TECHNOLOGY, SIDDHI AND MAYA: DR. SHRINIWAS JANARDAN KASHALIKAR

Technology has made many things, thought to be impossible in the past, easily possible!

In common language these technological feats could be conceived and appreciated as extraordinary achievements. In spiritual tradition such achievements (though through different means and ways); are called SIDDHIS.

ADWAITA philosophy refers to the internal and external universe as MAYA or MITHYA, to indicate and convey its changing, fleeting and hence deceptive nature. I conceive MAYA as a relative reality; as distinguished from the absolute reality.

Technology validates this perspective in many ways.

It is through technology (modern siddhis) that we realize; that; what we see in the immediate vicinity with naked eyes is only apparent; and not ‘real’; whereas; the ‘reality’ of electromagnetic radiations and microbes is not ‘apparent’!

The transmission of news on the news channels of electronic media; validates with great impact; that every situation, every celebrity, every success or failure and every moment; are ephemeral, transient and fleeting!

The internet highlights the ‘reality’ not appreciable to otherwise intelligent mind; that millions of people are reading and thinking about what is uploaded; and millions of people are engaged in different activities; beneficial or harmful to mankind.

It is however necessary to appreciate; that whatever is ‘apparent’ through technology is also fleeting and superficial; and not “real”! It is also relative; and not absolute reality! In fact, technology can produce; illusions, delusions, hallucinations; and paranoid behavior. This is evident in; the larger than life movies, serials, reality shows and advertisements.

The technological feats (siddhis) thus can unveil the MAYA on the one hand and create far more illusory, deceptive and destructive “replications of MAYA” or “MAYA of MAYA” on the other!

What is absolute?

The immortality is absolute! The experience; of immortality, or of being immortal; of saints; is absolute; and hence many of us have experienced the immortality of saints (Biography of Shri Brahmachaitanya Maharaj Gondavlekar by Shri K. V. Belsare). The way to this “absolute”; according to the immortal saints; is NAMASMARAN! We should not believe (or disbelieve) blindly; but verify this by study, discussion, contemplation and most importantly, the practice!