PRAKRTI TATTVA AND ONM'KA'RA TATTVA official source: Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 1 cross-references: also published in Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 1 this version: is the printed Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a Nutshell Part 1, 1st edition, version (spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. Pra karoti iti Prakrti, that is Prakrti means the force creating objects. It is on account of Prakrti alone that the existence of humans and animals, of plants and matter is appreciated within the eternal, infinite and perfect Brahma. In other words, the Cosmic Force responsible for the creation of this world abounding in varieties and kinds is called Prakrti. Purus'a is only consciousness and in absence of the creative force, it has no manifestation. The presence of this cosmic force or Prakrti is indispensable everywhere within the bounds of the creation, i.e., for creation, sustenance and destruction. The word Prakrti is not equivalent to the word nature of the English language. As a matter of fact, nature is the property or Dharma of Prakrti. Whatever Prakrti does is commonly known as nature. Purus'a is only Consciousness, Purus'a is the all-knowing entity and the entity that witnesses whatever Prakrti does. Prakrti is unmanifested where Consciousness or Purus'a is dominant - the creative force in that state remains suspended within the scope of Consciousness. Prakrti comprises a set of three attributes. It is significant that she has not been termed an aggregate of the three attributes, since Prakrti is the term meant to connote all the three attributes together or a state combining them all. These three attributes are termed Sattva or sentient, Rajah or mutative, and Tamah or static according to the manifestations. Now, the question arises as to what does the word 'attribute' signify? Does attribute or gun'a connote the word 'quality?' No, it does not. The plain philosophic meaning of 'gun'a' is a binding string - a string used to bind some objects. Here, 'gun'a' connotes the Cosmic Force whereby the Universal Consciousness is bound to various shapes or ideas. In English the word 'tendency' may also be used to express the spirit of 'gun'a'. Where Prakrti is dormant there is no knowledge of the 'I' feeling as the object of Consciousness, neither is there any mental vibration. Wherever the consciousness is influenced or bound by Prakrti's sattvagun'a, the sense of 'I' feeling, or 'I am', is created. By the property or dharma of sattvagun'a the universal Cosmic Consciousness becomes circumscribed or shaped into the knowledge of existence of the 'I' feeling. When the Consciousness becomes bound by name and form, philosophically referred to as Mahattattva, it naturally appears to be different from its original standard. Ordinarily, none of the gun'as of the active Prakrti occurs singly. Wherever sattvagun'a occurs the possibility of the occurrence of rajah and tamah cannot be excluded. This is further clarified hereafter. The ultimate resultant stage or the static state is the characteristic of tamahgun'a. The performance of an act must precede its result. This performance of an act or activity is the property of rajahgun'a. Hence, rajahgun'a must inevitably exist wherever there is tamahgun'a. For the performance of the act the sense of 'I' feeling, feeling of existence, must exist, otherwise who will perform the act in the absence of the 'I'? Previously I said that the characteristic of sattvagun'a is to impart the knowledge of existence. Similarly, wherever rajahgun'a exists, sattvagun'a must be there. Wherever sattvagun'a exists, the possibility of co-existence of rajahgun'a or tamahgun'a is there whether they manifest themselves or not. Furthermore, wherever tamahgun'a exists, sattvagun'a and rajahgun'a must also invariably co-exist. Wherever there is rajahgun'a, sattvagun'a must also be there. The characteristics of sattvagun'a are knowledge of existence, and imparting happiness and a sense of relief. Rajahgun'a is characterised by action designed to keep the 'I' busy with some act, and the characteristic of tamahgun'a is to get the result or to enjoy the resultant shape. It is important to note that sattvagun'a does not denote inactivity since inactivity is the result of tamagun'a. Inactivity means the tranquility of death, not the sobriety of knowledge. In every matter of the world, there is an incessant struggle going on between rajahgun'a and tamahgun'a. So long as rajahgun'a prevails, there is the graceful lustre of sattvagun'a. Look at a bud. So long as it is blossoming, you will find that it is gradually blooming and the victory of rajahgun'a in the struggle with tamahgun'a is manifested in the graceful lustre of sattvagun'a. But when the force of rajahgun'a is spent, then the force of tamahgun'a transforms it into a state of crudeness, that is to say, it dies. In transformation from a sprout to a blade and from a blade to a leaf and then to autumn defoliation, from infancy into youth and from youth declining to old age the struggle between rajahgun'a and tamahgun'a is uniquely manifested. This is the struggle of the creator and the destroyer, of Hari and Hara. The mind is formed due to the influence of Prakrti over Purus'a. The characteristic of the mind is to think. When the mind goes from subtleness to crudeness and gets engrossed in material objects, the process is termed mental detraction or saincara kriya'. When the mind passes from material objects to subtleness it merges into the Cosmic 'I' feeling and the process is termed mental attraction or pratisaincara. Saincara is principally guided by tamahgun'a and pratisaincara by sattvgun'a. Saincara tends to create static feelings while pratisaincara promotes cosmic feelings. But the Cosmic Consciousness unaffected by the detraction and attraction (saincara and practisaincara) processes from the nucleus of the cycle of thought-waves is the knower 'I' ((A'tman). This cycle of thought-wave is His object, in other words, it is He alone who is thinking. This world of varietes or paincabhu'ta is the expression of the stage of maximum detraction of the Cosmic Mind formed by the influence of Prakrti over Cosmic Consciousness, Purus'a is Nirgun'a where the attraction and detraction processes do not go on making Purus'a as the nucleus. Those who call Prakrti delusion or illusion are mistaken. If Prakrti is an illusion, how do perceptions occur? The imagined object may be unreal but the fact that imagination has been done is real. Ya eko ja'lava'niishata iishaniibhih Sarva'naloka'niishata iishaniibhih. Ya evaeka udbhave sambhave ca Ya etadviduramrta'ste bhavanti. Behind this world's creation, there is a cosmic magician who has created the universe and also controls it. In fact, whatever has been or shall be created is He and He alone. Those who have realised this truth attain blessedness. Eko hi rudro na dvitiiya'ya tasthu'rya Ima'nlloka'niishata iishaniibhih. Pratyam'jana'm'tit'hate sam'cukopa'ntakaka'le Sam'srjya vishva' bhuvana'ni gopa'h. 'There is only the Supreme Brahma and no other entity. He controls this perceptible world through His Prakrti and at the time of universal annihilation, the entire creation merges in Him. He is concealing Himself in His own created universe.' The all-knowing entity is called imperishable Consciousness or Aks'ara-Purus'a because He has not been degraded from His original. He is undecaying and infallible. During the detraction and attraction processes that part of Purus'a which is transformed is known as Ks'ar Purus'a or the perishable entity. Ks'ar Purus'a is transformed when it becomes the object of the knowing entity or mind which is called Jina'ta' Purus'a. If we consider the unit consciousness imperishable and the unit mind perishable, then Sagun'a Brahma will have to be regarded as collectively perishable and collectively imperishable. It is only the creation of the rollicksome prakrti behind transformation of the collective mind into unit and behind the unit consciousness as the knowing entity of the unit in its totality. Sarvaru'pamayii devii sarvam' devii mayam'jagat, Tato'ham vishvaru'pa m' ta' m' nam'mi Parameshvariim. (Ma'rkan'deya Pura'n'a) "This Universe is in the form of Devii or Prakrti alone. Whatever is visible in the universe is composed of Devii. I bow down to the Devii assuming the image of the universe, the Mother of the universe." The question may arise, how was this Prakrti created? Prakrti is the creator of the mind, that is to say, the mind has been formed by the influence of Prakrti over Purus'a. The mind has the property to have the knowledge of time, and there can be no comprehension of time without mind. The mind, which measures and creates time has been created by Prakrti alone, and hence is beyond and above the ambit of time. She is eternal and unborn. Aja'meka'm' lohitashukla Krs'na'm' Bahviih praja'h srjama'm'a'm' svaru'pa'm. Ajohyeko jus'ama'nonus'hete Jaha'tyen'a'm' bluktabhoga'majo'nyah (Shruti). Prakrti herself is unborn. Prakrti, the all-creative and constructive force has no progenitor. She is composed of three colours - red, white, and black. Sattvagun'a is white, rajahgun'a is red and tamahgun'a is black. In the human body these colours come into play according to different varieties of tendencies. The colour of a person is according to his or her tendency. It should be remembered that the colour pertains to the mind and not to the physical body. This natural classification has no connection with the caste system founded in ancient times by those interested in privilege or prestige on the basis of being born into particular families. It has already been said that the attraction towards Brahma or pratisaincara is chiefly predominated by sattvagun'a and the detraction from Brahma or saincara is predominated by tamahgun'a. The attraction process leads a living being to the realisation of its self and ultimately merges the mahattattva of the unit mind into the Mahattattva of the universal mind. It is for this reason that persons endowed with introversive vision advance unobstructed towards the realisation of Self and take the shelter of sattvagun'a. In the initial phase they find that their mental horizon becomes increasingly radiant with dispassion and a resplendent flood of light. This internal purity becomes apparent in their external activities also. Hence, people with sa'ttvika propensities cannot conceal themselves. Similarly, persons of ra'jasika and ta'masika propensities cannot conceal themselves from the common people. When a person of ra'jasika propensity inclines towards tamah, the former's characteristic blood red colour deepens and becomes dark. Similarly, when a person of ra'jasika tendency inclines towards sattva the same redness changes into refulgent white. In Nirgun'a Brahma, which is the sublimest attainment of Sa'dhana', Prakrti remains dormant. Hence, Nirgun'a Brahma is without characteristics and those who aspire in that direction should also discard all attributes both external and internal. It is for this reason that the followers of Ananda Marga have no caste. They do not acknowledge the baneful and delusory classifications created by society. Those classifications, either directly or indirectly, contribute to propagation of the tamahgun'a attribute which then speeds unhampered in the innermost recesses of the heart. Varn' a'shrama'bhima'nena shrutida'sye bhavennarah Varn' a'shramvihiinashca vartate shrutimu'dran'i. Caste vanity makes human beings slaves of the scriptures and they become dominated by the three gun'as. It is only the renouncers of caste who attain the sublimest position, above the scope of the scriptures. O children of A'nanda Ma'rga, you have to rise above the caste-differentiations and attain a state beyond the attributes. You must not aspire to be the white-coloured vipra, the bloodred coloured Ks'attriya, the blood-and-black-coloured; i.e., yellow coloured vaeshya or the dark-coloured shu'dra. You have to rise above all these. To attain the state beyond the attributes, you have to meditate on Purus'a, reflect on your universality and know your original form. In the beginning, you have to become the white-coloured vipra. Then you will have to shake off the vipra feeling and finally merge into the Cosmic Consciousness which is free from all colours. Daevihyes'a gun'amayii mama ma'ya' du'ratyaya'. Ma'meva ye prapadyante ma'ya'meta'm' taranti te. "My divine Ma'ya', the Supreme Ma'ya' or Cosmic Force composed of three attributes - ordinarily it is very difficult to transcend these attributes; however, those who merge themselves in Me or take refuge in Me can transcend Prakrti." When He draws the universe by His act of attraction to wards Himself i.e., pratisaincara, Brahma causes the emancipation of the living beings. It is evident that He does this with the aid of Prakrti through sattvagun'a. Hence, the fact that Prakrti contributes to emancipation is an admitted truth. Nonetheless, living beings have to devote themselves to Purus'a rather than to Prakrti, in as much as they have to establish themselves in Cosmic Consciousness throughout eternity and acquire the Nirgun'a state. Their ultimate goal is the blissful Cosmic Consciousness, which is above the influence of Prakrti, imperishable and irreducible. The living being who is under the bondage of Prakrti cannot attain that state. For this reason the tantra sa'hdhaka implores: Tvam' Vaesn'avii shaktiranataviiroya' Vishvasya bijam parama'si ma'ya' Sammohitam' devii samstametad Tvam vae prasanna' bhu'vi muktihetuh. "O Prakrti, thou art never-ending. Vis'numa'ya', thou art the seed of the universe, thou art the cause of the universe, thou art the supreme ma'ya' and the supreme cosmic force, thou hast hypnotised the creation and kept it under the clutches of the pa'shas and ripu's. The gate of emancipation opens only when thou art merciful." This is why I said earlier that spiritual aspiration is to be directed to the Cosmic Consciousness, rather than to Prakrti. To aspire towards Prakrti inclines one towards crudeness. Selfish efforts in pursuit of mean "I" ness imperceptibly tightens the pa'shas. There is no balance of forces manifested Prakrti. The incessant struggle between creation and destruction leads to the creation of generative forces, and the skeleton of destruction is being permeated with the vibration of new lives. It is not proper to consider Prakrti the enemy of humanity. By properly employing the three attributes, humans can come to know virtue, truth and perfection. They can elevate their mental horizons with the aid of the sattvagun'a of Prakrti, which operates in the attraction process of Brahma. Is it not true that Prakrti is benevolent? To find fault with Prakrti without following spiritual practices betrays inactivity which should not be supported. Are Prakrti and Purus'a two independent entities? No, certainly not. To make these concepts intelligible in a philosophical discourse such as this the two terms are employed separately. However, in reality they are not only inseparably related but are interdependent just like milk and its whiteness or like fire and its consuming power. In the course of sa'dhana', when the aspirant finds Prakrti receding into Purus'a, then he or she comes to himself or herself. So long as the aspirant entertains any distinction between Purus'a and Prakrti and consequently between Brahma and self, he or she tries in vain to attain bliss and becomes more and more entangled in the web of sam'ska'ras. Satyaloke Nira'ka'ra' maha'jyotisvaru'pin'ii Ma'yaccha'dita'tma'nam' canaka'kararu'pin'ii Ma'ya'balkalam' sam'tyajya dvidha'bhinna'yadommukhii Shivashaktivibha'gena ja'yate srs'tikalpana' (Tantra) So long as the gram does not germinate, the two internal components appear as one whole, but as the creative germ sprouts, the two halves separate. Similarly the mystery of Purus'a and Prakrti is evident in this diverse universe. The more you will observe that in the surrendered state, the Cosmic Force gets merged in you. In the state of kaevalya (oneness) the two entities are not distinctly or separately available. Tvmeko dvitvama'panno Shivashaktivibha'gashah. "In fact thou are one and only one. Thou art being manifest in these two objects." This crude and subtle universe has originated from the thought-waves of the universal mind, which itself was created by the Prakrti of the universal Purus'a. The nucleus of these thought-waves is the universal, undecaying Consciousness, the central source of all enlightenment. This consciousness has taken His thought-wave as the object of His mind. However, because there is nothing outside His infinite and limitless form, Prakrti cannot endow him with any organs (indrya), nor can she set any limit of time, space and person. For the One beyond whom there is nothing, the question of receiving or generating tamma'tras (waves) does not arise. Apa'nipa'do javano grahiita' Pashyatyacaks'uh sa shrn'otyakarn'ah, Sa vetti vedyam'na ca tasya'sti vetta' Tama'huragryam' purus'am' maha'ntam (Shruti). * * * Shrotrasya shortram manaso mano Yad va'ca' hi va'cy sa u pra'n'asya pra'n'ah, Caks'us'ashcaks'uratimucya dhiira'h Pretyas'ma'nlloka'damrta'h bhavanti (Shruti). * * * Yanmanasa'na manute yena'hurmano matam' Tadeva Brahma tam' viddhi nedam yadidamupa'sate (Shruti) * * * Yaccaks'usa' na pashyati yena caks'u'm'si pashyati Tadeva Brahma tam' viddhi nedam yadidamup'asate. (Shruti). With the help of Prakrti's sattvagun'a, the aspirant can gain access into the universal, imperishable consciousness. When his or her mind merges in universal mind, this state is called 'savikalpa sama'dhi'. According to natural principles, if the aspirant takes something limited and perishable as the object of his or her attainment and adopts it as the goal of their life, they unconsciously proceed toward tamogun'a - toward crudeness, and eventually towards animality. Tamogun'a alone is crudeness, and rajogun'a can be called dynamism, and sattvagun'a the harmonious enlightenment. It has been said above that ordinarily all the three attributes operate together in everything, although in varying proportions. Those things where sattvagun'a predominates are called 'sattvika', those where rajogun'a dominates are called 'ra'jasika', and those where tamogun'a is dominate are called 'ta'masika. Irrespective of which attribute predominates in a particular object, the different living beings take that same object in different lights according to the differences in place and time. For instance, the same aspect of the world in the same circumstances is pleasing to some, displeasing to others and indifferent to the rest. Suppose a person endowed with sattvagun'a is employed by the state as a judge or magistrate, then he/she is a sattvika person and loved by the peace-loving citizens. For persons of wicked nature he/she is undesirable and therefore unpopular. And the same employeee is rajogun'ii for the people outside his/her jurisdiction and is therefore, looked upon with indifference. A beautiful woman is the beloved of her husband, indifferent for others and undesirable for a co-wife. A sattvagun'ii person always finds sattvagun'a in everything. Similarly, a rajogun'ii finds rajogun'ah, and a tamogun'ii finds tamogun'a. On visiting Ka'shi a righteous person shall associate with the sages and saints on the bank of the Ganges and will find Ka'shi to be the most sacred place. A tourist will go round the city and find it a city like all others, while a cheat will find this city a proper place for his operations. The same city is visualised in three different ways by three persons according to their respective temperaments. You must constantly bear in mind that you have to advance internally by fighting against the tamogun'ii crudeness with the aid of sattvagun'a. To constantly advance, you must keep yourself aloof from the forces of mental distraction, because these distraction-forces will throw you out towards the tumult of crudeness. A'tmasthitam Shivam' tyaktva' vahistham' yah samarcayet Hastastham' pin'd'am'usrjya bhramate jiivte'shaya'. * * * * Idam' tiirthamidam' tiirtham' bhramanti ta'masa' jana'h A'tmatiirtham' na ja'nanti katham' moks'o bara'n'ane. Do not be extrovertial, do not go ahead towards your own destruction since once you have fallen into the grip of crudeness it is well-nigh impossible to get released from it. The abyss shall devour you and you, shall miss the pole star of your life. The idolators inadvertently adore tamogun'a. Brahma is omnipresent and shines forth in the interior and exterior of living beings. The idolators forget Brahma and mistake a small external image as the adored object of their life. Their mind catches the shade of that image, and they hear hallucinatory voices according to their sam'ska'ras and mistakenly consider that they have attained their goal. The devotees of idols gradually deteriorate both mentally and physically to tamah. They become incapable of tolerating any progressive ideal. Both the active propensity of rajogun'a and the pure knowledge of sattvagun'a are intolerable to them. They wish to set back the hands of the clock, and this love for tradition is but a sign of their crudeness. Vya'sdeva, the author of Pura'na's has written: Ra'pam ru'pavivarjiitasya bhavato yadhya'nena kalpitam' Stutya'nirvacaniiyata'khiloguro du'riikrta' yammaya'. Vya'piitvam ca nira'krtam' bhagavato yat tiirthaya'tra'dina' Ks'antavyam jagadiisha tadvikalata'dosatrayam'matkrtam'. "Thou hast no form. I have attempted to reduce Thee by giving Thee a form. By propagating the importance of holy lands, I tried to limit Thy all-pervasiveness. Through prayers I have tried to limit in words Thy incomprehensiveness. O Lord, may you pardon these three lapses of mine cause by mental disquietitude." Prakrti infuses gun'a into Purus'a and gives Him a form. This act of infusion of gun'a causes vibration in the body of Purus'a, since wherever there is an action there is vibration. Hence, under the influence of Prakrti, the body of he Purus'a or the changeable self or Sagun'a experiences constant vibrations. It is an external, unprecedented, supra-universal and stupefying vibration. Everyone knows that it is the difference of the wave lengths in the vibrations which generate the relative tanma'tras or perception-waves, i.e. sound, touch, vision, taste and smell. The sense organs, or jina'nendriyas, of the living being perceive the tamma'tras from the external world or Cosmic mind, and the unit mind expresses these tamma'tras with the help of the motor organs or karmendriyas. This variation in vibration is responsible for the generation of white colour by sattvagun'a, red colour by rajogun'a and dark colour by tamogun'a. The greater the degree of crudeness, the lesser is the force of vibration. It is for this reason that tamogun'a is coloured black. Black is no colour. In fact, the perception of black colour is due to the absence of all colours. White, on the other hand, is the combination of all colours. Where there is perfect enlightenment, the white colour of sattvagun'a is most fully expressed. The subtlest tanma'tra which is created by vibration is the sound tanma'tra. Onm'ka'ra is the sound tanma'tra that is created by the universal cosmic mind. Concealed in the centre of this onm'ka'ra is the seed of all the sounds of the universe. This sound originates from the universal, undecaying self and also merges in that self. Hence the sages have clearly said that by concentrating their energies on this onm'ka'ra, spiritual aspirants will surely attain the nucleus of this universe, the Supreme Cosmic Consciousness. Pran'ava is another name for onm'ka'ra. The word 'pran'ava' signifies zealous devotion (pra-nu+al, 'nu' means to worship). Pran'avo dhanuh sharohya'tma' Brahma tallaks'yamucyate Aprama ttena veddhavyam' Sharavattanmayo bhavet. This onm'ka'ra is the seed of all the alphabets, and is the proclaimant and identifier of Brahma. For this reason, this is also called Shabda-Brahma. The Shruti says, Sarve veda' yadpadama' mananti Tapa'm'si sarva'n'i ca yadvadanti Yadicchanto brahmacaram' caranti Tattepadam' sam'grahena vraviimyomityeta (Yajuh). * * * * Etaddhyeva'ks'aram' Brahma Etadeva'ks'aram param' Etadeva'ks'aram jina'tva' yo Yadicchati tasya tat. * * * Etada'lambanam' Shree't'hametada'lambanam' param Etada'lambanam' jinatva' Brahmaloke mahiiyate. O human beings, proceed ahead in the path of onm'ka'ra towards subtleness. Do not run after the superficially pleasant mirage, dominated by tamogun'a. Establish yourself in sattvagun'a and then merge into Brahma. Reach the spot whence onm'ka'ra has emerged. Awaken your dormant dynamism through sa'dhana' and devotion. Realise the mental elevation of divinity and merge this into the endless stream of divine mercy. From distant ages past, you have been moving toward the Supreme State. You have suffered untold privations, and today you have the most favourable opportunity to become worthy human beings. 9 January 1955