because you are bluffing yourself. second approach will raise you above mundane arbitrary classifications. you will appreciate it better after you have gone through THIRD BLUFF-YOGA