Our real nature - Ribhu Nidhaga

             In Practical Krishna – our stolen identity, we obtained an insight about our real nature. We are not the body, mind or intellect, but Atma. Graduating from this pedantic understanding to realizing in one’s own life is the spiritual journey. Though the different acharyas have explained the relationship between Atma and Paramatma in various ways, there is no difference in their firm realization that our real nature is Atma. This must definitely not be mistranslated or mapped to the Abrahamic idea of Soul. For starts, animals and plants do not have soul and even the enslaved black Africans did not have a soul until a century or so. In contrast even plants have an Atma, according to Sanatana Dharma.

            To establish in this Atma vichara and see our life through this prism needs sustained immersion and realization of the concept. This can happen only from within and no matter how much input an external source provides, the real connection happens within. Shastras and satsangha can aid, but cannot substitute the SELF REALIZATION. Nonetheless, the ones who realize seem to share an extreme compassion for the ones who have not and are always keen to share, especially with the worthy and the eager.

            Great Rishis have given numerous insights at different levels and many are captured as shastras. Any genuine aspirant can benefit from these. Since they are recollections of esoteric experiences, they are called smritis. There are eighteen Puranas in this category. Vishnu Purana by Maharishi Parasara, father of Maharishi Vyasa holds a special place as the remaining Puranas are compiled by his son Vyasa. Vishnu Purana is fraught with deep wisdom and one such is captured in the following incident.

Storytime:

            Maharishi Parasara recounts the history of Jada Bharata and Raja Rahugana and as a part of Jada Bharata’s teaching, the following narrative is embedded. The story expounded by Jada Bharata dispelled the subtlest doubts about Atma jnana and helped Rahugana to establish in it.

Episode 1: Ribhu, the illustrious son of Brahma had a disciple Nidhaga, Maharishi Pulastya’s son. Though out of extreme compassion Ribhu gave him the subtlest deepest Knowledge, he retained very little. After a thousand years (Note there are different explanations like one day lived in highest virtue is same as one year – That is why we are able to map big numbers. Many scholars have provided irrefutable calculations based on such interpretations. For skeptics, read it as a long time)

Ribhu came to visit Nidhaga who had settled in a grove that was in the city of Viranagara, along the banks of river Devika. Nidhaga­, having completed Vishwadeva homa, was at the gates of the city, expecting any athitis to host. Having sighted Ribhu, whom he mistook as a normal hungry Brahmana, Nidhaga requested him to have food at his house. Not happy with the choice of foods offered, Ribhu wanted special foods to be prepared if Nidhaga wanted to host him. (The demanded list included morkozhambu(south Indian variant of Kadi), akkaradisal (sweet pongal cooked in milk) and thenkuzhal (a tasty snack)).

            Eager to please, Nidhaga had his dutiful wife prepare them in a short notice. He served the athiti (an unannounced guest who has no preset time to stay) diligently and after Ribhu had consumed his full, began to massage his feet and wondered if the food was satisfactory and if his hunger was satisfied. He was also curious to know where Ribhu came from, where he lived and where he was headed.

            Ribhu exclaimed that “One who is hungry alone can be pleased with meals. He pointed that the question was in vain as hunger and thirst are merely bodily needs. On the other hand, pleasure and contentment were attributes of the mind.” Ribhu suggested the question must be parried to those whose minds are afflicted. On the last three questions, Ribhu said the real nature of human being is Atma. There is no coming or going nor staying for Atma. He reminded Nidhaga that he was not the body, but Atma.

            Ribhu said he wanted to know Nidhaga’s opinion and hence tested him by asking special foods. Taste is dependent on vasanas and likes and dislikes. Karmas, vasanas though closely surrounding the Atma cannot affect it. Rising above the likes and dislikes, having mental equanimity leads to Moksha.  The stunned and thrilled Nidhaga wanted to know the real personality of Ribhu, who identified himself as his own guru. Ribhu clarified that this prapancha, the material Universe, was nothing more than part of Vasudeva’s body. Having given this deep insight, Ribhu went to his desired quarter, with Nidhaga reveling in Guru’s grace.  

Episode 2: Another thousand years passed, Ribhu desirous to see his disciple came back at a time when the Raja was entering the city gates in a procession. Nidhaga having collected samit (wooden sticks for yagna) and darbha was standing in a corner, avoiding the crowds. Ribhu (the disciple could not identify him) saluted him and wondered why the famished Nidhaga was standing aloof. Nidhaga responded that he was waiting for the Raja to enter the gates followed by the crowds.

            Ribhu wondered who the Raja was and how he could identify him. Nidhaga was taken aback by his innocence. He explained that the person who was seated on the elephant was the Raja with the interest to differentiate. Ribhu asked him that he was not able to differentiate two entities as Raja and elephant. Nidhaga patiently said the one that is below is the elephant, which was carrying and the one above was the Raja, who was carried.

            Now Ribhu said Nidhaga was confusing with more terms as he could not grasp and asked him “what is above and below”. He wondered what all these have to do with carrying. Nidhaga unable to communicate, in frustration, quickly jumped on to the back of Ribhu and informed that “I am standing on top and you are below”. Ribhu patiently asked him that these new ideas of “I” and ”You” was even more confusing. Unless he figured the “I”, all other ideas of “You”, “Above”, “Below”, “Raja”, “Praja” made no sense. Nidhaga was reminded of his Guru Ribhu and fell at his feet, who informed that he was the same. Ribhu told him that he came back to help Nidhaga establish in Atma jnana. Nidhaga was able to now establish in the Brahmajnana by stopping the differentiation the mind was constantly accustomed to. He was able to focus on the Atmasvarupa of everything as the same. Such a firm rooting led him to Moksha.

Practical application:

            To understand this idea, let us take a mundane example that as people of modern science we all grasp easily. We understand the world of our perception is made of matter which is composed of atoms and molecules. The normal perception of objects is based on the different properties, which is very valid and it helps us to operate in the world. We cannot treat a super hot molten metal the same way as a glass of water. As our elementary science understanding evolves, we see that these atoms and molecules also have special characteristics. As our science progresses, we see the different atoms are made up of protons, electrons and neutrons. At this level for an intelligent person, differentiation ceases, as we cannot differentiate a separated electron from hydrogen atom with that of oxygen. Going deeper we understand that even these meld into mere energy. At quantum level, our understanding of the universe is completely different from the gross universe we are accustomed to.

            Let us draw limited parallels now. At the vyavaharika or laukika level, we see the world based on our gunas. Our Karmas and vasanas color the gunas and vice versa. This colored perception of the world is centered on our minds. The indriyas that are under the influence of the manas continuously perceive and act upon these colored views. The buddhi which is supposed to aid our discretion is also heavily influenced by the manas, that leading us to a view of the world that is tossed endlessly between sukha and dukha. Thinking that the objects of desire will produce lasting sukha, we repeatedly indulge in them. As soon as the object based pleasure is produced, it begins to show its other side. Krishna calls it as Dukhalayam in Gita.

            The root of all this is the erroneous notion of our real identity. We assume it is our body (which we combine it with mind and intellect). But even at BMI level of perception, we can see a gradation if we see only from a bodily perspective to an intellectual or emotional one. The west has appropriated this idea as Self Actualization. Yet the BMI limitations must be transcended.  By study of shastras and smritis, with satsangha one can develop an understanding that there is something beyond BMI. Atma’s existence can be faintly perceived. Just like mere understanding of electrons, protons as energy is different from perceiving the Universe as nothing by energy and information condensed in different patterns. In the same way constant Atmavichara brings us to face the underlying commonality of undivided Atma. Scriptures have gone on to differentiate this as Paramatma for the sake of better understanding and this represents Paramarthika level.

            Ribhu reiterated numerous times to Nidhaga that when we dissolve this differentiation that is the very basis of our manas and train to see the Atma that is undifferentiated behind all, it elevates our true self to face its real identity. Manas sees the world as opposites – heat and cold, happy and sad, honor and dishonor. Switching to view everything through the prism of Atma one realizes that everything is modification or morphing of Achuta. The one Vasudeva through his different forms appears as different objects. As karmas cloak and guide these individual separately perceived atmas, it appears to travel differently in different directions and also mired eternally in this samasara sagara. This switch of how we see the world unfortunately is governed by the manas, which is a slave to the vasanas.  Indriyas and vasanas pull us constantly into an external and materialistic outlook. This is needed definitely. That is where Dharma which contains Artha and Kama within itself comes into play. This helps the over obsession with laukika to gradually turn inward. The Buddhi is blunted by the onslaught of the sensory objects. Krishna teaches us in Bhagavad Gita sloka 6-5 to use the buddhi to slowly pull ourselves closer to Atmachintana. A generous dose of satsangha and study of shruri/smriti like Bhagavad Gita helps one solidify Atmavichara.

            Once we glimpse Atmaswarupa we do not fall prey to the sensory pleasures which are also rooted in the same Atma. Perceiving itself as a body or a limited Atma, there is a constant urge to achieve eternal happiness. Striving to obtain it in sensory objects, there is a realization of the ephemeral nature, which still doesn’t satisfy the innate urge. This happens only when the perceiving prism is switched to Atma from the body. Replacing this Dehatmabuddhi with the real Atmaswarupa is liberating, hence called Moksha.

            This switch doesn’t happen without constantly cleansing our gunas. As Sattva begins to increasingly dominate our guna composition, we tend to see the reality without any distortions of karma or vasanas. May we achieve this atmasakshatkara by constantly studying scriptures and having good satsangha, but more importantly by working on ourselves by altering our outlook. May we hold firmly to the feet of sadhus who revel in the eternal ananda of atma.

 

ॐ तत् सत