A BMI insight into Itihasas

Human beings have fascinating existence at multiple levels – physical, emotional, mental, intellectual, spiritual amongst others. Yet we can reduce the entire human existence into two – external and internal. The rishis have termed all the sets of external apparatus as Bhahishkarana and all the internal instruments as Antahkarana. We dealt this at length in BMI chart – Swami Chinmayananda’s teaching aid. 

The body and mind are perceived as an amalgamation of Indriyas, typically defined as indraM AtmA tasya sAdhanam indriyam. Indra refers to Atma and hence indriyas are saadhana, instruments deployed by Atma.

The body is comprises of the five Jnanendriyas (sense organs), sometimes called as Buddhi indriyas and five Karmendriyas (organs of action). The five Jnanendriyas are Chakshu (sense of sight - eyes), Shrotra (sense of hearing - ears), Ghraana (sense of smell –nose), Rasanaa (sense of taste – tongue) and Twak/Sparshana (sense of touch – skin). These are the agents deployed by the manas (mind) to get sensory inputs from the objective world.  The five Karmendriyas are Vaak (organ of speech - tongue), Paani (organ of grasping – hands), Paada (organ of locomotion – feet), Paayu (organ of defecation – rectum) and Upastha (organ of procreation – genitals).  These are directed by the mind to perform actions.

The manas is also referred as Ubhaya Indriya as it is the Primary Indriya. The Bhagavad Gita describes it as the sixth sense - "Manah shashthanindri-yani-the senses of which mind is the sixth" (Gita, XV-7). Swami Sivananda classifies the Indriyas to be in two states – dynamic and static. When a desire pulses through, the indriyas are said to be dynamic and when gratified, they return to a state of satisfaction (trupti) and hence said to be in a static/passive state.

Buddhi is the higher faculty of discrimination, intellect and judgment. As the senses come in contact with the sensory objects or when a desire bubbles up, owing to vasanas, there is a strong inclination to activate the Jnanedriyas and Karmendriyas to effect an action. We reviewed this in detail in Desire – a genealogical approach.

            The interplay of Body-Mind-Intellect has been explained in many diverse ways by great seers and sages, yet we find their insights to be captured in the itihasas in a very simple, yet complete way. We will explore three sets of people from Ramayana and Mahabharata. The idea is not to extrapolate these insights to the entire book, but to highlight the complex BMI interactions.

Everything gone wrong - Tamasic

            The primary antagonists in the Mahabharata are Duryodhana, Dhritarashtra and Shakuni, who represent the body, mind and intellect respectively. Duryodhana was merely sense objects personified. His vasanas were merely expressed unrestrained, be it anger, jealousy or any other emotion. There was literally no effective barrier between a desire sprouting and his wanting to implement it; hence he represents the Body principle. The lack of restraint represents the Adharmic nature.

            In a sense the real Mahabharata happens between the two players who were merely forces of influence, witness, yet all the other players were influenced by them – one is Krishna and the other is Dhritarashtra. All the desires of Dhritarashtra were merely given an action form by Duryodhana. Since he was also a puppet of Duryodhana who is identified with the sensory objects, it is easy to understand this state of mind, which is dominated by sensory inputs and pleasures. 

            Buddhi is supposed to be the discriminating faculty. But Shakuni uses all his available intellect only for diabolical purposes. He coaxes Duryodhana to nurture hatred for the Pandavas, which is silently acceptable to Dhritarashtra. He provides plans to murder Bhima when he was a child, tries to eliminate all the Pandavas with the lakshagraha (wax palace), comes with numerous plans to checkmate Pandavas with every Adharmic idea possible. It is his brainchild to invite them and defeat them in the game of dice. 

            This represents the common person in Kaliyuga. The body is completely under the sway of senses, as in the midnight briyani or pizza to eat or violate every dharmic norm to manifest one’s own desire. The vasanas hold the individual on such a tight leash that they are literally slaves to the desires. Worse yet, there is no distinction of the manas and buddhi, as they have also merged into the desires. We see such individuals in extreme cases as gluttons, epicureans, self-indulgent, hedonistic pleasure seekers of all shapes and sizes. Their primary goal of their existence is to enjoy the desires.

            Unable to even exist separately as body-mind-intellect, they are mere expressions of desires and do not even understand the ramifications of their own actions. Their own Karmaphala is not comprehensible as they are lost in a sense of entitlement. Expecting a transformation may involve superhuman grace as all the instruments are broken beyond repair. A bevy of mahatmas from Vidura, Vyasa, Narada, Sanatsujata and Krishna himself, advice all of the three, yet fail to make even a dent in their understanding. Usually Time is the only agent that brings a change through their Karmaphalas over several janmas.

            Is there a way out from this vortex? Luckily yes and we see two different levels of examples one each from Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Ramayana example - Rajasic

            Ravana is the very epitome of someone who is completely swayed by the senses. In many circles the ten heads of Ravana are given to represent the ten indriyas. His very existence seems to be the expression of desires and desire born manifestations. He refuses to pay heed to anyone giving good advice. He even arm twists Maricha to sacrifice himself as a golden deer to abduct Sita. He refuses the advice of Hanuman and Vibhishana, even Kumbhakarna or Mandodari. Obsessed by his passion, he behaves like a fly attracted to the burning lamp. 

इन्द्रियाणि पुरा जित्वा जितन् त्रिभुवणं त्वया | स्मरद्भिरिव तद्वैरमिन्द्रियैरेव निर्जितः || ६-१११-१८

indriyaaNi puraa jitva jitam tribhuvanam tvayaa | smaradbhiH iva tat vairam indriyaireva nirjitaH || 6-111-18

            Mandodari laments at the dead body of Ravana – “In the past you have conquered the three worlds and senses through your penance. As if to avenge this enmity, those senses have conquered you”. Her lamentations aptly frame him as a person immersed in the senses and tossed around by sensory world of objects.

            Kumbhakarana represents the mind that is totally oblivious to anything but its pleasure manifestation. He is even depicted as a person in deep slumber, despite a person of enormous strength, akin to our mind. Being subservient to the body that is identified itself with chasing any desire that arises in it. Interestingly, when there are shocking incidents in life, even the mind wakes up briefly only to slip back. This is often referred as smashana vairagya, temporary will. We all experience this like the New Year resolution to lose the same weight every year. As creatures of habit, without even realizing we bury ourselves deep in our old ways with vasanas as our only guide.

            Vibhishana represents the buddhi principle. Despite living as a brother of the worst evil entity in the Universe, he is able to maintain the focus by living a life of Dharma. Against all odds he tries to bring the sense ridden body (Ravana) back on track, even at the cost of his life. Wedded to the principles of higher morality, he keeps infusing Dharma everywhere. It must be noted when such a high living is struggling against all odds, Bhagwan sends some Satsang (Hanuman) to strengthen the backbone and to inspire one to persist on this path of trials and tribulations with the head held high. When the Buddhi knows that the only way to safeguard Dharma is at the feet of Bhagwan, it surrenders unconditionally – Saranagati. Bhagwan is the sole refuge for Dharma and its observers.

            The Ramayana example is very suitable to all of us. We struggle with our habits and vasanas - tossed incessantly by the waves of desires. We may not be in the league of Ravana in terms of our actions, but the pattern of being enslaved to the indriyas make us classified in the same class. The manas is the superior indriya which is supposed to direct the rest. Yet due to our wrong identification of ourselves as desires, we seek no difference between manas and indriyas. The Buddhi tries to tell, but unlike Vibhishana, due to our lack of depth in dharmic life or understanding of the scriptures and our resistance to satsang, we are not even a fraction as effective as him. The Buddhi when continuously ignored takes a back seat or in worst cases behaves like Shakuni, misguiding us deeper into Adharma. But just like Vibhishana, we can turn it around by cultivating a thirst for Satsanga, studying scriptures periodically and cultivating vairagya (dispassion) for the worldly objects using viveka (discrimination).

            This Rajasic model is very typical of a beginner Sadaka. As one fights repeatedly against the slippery slope of one’s burden of vasanas, deciding to help oneself through Satsanga, scriptures and constant introspection aid the Buddhi like the trusted friends of Vibhishana who joined him to surrender at the feet of Rama.

Mahabharata example - Saatvic

            The Mahabharata offers an even higher form of example with Bhima-Yudhishtra-Arjuna giving the best form of pattern to emulate. They represent the body-mind-intellect respectively.

            Bhima is the very embodiment of strength. He is often shown as a connoisseur of great food, which implies he is very choosy in enjoying sense objects without violating dharma. Though he has a plethora of emotions that are due to contact of Duryodhana’s actions, he keeps them under check. His anchor is Yudhishtra who is centered on Dharma. Having that boundary at all times (well most) is the biggest best example for all of us. We saw in How anyone can become a Brahmana – Bhagwan Krishna’s insight how Dama, control of senses is critical and this is exactly demonstrated by Bhima.

            Yudhishtra represents manas. The best place to see this character is before and after the war. He is anxious to find different options to avoid the war, but at the same time wants Justice to prevail. He struggles to cope with the loss of relatives on both sides. The burden of so many deaths oppresses his sensitive mind. When Yudhishtra approaches Krishna, instead of doing a Bhagavad Gita, Act II, he is advised to seek Bhishma. For a person who is very emotional and disturbed, more than a Bhagwan, an Acharya, a Guru is more critical. Bhishma responds to the incessant volley of subtle questions with a treasure trove of responses. He prepares the minds of all the assembled, which include the choicest of rishis to the most valorous. As a Guru, he shares the greatest secret that Krishna is the very essence of the Brahman any aspirant must seek by giving us Vishnu Sahasaranama.

            Arjuna in our analogy represents the Buddhi. He demonstrates extraordinary ability to be one-focused by doing tapasya for long periods of time and achieves many superhuman feats. Yet, just like all of us, till the time we face the very existential question manage to get along with our lacuna. When Arjuna is confronted with the choice of no escape, he breaks down completely. Swami Chinmayananda refers to this human condition as Arjuna Syndrome. Again since the entire ecosystem of Pandavas is rooted in Dharma, he surrenders unconditionally to Krishna. Thanks to this superior state of Buddhi, the first chapter of Arjuna’s lamentations is referred as Arjuna Vishada Yoga. Thanks to his interactive nature, we have an in depth dialogue with Krishna captured as Bhagavad Gita.

 

            The Saatvic approach is to work on constantly improving from all angles. It normally is the case with advanced sadaks.

Krishna’s guidance

            How can one work on oneself when we are not sure where to begin? Krishna gives an easy prescription in Bhagavad Gita Sloka 6.5.

उद्धरॆत् आत्मना आत्मानं न आत्मानम् अवसादयॆत् ।
आत्म एव हि आत्मनः बंधुः आत्म एव रिपुः आत्मनः ॥

uddharEt AtmanA AtmAnaM na AtmAnam avasAdayEt |
Atma eva hi AtmanaH baMdhuH Atma eva ripuH AtmanaH || Bhagavad Gita 6.5 ||

             “One should raise oneself by one’s Self alone; let not one lower oneself; for the Self alone is the friend of oneself, and the Self alone is the enemy of oneself”.

From the grossest to the subtle – we find the world of Objects, Emotions and Thoughts, the perceived world of Reality. The indriyas bring these to the manas which needs these constant inputs. Unfortunately the manas can lose itself in the desires thereby merging itself into the world of experiences. We see this example commonly when one loses oneself in anger. If the Buddhi is not rooted in Dharma, it can be dragged along by the manas for a ride. 

Amongst the three the Buddhi is the higher principle. If it loses the veto constantly to the manas and body identified with the sensory objects, it has to invoke the highest principle. Placing the buddhi at the feet of Paramatma lifts it higher, thereby slowly dragging the manas and body. For example if a person goes to temple or chooses meditation or read scriptures, at that moment, though the mind is struggling to focus, over a period of time, it can be made to realize the higher subtler principle. The higher Self or principle is the solution. Manas is supposed to direct the indriyas, Buddhi the manas, but if the entire system has collapsed like Duryodhana-Dhritarashtra-Shakuni or when overwhelmed like in Ravana-Kumbhakarna, Krishna hints he is always available to give us a hand.

May Krishna and Rama continue to help the Buddhi and the Sadakas reaching out to HIM, for without HIS guidance, it is impossible to even realize that we are stuck in this samsarasagara, let alone cross it. May our thoughts, words and actions get refined by our continuous efforts and HIS Grace.

Om Tat Sat