Anand(a), bliss
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Introduction
The Times of India, Jul 02 2015
Shri Shri Anandamurti
Ananda is the state of perfect mental peace
Both individuals and society as a whole are dependent on three factors for their existence: Asti, Bhati and Ananda. Housing, food, clothing, education and medical facilities are the sine qua non for `asti' or existence. The term `bhati' means vibhati or development and progress. For the all-round development of an individual or society , a goal is needed. The purpose of development is the attainment of ananda or bliss. The term `ananda' connotes infinite happiness, the equipoise of pleasure and pain, the perfect mental peace. The absence of any of these factors may cause great consternation or convulsion in an individual or society.Numerous factors are needed for the development of a group of people. But the following six are most important. There should be a spiritual ideology in the life of both the individual and the collective body . Much of your energy is misused due to ignorance and your stated destination. This misuse of energy is bound to cause destruction. The second factor is spiritual cult, a sadhana or meditative process. Everyone has a physical structure. The problem of every individual, is for the body to produce more and more ectoplasm (mind-stuff) and then to convert it into Consciousness. A proper process is needed for this conversion. Spiritual cult consists of the conversion of bhutas, the five rudimental factors, into ectoplasm and then into Consciousness through a special scientific process of metamorphosis. Spiritual cult therefore, is indispensable. But only spiritual ideology and spiritual cult will not do.
The third factor, a blending of asti and bhati, is a socioeconomic theory . There should be a priori knowledge regarding the social structure, distribution of wealth and its growth. Without this there cannot be a solid ground for the construction of the social edifice. The fourth one is social outlook. All living beings are children of the same Cosmic Entity . Naturally , they are bound in a thread of fraternal relations. This is the central spirit. A socioeconomic theory is of no use but for this fraternal feeling. The implementation of this theory is impossible without sadhana. The fifth factor for societal progress is for it to have its own scripture. There is a need for satsanga, company of elevated persons in all spheres of life. The authority whose contact means satsanga for you is the shastra, scripture. That which elevates society by dint of shasana, discipline, is called shastra.The last, but not the least important factor for progress is for society to have its own preceptor.
The entire social structure is dependent on these six factors. Weakness of even one factor may jeopardise the very existence of bhati. Its absence might even lead to the extinction of a group of people. Where these factors are present, there is movement towards ananda, and the chance of their extinction becomes nil.
Social groups which possess these six factors will be able to produce sadvipras or spiritual revolutionaries.All their efforts are directed towards the attainment of ananda. They are morally strong and are always ready to fight against immoral activities. Those who strictly adhere to the principles of morality , are ensconced in tapah, austerities, and are ready to overcome immoralists; they are sadvpiras. Only those sadvipras who work for the welfare of society are safe from destruction and extinction. Therefore, it becomes our prime duty to become sadvipras in order to be able to make possible maximum welfare for common good.
Kosh, the five=
By -Yogi Balkrishna, June 27, 2023: The Times of India
Adi Shankaracharya would say that the human mind is the root of disorder – ‘Nahi asti avidya manso atirikta’. At the same time, our mind, if illumined, can be a fountainhead of harmony and happiness. To be in harmony, we need to raise our self-awareness. In the Taittiriya Upanishad, we come across panch-kosha parkriya which helpsus know ourselves better. The upanishad reveals that our being has five distinct sheaths: annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vigyanmaya and anandmaya.
The outermost sheath is our gross body called annamaya-kosha, ‘anna-maya’ means ‘made of anna’, the food. To keep this sheath harmonised, we need to eat right food in right quantity at proper times. The next sheath, the pranamaya-kosha is subtler than the earlier one and made of prana, the breath which accounts for all physiological functions – metabolism, respiration, and excretion. We need to regularly walk, exercise, and do pranayam to keep this kosha harmonised. Subtler than this is manomaya-kosha, the body made up of moods, feelings, and phobias. To harmonise this kosha, we ought to cultivate a heart which is humble and prayerful. Theprocess in yogic language is called bhav-shuddhi. The fourth one, called vigyanmaya-kosha, is made up of our values, cognition, memory, and faculty of analysis. Critical thinking happens here; we can harmonise this kosha through vichar-shuddhi, by questioning the veracity of our beliefs and values.
The innermost, anandmaya-kosha, bliss body, is the most sublime too. It is the purest part of our being. When our thinking, vigyanmayakosha, and emotions, manomaya-kosha, do not eclipse our anandmaya-kosha, we experience uninhibited bliss. Anand is never created, it is our very nature.
Pervading these five sheaths and yet remaining beyond, lies the Self, the consciousness, the field of oneness. We have to rediscover this space within us. The secret of abiding anand lies in harmonising the panch-koshas, leading one to one’s own innate nature, the blissful field of oneness.
