An Explanation of the History and Evolution of Shivaji

 

An Explanation of

The History and Evolution of Shivaji

Summarized from: The Talks of Sadguru Upasani-Baba Maharaj

(Volume II, Part B, pages 542-554)

By Michael Kovitz

 “Shivaji… Who was he, what was he? I will tell you at the proper time; it is a good piece of history connected with the history of the English and that of Shri Ramadasa, along with the history of Aurangajeba, and other Muslim princes… The whole thing is a closely connected network, the tradition of which is going on even now. If I once begin to narrate it, it will be a huge thing, like the Mahabharata.”

 The story goes all the way back to Krita Yuga, the first of the four yugas preceding Treta, Dwapara, and Kali (the last Yuga in the current cycle of time and the Yuga that we are now experiencing). Each Yuga lasts for thousands of years. Avatar Meher Baba (1894 – 1969) is the last major incarnation of God before the next cycle and Yuga begins. He has told us that he will come again in seven hundred years when the Age of Kali is past. He said that the next Age would be a Golden Age (Krita Yuga).

 Meher Baba has also revealed that the Avatar sometimes takes minor incarnations in which he works in a more limited way and is not generally recognized as God Incarnate (perhaps even by himself?) except by the five Perfect Masters who are on the Earth at the time. Meher Baba said that Shivaji was a minor incarnation of the Avatar and so I have extended the diagram to trace, in part, the history of Meher Baba from Shivaji through Upasani Maharaj and Sai Baba who was the Qutub E Irshad. (The functioning head of the Spiritual Hierarchy when the Avatar is not on Earth in a physical form).

 Both the story and the diagram are incomplete. Hazarat Babajan played an important role in the Advent of Meher Baba and is therefore included in the diagram but as can be seen, her story before Rabia of Basra is unknown to me and therefore remains unconnected to the rest of the diagram. Also, the other two Perfect Masters connected to Meher Baba; Narayan Maharaj and Tajuddin Baba, are not included at all. Perhaps one day the world will be ready to be told the complete story. Until then, we have treasured glimpses into the truth about Reality and Illusion that have been revealed by the Avatar and the Perfect Masters. At the end of the explanation are some additional stories by Upasani that offer a deeper insight into the much beloved tales of Ram and Sita.

 Upasani begins the story with Shankara who lived many thousands of years ago in Krita Yuga. Shankara was in the state of Shiva (God- Consciousness). Upasani said, “Shankara had been reciting Rama-Nama from time immemorial,” (even before Krita Yuga) and tells us that the Ramayana was composed prior to the incarnation of Rama.

 The diagram shows this connection between Shankara and Ram and goes on to show the relationship of Ram to Sita (His divine consort), and Maruti (Hannaman), the perfect servant of Ram, and King of 18 million, million, monkeys. Upasani tells the story this way…

“During the incarnation of Rama (in Treta Yuga), His spouse, Sita, had given a boon to all the monkeys that in Kali Yuga they would have an empire of their own on this earth… and that is why I say that these English are not ordinary people. The Ramadutas had made their atmas Ramarupa by service and had accumulated plenty of punya therefrom. [1] It is that Rama, who had become one with all the Ramadutas, and who had become Ramadasa in the traditional way and who is now ruling in the form of the English over the kingdom of Shivaji; in other words, He is ruling over His own kingdom…” [2]

 “The English are connected to Shivaji; it could be said that Shivaji is ruling through them … but Shivaji dedicated his kingdom and all to Shri Ramadasa… and so the action of reigning over a kingdom, along with his state of Satpurusha, fell to the lot of Ramadasa.”

 The mechanics of this process are quite interesting and have to do in part with what Upasani calls the transfer of atmas.[3] In another discourse in which he was speaking about the pride of religious affiliation of Hindus and Muslims, he said that at some point he was surprised to see that his atma and Sai Baba’s had been exchanged and that he was now in Shirdi in Sai Baba’s body receiving the devotions of Muslim devotees while Sai Baba, a Muslim, was now in Sakori in his body receiving the devotions of Hindu devotees. He went on to say that this may seem strange to the average person who only sees the surface of things but, in fact, these physical bodies of ours are only vehicles for the evolution and involution of consciousness and have nothing at all to do with whom or what we really are.

Returning to our story, Upasani states: “The action of reigning over a kingdom along with his state of Satpurusha (spiritual perfection) fell to the lot of Ramadasa, but Ramadasa transferred his atma into the physique of Shivaji and made him rule. In other words, through the form of Shivaji, it was Ramadasa who was ruling while on the other side; Ramadasa stored the atma of Shivaji in his heart… After the physical death of Shivaji, the work of ruling then had to be entrusted to somebody and since the English are all servants of Rama (the incarnation of the 18 million, million, monkeys,) the kingdom dedicated by Shivaji thus came to the Ramadatus, the English, in the traditional way.”

Upasani continues to explain that since Shivaji, a Muslim, was now within Ramadas, the gift of his perfection was bestowed upon Sai Baba, but also because Ramadasa was a Hindu, the state of his perfection also was bestowed upon Upasani Maharaj.[4] 

                     

                                                   The Story of the Mischievous Monkey

 

“Ravana kept Sita in confinement in Ashoka Forest. Trajita, his sister, was placed in charge of her confinement and protection. Trijata was devoted to Rama and naturally looked after Sita almost like a servant. Eventually Sita accepted Trijata as a friend. Through this friendship Trijata’s love for Rama grew and with it the desire to be loved in return by Rama.

After Sita’s liberation Trijata withdrew to a cave and began hard penance.

Years rolled by. Then one day, all the monkeys came to pay Sita a visit. She was naturally overjoyed to see her liberators and wished to reward them. She requested all of them to ask for a boon from her. The monkeys considered the question and arriving at their decision said, ‘we are all foresters and as such have only subsisted on fruit, leaves, and roots. We have no idea of human food. We desire to have this food once, cooked by yourself.’

Just as this request was being made, Rama arrived and was apprised of the whole situation. He quietly asked Sita not give to grant this boon because it would actually deprive the monkeys of their celibacy (purity) and cause them great suffering. Both He and Sita explained the situation and told the monkeys to ask for something else but they remained insistent.

Rama considered the situation and then told the monkeys that the boon could be granted if a condition was met. He told them that while Sita cooked for them they were to go to a certain nearby lake and take a bath. After the meal they were to immediately and without fail, return to the lake and take another bath. Sita then added, ‘you fellows could not ask for a proper boon and I do not feel satisfied with it. Hence on my own now, I give you another boon. You know that Rama rules over the entire earth and that you all belong to Him. In order to have a taste of His rule and the happiness thereof you will all appear on earth as human beings in Kali Yuga and have an empire of your own for sometime.’

The monkeys agreed to the conditions of the first boon and a day was settled for the feast. On that day the monkeys took their bath and arrived for their food. As they were about to leave, Rama reminded them of their agreement to return to the lake and bathe again warning them that if anyone should fail to bathe he would be punished. The monkeys left for lake to fulfill their promise but one mischievous monkey did not bathe. He somehow escaped notice. After all, their total number was 18 million, million! But ultimately the disobedience was found out and orders were given to produce the defaulter.

The mischievous monkey ran away and the chase began. Finding a cave, the monkey ran inside and found Trajita sitting deep in penance. She asked him who he was and when he answered a Ramaduta she questioned him as to why he had run into the cave. On this he told her all that had happened, and said that he was frightened and so entered the cave for escape and shelter. The monkey requested Trajita’s help and she at once took pity on him and said, ‘I am ready to give you protection; but you have to convince me that you are a real Ramaduta.’ When he agreed, she said further, ‘I am undergoing all this penance with the one and only motive of having Rama as my husband. Now if you are a real Ramaduta, you can arrange a meeting between Rama and myself. Sita loves me intensely, and she will agree to whatever I say, and through her I can try to get your punishment cancelled. But you have to arrange the conference. If you cannot do it, it would only mean that you are not a real Ramadata, and then I will give you no protection; I will turn you out from here.’

The monkey agreed and began to perform a certain practice. Though he was mischievous, he was a staunch devotee of Rama and his heart had become Ramarupa. As the practice reached its full measure, the form of Rama appeared within his heart and grew to such a size that the monkey himself, transformed into the appearance of Rama. Through this Rama, Trajita’s desire was satisfied and it is the progeny of Trajita conceived out of this Rama that is now recognized as Europeans on this earth.”

 

                                          The Story Continues…

 

“Once upon a time, Rama and Lakshmana were walking along the sea-shore beside a great forest on the day that commemoration of their forefathers had to be celebrated. Rama became very anxious because there were no Brahmanas around to perform the relevant rituals.[5] Just then, the corpses of two Europeans were washed ashore by the waves. Rama, knowing that the Europeans were the progeny of Trajita and Himself, told Lakshmana that he would have to turn the two corpses into Brahmanas and get the rituals performed through them. Rama charged the two corpses with life and empowered them with Brahma-shakti. Rising as if from sleep, they immediately began reciting the Vedic scriptures and performed the necessary rituals.

Rama donated some land to them along the seashore. The Chit-pavana Brahmanas are the progeny of those two Brahmanas.[6] The present Kokanastha Brahmanas are all Chit-pavan. Being originated from the Europeans, the Chit-pavanas are connected with politics. Peshavas were Kokanstha, and it is from their progeny that the present English took over the reigns of the Empire.

Trajita was a Brahman and loved the Kshastriya Rama.[7] The duty of the Kshastriyas is to rule. Being a Brahmana and being intensely devoted to Rama, Trijita should have attained the real state of Rama i.e. God- Realization, but she was devoted the ruler Rama and hence her progeny, though Brahmana by class, came forth as the rulers of the earth. Trajita gained the state of Rama but the punya she accumulated from serving Sita forced her Jiva to have a body to expend and enjoy that punja, and she took an incarnation as Queen Victoria. Since the state of Sita was ever existent in her heart, the kingdom of Queen Victoria was virtually the kingdom of Sita. After the birth of her progeny, her husband, like the Ramadatu that satisfied the original desire of Trajita, passed on to enjoy the state of Sat. All this explains the origin of Queen Victoria and her love for India.”

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

    

     

    

 

 

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1. Ramaduta is the collective name for Maruti and the 18 million, million, monkeys.

 Atma means soul and rupa means full or saturated. Ramarupa means saturated with the Avataric impression of Rama.

Punya is the worldly gifts or blessings that are the accumulated as a by-product of spiritual practices and carried over from one lifetime to be exhausted in the next. Punya bestows wealth, poise, beauty, and ease of attainment.

 

2. As Upasani earlier states: “Shivaji ruled and eventually got tired of it…  because of the natural feeling of detachment… (which was) the fruit of the seed of detachment that was sown by him in his previous life”

When that seed ripened, he renounced his kingdom and dedicated it to Ramadasa.

 

 

[3] Upasani uses the term jivatma and defines it as “that pure, celestial, soul, identified with the projections of the mind.” Hence, atma=soul and jiva = the mind and its creation i.e., projection.

[4] It is important to recognize the fact that Sai Baba made Upasani Maharaj perfect. So it could be said that Ramadasa bestowed perfection to Upasani through Sai Baba.

[5] Brahmans are priest class and the highest cast in the Indian cast system.

[6] The word Chit means Chit-Shakti or Dnyana Shakti, which means the power of all knowledge.

[7] Kshastriya is the name of the ruling class in the Indian cast system.

The Ilness or the Cure?

The Avatar and the Perfect Masters are always reminding us that what appears to us as the most real is, in Truth, most unreal, while that which appears to us as the most unreal is, in Truth, most Real. Is it then any wonder that the cure can sometimes be mistaken for the illness?

 

Upasani Maharaj speaks about three different, but related, states—Rita, Mrita, and Amrita.

 

“Mrita means untrue, poison, destructible, zero, void, etc. while Rita means indestructible, truth, place of Infinite Bliss, etc.” – The Talks of Sadguru Upasani-Baba Maharaj; Volume III; page 85.

 

I think that most would agree that the latter seems preferable to the former, so then how is Rita obtained? Upasani tells us that the Rita is obtained by experiencing the ‘m’ that precedes the Rita. He says, “We have to experience ‘m’ i.e. destruction—death, i.e. the state of pain first in order to attain the state of Rita. Destruction, in the form of pain, is essential; it forms the means to attain the Rita—the Infinite Bliss.” – Ibid.

 

No doubt he is speaking about the state of creation—the state in which all that is created is ultimately destroyed—the state of duality in which every stick has two ends—the state in which we find ourselves. Looked at objectively, who would want to go on existing in this state? Who would wish to go on and on searching for little tastes of pleasure in a sea of disappointment? But as G.I. Gurdjieff once said, “The most difficult thing to get a man to give up is his own suffering.”

 

Still, is it any wonder that the world these days, so drowned in Mrita, would find these statements so suspect—would continue to hold out hope that the pursuit of Mrita is the road to personal salvation—to lasting happiness—and would continue to misconstrue the illness for the cure and the cure for the illness while even questioning the motives of the one who makes such statements?

 

So let us consider the source. Upasani Maharaj was considered a Perfect Master—God Realized—Truth Realized—the living embodiment of Infinite Knowledge. If he was who he was claimed to be, he would have had everything, he would have needed nothing, and knowing everything he would have gain absolutely nothing by making any statements, either false or true.

 

Meher Baba tells that the Reality of every soul in the Oversoul—the Reality of every drop of the Divine Ocean is the Divine Ocean every—is its absolute Oneness with that Ocean—Paramatma—God—and that the soul’s road to that Realization runs through creation—runs through Amrita.

 

A Perfect Master is a drop of the Ocean who has achieved consciousness of the Ocean—experiences that He is that Ocean—no distinction exists between Himself and that Ocean. He has achieved that Goal—that consciousness—while still retaining consciousness of creation and all souls in the state of the creation. A Perfect Master is the embodiment of Infinite Knowledge, Infinite Power, and Infinite Bliss. Who else is better able to help others achieve that same state?

 

But there are many, perhaps most, who would question these assertions and be most skeptical of any and all who claim to have achieved the state of Perfection. And who can blame them when their personal experience is that so many people are only out for themselves—always looking to play any angle—always lying—people who cannot be believed or taken at their word? Indeed, I know that there is nothing that I could say to you to convince you of the Reality of a Perfect Master and in this case Upasani Maharaj.

 

“Until you experience it, it is not true.” – Kabir

 

But “When his time has come, the prey finds the hunter.” – Old Persian saying

 

“Leave all and follow me.” – attribute to Lord Jesus Christ

 

Of course, “A good plan is a plan that works,” which leaves us with the question, “How?”

 

“Destruction in the form of pain is essential; it forms the means to attain the Rita—the Infinite Bliss. And that is exactly what the mother earth is providing us with. To experience the state of pain through all these objects is one aspect of things that is presented to you by the earth; it is your duty now to leave all these objects—to get beyond all that painful state. Having experienced the objects, you have to leave them; and once you get beyond them what remains is Rita.” – Ibid.

 

But, “A good plan is a plan that works,” and for someone with normal creation consciousness to leave all the objects does not seem very practical or even possible; it is like being thrown into the water and told not to get wet. Yet that is what the Masters are always heard to tell us, and though it does not always appear so, the Masters are very practical…

 

So how, having associated with the creation and all its forms and objects for untold ages, and having experienced all its illusory experiences as real, can we go beyond them—transcend them—in order to experience that Rita—that Infinite Bliss—without having first tasted that Bliss?

 

The irony is that the answer does not lie in rejecting, avoiding, and criticizing the creation, but instead, in embracing, appreciating, enjoying, and respecting the dream of creation as the very means of freeing oneself from it and attaining that Infinite Bliss.

 

An old Persian saying states; “Every stick has two ends.”  Applied to this discussion, it means that the realm of creation is the realm of duality and that if one grasps the stick, one cannot experience one end of the stick without experiencing the other. At some point do we learn to not grasp the stick? The Masters say yes, but it can take a long time.

 

“Whatever I have said boils down to one thing, and that is, that one has to get beyond—one has to deny oneself the enjoyment emanating from all the objects in and of the world. Once you know the secret of the opposite aspects presented by any object, you automatically remain alert about their influence. All Satpurushas know this, and they never get influenced by any object of enjoyment; they are always alert about them. If you remain unattached to these objects, you attain Infinite Bliss.” – Ibid. page 86

 

When I younger, I had a girlfriend. She was beautiful in every way and a delight to be with. Just being with her always made me happy—well almost always made me happy. The problem was that if I ever asked her for anything, she would never give it to me. I later came to realize that she was a perfect metaphor for life. Life is, in fact, beautiful and delightful in every way—until one begins to ask of it. The more one asks of life, the more disappointed one becomes. So, is it possible to learn to appreciate life for what it is without asking it for more?

 

“There is another thing that leads one to Infinite Bliss and that is the principle of ‘Ahimsa Paramo Dharma,’ meaning, not to kill; not to trouble; not to disturb another; is the highest religion. Whatever is separate or different from one’s body is another. No ‘another’ should ever be troubled in any way. Now, somebody may ask, ‘Should we not eat then?’ Of course you should, but you should only use that much as would keep up the body, that is all, and not more.” –Ibid Page 87

 

How far can a dog run into the woods? Halfway, and then its running out of the woods. I think that is what Upasani Maharaj is telling us; In life, find out what is enough, don’t ask for more, and you will not only be happy, but you will come to attain that Infinite Bliss. Seems simple and, in fact, the Masters’ teachings are always simple. One does not need to be a college professor or a nuclear scientist to attain Infinite consciousness. Ultimately, it is more about the heart than it is about the head—more about love than it is about learning—and it is definitely not about self-flagellation in any sense—physical, mental, or emotional. Was not Meher Baba always reminding us that He wanted us to not worry and to be happy?

 

In fact, all of life, from the simplest forms to most evolved are on a quest for happiness. In the lowest forms this quest is mechanical—as revealed in the phenomena of gravity and magnetism. In higher forms the quest is instinctive while in the highest evolutionary form, the human form, it becomes more and more conscious—as expressed in the processes of thinking and feeling. The quest for happiness ultimately leads to the attainment of Eternal Bliss, but it is a long and winding road that leads human consciousness from the state of self-involvement, to self-forgetfulness, and ultimately to Self-remembering.

 

The state of self-involvement is called the Jiva state. The state of Perfection—the state of Self-remembering—is called the Shiva state. We begin with the Shiva state, but without consciousness of it. To gain consciousness of the Shiva state we necessarily need to experience and then transcend the Jiva state.

 

“There is nothing like Jiva uniting with Shiva because they are not two different things. Jiva and Shiva are one and the same, but because the Shiva got entangled in the objects of enjoyment, it lost its Shiva state and attained the Jiva state.” – Ibid.

 

But Upasani Maharaj is quick to point out that there is no fault, and consequently no shame, in experiencing and enjoying the state of creation and all its objects. The problem comes in when this enjoyment leads to entanglement and attachment to creation and all its objects.

 

“It is the nature of things that the Shiva should become Jiva to enjoy all these objects. But as the Jiva begins to get entangled in them it begins to lose it Shiva state. However, if we manage to not get entangled in the objects—to enjoy them without destroying them—then we, and all those objects in contact with us, automatically attain our original Shiva state.” – Ibid. p.88

 

“—then we, and all those objects in contact with us, automatically attain our original Shiva state.”

 

At this juncture somebody offered some sweets and grapes which Baba asked to be distributed to the gathering, during which time Upasani Maharaj went on to suggest the importance of association with one who has achieved the Shiva state.

 

“Having reached the Shiva state, whatever things are used or utilized by me pass into the Shiva state, because due to me their Jiva gets destroyed. It is hence incumbent on those who have attained that state to use all sorts of objects in order to liberate and reinstate them in their original Shiva state.”

 

He explains that once an individualized soul achieves the Shiva state there is no risk that association with any form or object can cause them to revert to their former Jiva state saying; “Can a piece of wood burnt in the fire become a piece of wood again?”

 

“There is another thing that leads one to Infinite Bliss and that is the principle of ‘Ahimsa Paramo Dharma,’ meaning, not to kill; not to trouble; not to disturb another; is the highest religion. Whatever is separate or different from one’s body is another. No ‘another’ should ever be troubled in any way. Now, somebody may ask, ‘Should we not eat then?’ Of course you should, but you should only use that much as would keep up the body, that is all, and not more.” – Ibid.

 

How far can a dog run into the woods? Halfway, and then its running out of the woods. I think that is what Upasani Maharaj is telling us; In life, find out what is enough, don’t ask for more, and you will not only be happy, but you will come to attain that Infinite Bliss. Seems simple and, in fact, the Masters’ teachings are always simple. One does not need to be a college professor or a nuclear scientist to attain Infinite consciousness. Ultimately, it is more about the heart than it is about the head—more about love than it is about learning—and it is definitely not about self-flagellation in any sense—physical, mental, or emotional. Was not Meher Baba always reminding us that He wanted us to not worry and to be happy?

 

In fact, all of life, from the simplest forms to most evolved are on a quest for happiness. In the lowest forms this quest is mechanical—as revealed in the phenomena of gravity and magnetism. In higher forms the quest is instinctive while in the highest evolutionary form, the human form, it becomes more and more conscious—as expressed in the processes of thinking and feeling. The quest for happiness ultimately leads to the attainment of Eternal Bliss, but it is a long and winding road that leads human consciousness from the state of self-involvement, to self-forgetfulness, and ultimately to Self-remembering.

 

The state of self-involvement is called the Jiva state. The state of Perfection—the state of Self-remembering—is called the Shiva state. We begin with the Shiva state, but without consciousness of it. To gain consciousness of the Shiva state we necessarily need to experience and then transcend the Jiva state.

 

“There is nothing like Jiva uniting with Shiva because they are not two different things. Jiva and Shiva are one and the same, but because the Shiva got entangled in the objects of enjoyment, it lost its Shiva state and attained the Jiva state.” – Ibid.

 

But Upasani Maharaj is quick to point out that there is no fault, and consequently no shame, in experiencing and enjoying the state of creation and all its objects. The problem comes in when this enjoyment leads to entanglement and attachment to creation and all its objects.

 

“It is the nature of things that the Shiva should become Jiva to enjoy all these objects. But as the Jiva begins to get entangled in them it begins to lose it Shiva state. However, if we manage to not get entangled in the objects—to enjoy them without destroying them—then we, and all those objects in contact with us, automatically attain our original Shiva state.” – Ibid.

 

“—then we, and all those objects in contact with us, automatically attain our original Shiva state.”

 

At this juncture somebody offered some sweets and grapes which Baba asked to be distributed to the gathering, during which time Upasani Maharaj went on to suggest the importance of association with one who has achieved the Shiva state.

 

“Having reached the Shiva state, whatever things are used or utilized by me pass into the Shiva state, because due to me their Jiva gets destroyed. It is hence incumbent on those who have attained that state to use all sorts of objects in order to liberate and reinstate them in their original Shiva state.”

 

He explains that once an individualized soul achieves the Shiva state there is no risk that association with any form or object can cause them to revert to their former Jiva state saying; “Can a piece of wood burnt in the fire become a piece of wood again?”

 

In the beginning is Infinite Bliss, but without consciousness; then there is consciousness, but not with Infinite Bliss; then there is Infinite Bliss with consciousness.

 

“That which causes immortality is called Amrita. The word Amrita is opposed to the word Mrita—death. What does the word Mrita mean? It means ‘m’ plus Rita; ‘m’ means untrue, poison, destructible, zero, void, etc., while Rita means indestructible, truth, place of Infinite Bliss, etc. Rita becomes obtainable through the ‘m’; hence ‘m’ precedes Rita. We have to experience ‘m’, i.e., destruction—death, i.e., the state of pain first for attaining the state of Rita. Destruction in the form of pain is essential; it forms the means to attain the Rita—the Infinite Bliss. And that is exactly what the mother earth is providing us with.” – Ibid.

 

So, what is the illness and what is the cure? The original Rita state lacked consciousness; therefore, Rita could not experience its own Infinite Bliss. The purpose of the Mrita state is to gain that consciousness and its principle characteristic is duality. In the Mrita state every stick has two ends and an unlimited number of sticks compose the Mrita state. One end of every stick brings some form of temporary pleasure, while the other end of every stick brings some form of temporary pain. Upasani Maharaj is telling us that we must drop the whole stick and not continue to try to hold on or pursue the end which is pleasure.

 

But the habit of picking up sticks has been going on through hundreds of thousands of pre-human forms and hundreds of thousands of lifetimes in the human form. We pursue pleasure because we mistake it for happiness which is the expression—the shadow—of Bliss. But this pursuit and the Mrita state will end and the Masters are always suggesting ways to facilitate and expedite this end and the way of greatest potency is association with a Master who is himself the bearer of the Amrita state—the state of eternal Bliss.

 

“If you have decided that I have attained the Amrita state, then whatever is offered to me—whether I use it or not—all that is bound to pass into the Amrita state and to make you slowly progress towards that state.” – Ibid, page 89.

 

So, what can be offered? All objects of enjoyment; all objects of attachment. And what is the object dearest to gross conscious souls? The body. But beyond the body is the subtle body and beyond the subtle body is the mind. How can these body be given away? The answer is that they cannot be given away, but they can be offered and then taken away.

 

Does not this taking away comprise the cure—the cure for the Mrita state? And so, what really is the illness and what really is the cure? I guess it depends on one’s perspective.

 

                                                                                                     © copyright Michael Kovitz 07/20/2020