Every being is a threefold entity - viz., body, mind, consciousness. Consciousness alone is theme and building block of life. It is the tendency of beings to identify themselves with body and mind, leaving consciousness for all practical purposes. Yoga is considered as a set of physical exercises, some praanaayaama; may be some meditation by many, including so called gurus. It is true, but there are much higher dimensions than those for proper evolution. Only qualified gurus can confer them and they are difficult to get for they are beyond the scope of worldly order.
All the beings have been created at the time of creation, with consciousness, mind and body complex with male and female principles. Body and mind is the female principle (Prakrithi) and consciousness is male principle (Purusha). Mind, when decisive is intellect (Buddhi) and when claiming ownership is ego (Ahankaara). The female principle consists of 5 elements (earth, water, fire, air and space) and mind, intellect and ego. Without the combination of male (purusha) and female (prakrithi) principles, there is nothing in the universe.
Life is continuous with consciousness as the continuing component. Consciousness is limited to individual for each being. It is actually a reflection of Universal Consciousness. Each being has to undergo its cycle of life with the body and mind to enjoy the results of its actions and fulfill the equations of life with other beings.
After completing the process, the consciousness leaves the body along with mind, to take another body to fulfill new sets of enjoyments and equations with other beings. It continues endlessly, until it realizes it's true self, losing the limitations. It is a process of evolution of beings like in ‘ladders and serpents game’. At the highest stage of evolution (as human being), if the being fails to realize the truth, it falls back to lower levels and again tries to evolve.
There is higher female principle -[ Moola Prakrithi] under the presiding male principle (Purushotthama or Aatma), creating the worlds and beings. There are higher and lower worlds for the beings either the divines, demons, mortals or other forms of beings. All beings are controlled by Prakrithi by three qualities viz., Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. All the qualities coexist in beings, but one of them will be dominant. Accordingly, the quality of beings varies. The worlds also are continuous, being present in various power centers in beings – Moolaadhaara (earth/Bhuuh), Swadhisthaana (water/Bhuvaha), Manipura (fire/Suvaha), Anaahatha (air/Mahaha), Vishuddhi (space/Janaha), Aajna (mind/Tapaha) and Sahasraara (divinity/Satya). The primal energy (kundalini) sleeps in moolaadhaara. The yogic practices enable it to raise itself upwards. It may happen in one birth or several births. Prakrithi only acts. Beings are deluded by nature (ego) and compelled to think that they are acting/ doing. With realization, the truth dawns. The food one eats, the attitudes and habits, the company of other beings, decide the life of the being, which in turn is controlled by nature (Prakruthi). The attainment is not conferred by anybody. It should be hard earned.
Among thousands of individuals, someone tries to know the TRUTH. Among them, some one may know IT. Such a person is difficult to be found, since he/she is simple in all outwardly appearances, silent or least spoken, not expecting anything or favour from anybody/ self contented, thoroughly established in self.
One should try to study the scriptures and know the suggested actions there in. Accordingly, one has to lead life. Self study and practice only lead to proper evolution. Anyone doing otherwise, without the knowledge of procedures described in scriptures, does not get the benefits of the actions or higher status of consciousness.
One may wonder about getting the scriptures and knowing the content in them, apart from lack of knowledge of sanskrit. Be rest assured, that Bhagavadgeetha is the essence of all Upanishads, yoga sashtra and Bramha vidya as indicated at the end of all 18 chapters in it. Try to get it with translation from Shankaraachaarya or some such standard authority akin to them.
Total surrender to the lord and offering the results of all actions to him is a simple step one can take for proper evolution. The rest is assured by him in Geetha.
Rshi is one who has realized truth. Aarsha has come from Rshi - pertaining to the Rshis. Ours is Aarsha Dharma - i.e., tradition of Rshis. Shri Ramana Maharshi is truly the latest Maharshi. He says that there is nothing but Aatma. All is that. All comes from IT and merges in to IT. Upanishads try to bring out this fact only. .Refer Einstein's energy-mass equivalence [E = Mc square]. Mass is energy and energy is mass, which is proved by atomic (uranium/fission) and hydrogen (thermo nuclear/fusion) bombs. Aatma is existence - consciousness - bliss - Being. Maanduukya Upanishad deals with the three states of consciousness - viz., awake, sleep and deep sleep (Jaagrat, swapna, sushupthi). Basically, the being is pure consciousness. Bodies come and go, but consciousness remains as core. What happens in meditation is consciousness comes out of its limitations - the body - mind, which can be experienced by yogis. Lesser mortals, even if experience, do not know IT, because IT is the knower and seer. IT reveals by ITSELF.
Shri Ramana Maharshi suggests enquiry in to the self as a simple method of realization suited for all. Everybody gets thoughts, even in sleep or meditation. Enquire who is getting the thought, when thoughts occur. Pat comes the reply "i". Enquire who am "i". Observe from where the "i" is coming. It is ego, which will ultimately merge in the true I.
There is fear that when the individual identity is gone one may become mad or idiotic. Shri Ramana assures that one will discover his true self and compares it with the existence of moon in the presence of sun. In the light of the true self, one's actions will be pure and for the well being of all, as proved by Maharshi himself.
