Three gates to hell and escaping them

     Vedas are the highest wisdom revealed to mankind. It is valid for all categories of mankind, be it the selfish one chasing desires or the one chasing Moksha. The language is esoteric and buried in layers that can be revealed only by a Guru and long study under their watchful tutelage. The essence of the highest wisdom is given in the Upanishads. Even if we study them, to grasp the heights of this soaring wisdom, takes a lot of diligence apart from a Guru. The chasm has widened and deepened with the progress of time, as competent students became rarer. Towards the end of the Dwapara Yuga, Sri Krishna did something out of extreme compassion towards us. He extracted the essence of all the Upanishads and made them into a simple digestible format and gave us the Bhagavad Gita.

    This fact has been captured in some of the best eulogy as Gita Dhyana Sloka by Sri Madhusudan Saraswati. In one of the powerful lines he writes,

सर्वोपनिषदो गावो दोग्धा गोपालनन्दनः। पार्थो वत्सः सुधीर्भोक्ता दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत्॥

sarvopaniṣado gāvo dogdhā gopālanandanaḥ | pārtho vatsaḥ sudhīrbhoktā dugdhaṃ gītāmṛtaṃ mahat ||

"All the Upanishads are the cows, and the milker of the cows is the son of the cowherd, Shri Krishna. Arjuna is the calf, and the men of purified intellect (the wise devotees) are the drinkers. The great nectar of the Gita is the milk".

    There are numerous lines and ideas we can find in common with the Gita and the Katha Upanishad and others. Here is an interesting case where an instruction is given in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad to evolve, but Gita completes the idea, what happens if we do not follow that path. This is not only complementary and validating the Upanishad, but also completing the picture by presenting the alternate scenarios.

Three gates to hell – Gita:

    The sixteenth chapter of the Gita is focused on discussing the Daivi and asuri qualities. While indicating them, Krishna cautions us about the three certain doors to hell. These whirlpools are very dangerous and their only exit is naraka.

त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः । कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत् ॥ १६-२१॥

trividhaṃ narakasyedaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ । kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhastasmādetattrayaṃ tyajet ॥16-21

These three are the gates of hell, destructive of the Self — lust, anger and greed; therefore, one should abandon these three.

    The Gita declares that Kama (Lust), Krodha (Anger) and Lobha (Greed) as three certain gates to hell. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad gives us a way to reverse this certain fate.

    When constantly thinking or being with an object, it creates an affinity for the same. Over time, it morphs into a thinking that the SELF is incomplete without this object of attention. This is called as Kama. This is a subtle, certain urge to complete itself with the attracting object. Sometimes it may be a like (raaga) or a dislike (dvesha) that may be acting like a pull or push. As we studied in the genealogy of desire and in Vasanas, this Kama when intensified can morph. The satisfied desire leaves a calm mind, though temporary and ephemeral. But this is falsely interpreted as happiness and a craving for more. These remnant patterns that resurface to urge the same desires to be repeated is called Vasanas.

    The desire can grow in intensity as extreme desire or lust, as in the case of Ravana where it took the form of Abhisvanga (अभिष्वङ्ग) extreme attachment that led to his certain death.

    As one’s happiness grows, it starts comparing with others, as in jealousy. But worse yet, it wants all the happiness for only the limited self. A classic case was Duryodhana. He grew incredibly jealous of the success of the Pandavas who not only turned the barren land into Indraprastha, but also acquired dominion over other lands. He plotted to steal with the dice game and abuse of Draupadi. Though he obtained all the riches, he wanted to see the Pandavas suffer and gloat his riches. But all that Lobha(greed) led to his own defeat at the hands of the Gandharvas in the Goshayatra parva.

    The opposite becomes true if a desire is blocked. If internalized can lead to depression and even death like Dasaratha on the eve of Rama’s departure. If externalized, depending on the intensity of attachment with the desire can be mild to explosive. Rama wanted to destroy everything as he was stung by the pain of Sita’s separation, till Lakshmana calmed him. Lakshmana is reputed for his explosive anger as well.

    All these effects are due to the wrong placement of the real SELF. Unless realized but not merely bookish knowledge, this idea of SELF is going to govern us, whether we understand it or not. Hence to summarize the three doors to naraka, the following abbreviations can capture the idea behind.

LUST - Loose Ultimately Self Totally to another (object)

GREED – Great Race to Eat Ever more towards self Destruction

ANGER – Agony and Negativity Generated by Ego’s Reaction

    Krishna recommends abandoning the three. He also explains in the very next sloka what happens to one who abandons the gates of darkness.

एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः । आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥ १६-२२॥

etairvimuktaḥ kaunteya tamodvāraistribhirnaraḥ ācaratyātmanaḥ śreyastato yāti parāṃ gatim 16-22

A man who is liberated from these three gates to darkness, O Kaunteya, practises what is good for the self and thus goes to the Supreme Goal (SELF).

    Looks like Krishna has bookended the idea, on one hand declaring certain destruction and certain greatness on the other. Though he elaborates extensively through out the Gita, we trace this original idea back to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.

Advice of the Prajapati – “Da..Da..Da..”

    This wonderful parable comes from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, perhaps the highest idea of available Upanishads and occurs in three terse verses of the second section in the fifth chapter.

त्रयाः प्राजापत्याः प्रजापतौ पितरि ब्रह्मचर्यमूषुः—देवा मनुष्या असुराः; उषित्वा ब्रह्मचर्यं देवा ऊचुः, ब्रवीतु नो भवानिति; तेभ्यो हैतदक्शरमुवाच द इति; व्यज्ञासिष्टा3 इति; व्यज्ञासिष्मेति होचुः, दाम्यतेति न आत्थेति; ओमिति होवाच, व्यज्ञासिष्टेति ॥ १ ॥

trayāḥ prājāpatyāḥ prajāpatau pitari brahmacaryamūṣuḥ—devā manuṣyā asurāḥ; uṣitvā brahmacaryaṃ devā ūcuḥ, bravītu no bhavāniti; tebhyo haitadakśaramuvāca da iti; vyajñāsiṣṭā3 iti; vyajñāsiṣmeti hocuḥ, dāmyateti na āttheti; omiti hovāca, vyajñāsiṣṭeti || 1 ||

    Three types of Prajapati’s sons lived with their father, practising Brahmacharya – the Devas, manushyas(men) and asuras. After extensive Brahmacharya, the devas sought more instructions. Unto the Prajapati uttered the syllable “DA” and asked if they understood. In response the claimed to have understood and said Da referred to Damyata, control of the indriyas. Prajapati acknowledged that the Devas have completely understood the purport of the syllable.

अथ हैनं मनुष्या ऊचुः—ब्रवीतु नो भवानिति । तेभ्यो हैतदेवाक्षरमुवाच—द इति । व्यज्ञासिष्टा३ इति । व्यज्ञासिष्मेति होचुः । दत्त इति न आत्थेति । ओमिति होवाच । व्यज्ञासिष्टेति ॥ ५.२.२ ॥

atha hainaṃ manuṣyā ūcuḥ—bravītu no bhavāniti | tebhyo haitadevākṣaramuvāca—da iti | vyajñāsiṣṭā³ iti | vyajñāsiṣmeti hocuḥ | datta iti na ātthati | omiti hovāca | vyajñāsiṣṭeti || 5.2.2 ||

    When the men sought more instructions they were given the same syllable – “DA”. They were asked if they understood, to which the men replied – Da refers to Datta as in charity. Prajapati acknowledged that the manushyas have completely understood the meaning.

अथ हैनमसुरा ऊचुः—ब्रवीतु नो भवानिति । तेभ्यो हैतदेवाक्षरमुवाच—द इति । व्यज्ञासिष्टा३ इति । व्यज्ञासिष्मेति होचुः । दयध्वमिति न आत्थेति । ओमिति होवाच । व्यज्ञासिष्टेति । तदेतदेवैषा दैवी वागनुवदति स्तनयित्नुः—द द द इति — दाम्यत दत्त दयध्वमिति । तदेतत्त्रयं शिक्षेत् — दमं दानं दयामिति ॥ ५.२.३ ॥

atha hainamasurā ūcuḥ—bravītu no bhavāniti | tebhyo haitadevākṣaramuvāca—da iti | vyajñāsiṣṭā³ iti | vyajñāsiṣmeti hocuḥ | dayadhvamiti na ātthati | omiti hovāca | vyajñāsiṣṭeti | tadetadeveṣā daivī vāganuvadati stanayitnuḥ—da da da iti — dāmyata datta dayadhvamiti | tadetatrayaṃ śikṣet — damaṃ dānaṃ dayāmiti || 5.2.3 ||

    The Asuras wanted more instruction only to receive the syllable Da. Prajapati asked if the Asuras understood the meaning. They replied DA refers to Daya as in compassion, to which Prajapati agreed as the correct understanding. The very message is repeated in the heavenly voice as – da da da – ‘Control your indriyas’, ‘Give’ and ‘Be Compassionate’. Therefore one must learn from these three – self control, charity and compassion.

Practical implications:

    Most of mind’s flaws fall into these categories – desire (misplaced and attached) aka lust, greed and anger. The Atma perceives itself as limited to the body. Due to this extreme stance, in order to feel more complete, it gravitates towards the objects. This natural urge is reinforced by vasanas, raaga and dvesha. This urge couples itself with an attachment, a longing, thus taking an intense form called Lust. Thus the mind has multiple endless reasons to seek out the externalized objects, just like a river reaches out for the ocean. But this attempt at universalization fails miserably, thus making the mind seek newer objects and experiences in an endless quest. When one practices Brahmacharya, which is not limited to celibacy, but the alignment with Brahman, one becomes fit to translate Prajapati’s advice of Dama – control of the senses. This comes in two fold – Sama (control of the mind) and Dama (control of the senses). Dama reigns in both the internal and external tugs on the mind that desperately wants to go after this incorrect externalization.

    The second flaw of the mind is not only for it to have more and more of the experience, but only for its limited self to be the sole experiencer. This state of the mind to hoard and to be better, bigger than others and going to the extremes to justify and act according to this comparative mindset is called Greed. Prajapati’s solution to give in charity, makes one to include others and not be the sole experiencer. This opens up to eventually the highest understanding that the experience is being experienced in multifarious forms but the experiencer is the same Atman.

 

    The darkest or the lowest of states is where one derives pleasure in other’s suffering. The cruel element exists in us as Anger, that explosive force of the converted desire when blocked. At times the anger when unable to be expressed turns inwards and becomes vengeance or depression or other toxic forms. When externalized, anger can take more darker shades. This is what one sees as cruelty, sadism and the tendency to evil for no reason. Prajapati’s prescription doesn’t not for every asuric mindset, but only on the ones intent with Brahmacharya, is to develop compassion. This overwhelming positive energy adds the inclusive element to the dark force to neutralize and transform it.

    Krishna informs us that these three gates to certain naraka will bring about tremendous suffering to the Jiva. But he also assures that using Prajapati’s techniques one can not only quell this darker side but also one reach the highest. We may have to flip the order discussed to grasp it easily. By being compassionate, one recognizes and acknowledges the existence of SELF in others. Makes one more inclusive. By including charity, this idea is taken to the next level, as we are now including others welfare instead of the limited self’s sole needs. As one evolves with Daya and Datta, slowly but surely one realizes that the SELF doesn’t need objects of desire to complete it, as it is complete in ITSELF. The idea of Dama aids in this regard. Thus using Prajapati’s instructions one can turn the very tidal forces of destruction into a tsunami surge that propels towards our SELF realization.

 

ॐ तत् सत

Practical spiritual insights from deceptions in Ramayana

    Itihasapuranas provide a deep and vast insight into not just the human dimensions of life, but also to subtle, esoteric aspects of our spiritual dimension. While most of the information we can grasp easily is simple and ready for our consumption, there are layers which require interpretation and guidance. Some of them come from piecing them like pieces of a super giant jigsaw puzzle.

    One such concept is the idea of deception. It is a very simple playbook if one were to look at the Mahabharata. We find two types of deceptions – adharmic and dharmic. Examples of adharmic deception will include how Duryodhana poisoned Bhima, tried to kill the Pandavas using the Lakshagraha or switched Shakuni as the dice roller instead of himself. Dharmic deception would include how the Pandavas had to spend the one year of agyatavasa as incognito. The motives and actions would determine the nature of deception.

    Deception would be the idea of painting a falsity as real. It may be usually with others, whereas unknowingly we may be deceiving ourselves. It may be easier to recognize one person deceiving another, but self deception is deep rooted in our ignorance at many levels. Unless there is a deep GunaKarma transformation, even accidental exposure to truth brings no change. As there are many layers to this idea of deception, we will resort to select cases from the Valmiki Ramayana to translate them into lessons for our personal growth and inner re-engineering. A key aspect to understanding Ramayana is, it is not only multi-layered and esoteric, but also hides a lot of allegorical insights. We will look past the literal incident to gather this sapience, as our primary intent is to apply this in our personal lives and profit from this perceptiveness. This is not a mysterious unraveling of the Ramayana, but aligning it to a spiritual dimension, so we can advance one more step in that direction.

Kaikeyi’s betrayal: A spouse is closest one’s self. Despite ranking high on Dasaratha’s fondness, right after Rama, driven by Tamas and selfishness, Kaikeyi sought two self-serving boons.

Practical spiritual insights for us: This is a huge lesson in Tamas. When one is in its grip, which can happen to anyone, the actions are driven by pure selfishness and the idea of self is highly limited to “I”, “Me” and “Myself”. The same was true for Dasaratha as his idea was centered around Rama, HIS son and HIS affections for HIM. This ultimately cost his life. Is it wrong to look for selfish interests, one may ponder?

    This is where Shastras and Upanishads shed their wisdom. The real deception is in our understanding that we are the body, the wealth, the relationships, the status, our dreams, aspirations and/or ideas. What is the wisdom through the eyes of the realized? We are Atman and this nature of the Atman gets deceptively misplaced and misunderstood. The best and simplest words that demystify these false notions is the discussion between Yajnavalkya and his wife Maitreyi in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.

न वा अरे पत्युः कामाय पतिः प्रियो भवति, आत्मनस्तु कामाय पतिः प्रियो भवति । न वा अरे जायायै कामाय जाया प्रिया भवति, आत्मनस्तु कामाय जाया प्रिया भवति । na vā are patyuḥ kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavati, ātmanastu kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavati | na vā are jāyāyai kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavati, ātmanastu kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavati | (Br. Up. 2-4-5)

    It is not for the sake of the husband, my dear, that he is loved, but for one’s own sake that he is loved. It is not for the sake of the wife, my dear, that she is loved, but for one’s own sake that she is loved.

Clear message – Know thy real self.

Asuras hiding in nearby jungles: Asuras like Tataka, Mareecha, Subahu lurking always nearby. The dark forces are always infested by various powerful creatures, ready for a fatal strike. The jungle itself is the deception.

Practical spiritual insights for us: The jungle represents the world of sense and object interactions. These interactions spark the rising of primordial desires which take over the ordinary person by sheer force and numbers. The story of deception runs more along the lines of Ilvala and Vatapi, who were terminated by Agastya Maharishi. As we ingest these objects with reckless abandon, they in turn wreck us from within. For the sages who try to tame the asuras like Vishwamitra, there is a lot of deceptive attack. Bringing Viveka and Vairagya as Rama-Lakshmana is the only way to frontally take down the attack on our senses and the attraction of the sense objects. Just like Tataka kicked up a dust storm after her limbs were chopped, these forces are more powerful than what meets the eye. These temptations are much closer to us, hidden in the jungle of sense objects, waiting to pounce on us, though they are far away from Ravana.

Shurpanaka: Even though a chance encounter, this asuric woman unleashed her evil attack on Sita to trying to eliminate them using Khara-Dhushana and eventually Ravana, only to satisfy her revenge of not getting to enjoy either Rama or Lakshmana.

Practical spiritual insights for us: She represents the activated Tamasic Vasanas. When there was no encounter, there is still the lurking danger, but once activated these tamasic vasanas turn into a very deadly one. The driver is always extreme selfishness that powers extremes of anger, greed, jealousy and delusion. The initial plot is filled with juicy false attractions. If resisted, the fangs come out. These do not die without a trace, as they activate deeper reserves. Every sadaka knows that there is the danger of this lurking residual vasana.

    This tamas doesn’t rest with a defeat. It stirs up powerful Khara and Dhushana. It knows exactly how to animate a reckless mind, intoxicated by sense addiction, as in Ravana. Tamas tries to enjoy the entire Parabrahman for itself, as ahamkari, “I”. It is akin to Ramakrishna’s parable of a salt doll wanting to fathom the ocean to measure its depth. Tamas cannot stand the reflection of Brahman. So it turns to destroy it. Just like the logical Sanatana Dharma reveals the limitations of egotistical people. So they convert it to HINDUPHOBIA or convert themselves to another cult to spew even more bigotry. Shurpanka wanted to destroy what she couldn’t achieve.

 

Mareecha, the deceptive deer: The most classic deception of Mareecha luring Rama away and eventually Lakshmana.

Practical spiritual insights for us: When the Jiva (Sita) gets attached to a false idea in the world, even if is a well established deception, it promotes the desertion of Viveka and Vairagya, to wander aimlessly chasing the phantasm. The defenses of the Jiva (Viveka-Vairagya) get weaker due to the shifting of the weight of the Jiva in favor of the illusory deception. This Kama vasana, want of some sensory object, when misplaced, will always lead the Jiva into misery, sooner or later.

    Interestingly, with Viveka gone, the same sense objects that caused trepidation in the Jiva as samsaric bondage, suddenly starts appealing back. In normal life, we see even sannyasis getting back to grihastha life or ending with huge ashrams for pomp and glory. The call of the sense objects is intense and irresistible to any Jiva without Rama, the Viveka.

    There is an interesting aspect on Mareecha, who never finishes his evolution, unlike Sugriva. The distraction of sense objects for Vishwamitra yagna was merely banished, it came to attack indirectly the defenseless rishis. It tried to evolve under the threat of Rama baana, but a powerful distracted mind, running in ancient channels of vasana redeploys these ancient patterns. Moved by the Jiva’s quest for this sense object, a reluctant Viveka goes chasing a phantom ideal. Before perishing these vasanas merely appeal to the Jiva with illusory distractions to throw it off the track.

Sita trick to send away Lakshmana: There is a tense moment when Sita deliberately sends Lakshmana away with caustic words.

Practical spiritual insights for us: Sita is a divine incarnate moving the story plot for a definite purpose of the destruction of Ravana and his cohorts. But for us, losing Viveka and Vairagya, the Jiva is extremely vulnerable.

    A Jiva that has got distracted with the sense object is destined for this end result. If it happened to a disciplined Jiva, Sita, due to singular object, one can’t shudder enough to think about us, launching in endless quests in the pursuit of sensory objects coupled with very strong emotions, leaving behind strong Vasanas.

Deceptive Sannyasi, Ravana: In the absence of Viveka-Vairagya, the Jiva is very vulnerable to the raw forces of the mind. The Jiva is literally carried away by this unruly mind, that is a strong fortress for the evil, not easy to figure out or uproot.

Practical spiritual insights for us: Exposing ourselves to the raw forces of the senses and sense objects, their expressions are amplified through a mind ravaged by vasanas and kama modifications become very hard to confront. This deception is like the calm before a hurricane that spawns so many twisters. The Jiva with even a singular mental leak towards the externalized world is highly vulnerable, let alone normal people like us, who are voluntarily burying ourselves with so many desires.

    Ravana demonstrated the trickery. Tamas simulates a state that trascends the three gunas, just like ashes simulate ashes covering the hidden dangerous embers of Vasanas. The undefended Jiva cannot discern these two states. Every spiritual sadhaka has to face this conundrum, which is why a Guru is crucial, someone who has already had that experience and kind enough to share it with us, so we can be spared of the danger.

Hanuman meets Rama: Hanuman is determined to know everything about Rama Lakshmana without revealing much. His culture and education shines brightly, but as the case of any Bhakta in front of Bhagawan, there are no secrets.

Practical spiritual insights for us: Just like Hanuman spilled all his secrets in front of Rama, any connection with Brahman is going to straighten us and put us deep rooted in Satya and in the path of Dharma. That is why we study Jnanis and great Bhaktas, who may not even be formally educated in shastras, like Sabhari, but due to this wondrous connection with Parabrahman, their actions are aligned with the Supreme and Dharma of the highest order exudes through every step.

Dead Rama: Ravana uses his trump card, Indrajit, as soon as war erupts. Indrajit uses illusion to pin down Rama Lakshmana using Naaga arrows. It appears as certain death, as there is no human way to unlock this fate. Ravana uses this pause as certain victory. He sends Sita along with Trijata and other rakshasis to witness Rama’s certain death, so she might changer her attitude towards him. A shocked Sita is consoled by Trijata who gives definite logical reasons why Rama Lakshmana are alive. Garuda appears mysteriously to liberate from the naaga bondage.

Practical spiritual insights for us: In a spiritual journey, which is everyone’s life, however adharmic it may be, we all come to this cross road. All our human efforts are exhausted at some point and there seems no hope for the Jiva. Some sanity in the form of having faith in Guru’s words, Shastras console us like Trijata. It is impossible to exist without this consolation as certain destruction and deception exists all around.

    Indrajit was able to pin Rama Lakshmana but cannot defeat them. In the same way our spiritual practices, our own real nature of SatChitAnanada gets shrouded in extreme darkness. It appears we have lost our way and our mission. It appears the dark forces are invincible. Just like Garuda’s sudden appearance revealed a subtle divine connection that exists at all times, we can always count on this unexpected spiritual help as divine forces are constantly looking for deserving (all of us) places to contribute their energy. The only question is, are we ready like Rama Lakshmana to receive this surge? The bondage of Rama Lakshmana was actually weak and impotent in front of their energies, but as Garuda provided the divine boost, so shall we too. The imperishability of Atman and extreme kindness of Paramatman to assist us in every possible way in this upward journey are the real secrets hidden in this episode of deception.

Dead Sita: After many leaders on Ravana’s side perished, Indrajit wanted to buy some time by executing a decoy Sita in front of Hanuman, the lone warrior who could identify her positively, thus completing the psychological assault on Rama Lakshmana. Indrajit’s plan was to complete his spiritual project at Nikumbhila, so he can unleash his invincibility. Vibhishana spills the secret and seeks Lakshmana be sent out immediately to destroy Indrajit.

Practical spiritual insights for us: When we lose sight of the very purpose of our existence, we crumble down and there is no recourse. It happens when we lose our beloved or all our wealth or anything we love intensely. But as we can open our mind to listen to the voice of rationale, like Vibhishana established in Dharma, we realize that all we got caught was an elaborate net of darkness and deception.

    No Jiva can ever run out of the ultimate motive, know its real self, despite losing all its apparent aspirations or possessions. If we flip the script and see Rama as the aspiring Jiva and Sita as the Moksha Devi, the Jiva is befuddled and frustrated as Moksha eludes it completely. There is still lots of Purushartha to be exerted. Remembering that Moksha is of the imperishable state and not that of a temporary aspiration, is the key.

    The adage says the darkest period is just before the dawn is true even in our spiritual journey. Without periodic inputs from Dharma like we see from Trijata, Vibhishana, we cannot cross over this immense forest of darkness filled with deception at every turn. Every Jiva must be sensitive to not only receive, but also apply these subtle inputs. Deceptions in Ramayana are truly a window into the depths of wisdom in it. It has practical applications to every Jiva and nothing is more detrimental than us rejecting the wisdom and thinking it as a fictitious story. Ramayana gives us not just Dharmic insights for every person live, but very powerful subtle awareness to the traps in our spiritual path and how to overcome them.

 

ॐ तत् सत