MAYA, SIDDHI, STRESS AND TECHNOLOGY: DR. SHRINIWAS
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 relative reality as distinguished from absolute.

Technology validates this perspective in many ways.

It is through technology (modern siddhis) that we realize that; on the one hand; what we ‘see as reality’ in the immediate vicinity with naked eyes; is only ‘apparent’; what we ‘don’t see’ e.g. electromagnetic radiations is a ‘reality, which is not apparent’.

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

The internet highlights the fact, which is 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. In other words, it is also; relative reality and not absolute!

In fact, my hypothesis is; technology can create; illusions, delusions, hallucinatory effects; leading to pleasant and unpleasant feelings, elation and depression and also schizoid and multiple personality like behavior. This is due to the larger than life and hence unrealistic presentation of movies, serials, reality shows, advertisements and even news and other reports!

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

What is absolute?

We find ultimate culmination of our life in the absolute or cosmic consciousness. It is in this cosmic consciousness that we experience the ultimate of bliss, peace, and harmony; and the way to this “absolute” is NAMASMRAN! We should not believe, disbelieve, accept or discard this; blindly; but verify this conviction; on the basis of extensive study, discussion, contemplation and most importantly, the practice!

MAHATMA GANDHI: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Mahatma Gandhi translated his vision and perceptions with almost complete fidelity, almost universal acceptability and almost maximum feasibility into sociopolitical programs and activities; which proved fulfilling for his ‘true self’ and hence inspiring for the world!

The word “almost” is used; to concede the controversies!

Many great people have had either mere profound vision of universal progress or mere poetic feelings of global welfare or mere tangible endeavors for the emancipation of mankind. But few have had all these; and to such phenomenal extent.

Very few of us are aware of the fact that Mahatma Gandhi not only practiced NAMASMARAN with top priority, steadfastly and continuously; but has written a book on it and held it in the highest esteem. If we have to describe the real spirit of Mahatma Gandhi in one word; then it is; NAMASMARAN!

Today, we need exact translation; of universal philosophy, vision, perception, feelings, laws, policies, programs and plans; in all the fields of life; and at personal, family, social and global levels. In short; we need the appropriate application of the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi.

NAMASMARAN VS NAMAVISMARAN: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

NAMA is a word used to indicate true self; inseparable from the unifying universal self. Hence forgetting our self or being oblivious to our self can be referred to as NAMAVISMARAN [NAMA (self); VISMARAN (forgetting)].

As we “forget” our true self (NAMAVISMARAN), i.e. undergo a “descent” into our caricatures, we begin to live as our caricatures. We then get segregated into races, philosophies, ideologies, religions, cultures, nations, regions, families and individuals! Latter we descend further by the downward momentum of individualization and into pettier and meaner life!

This universal process of NAMAVISMARAN manifests in the form of individualistic whims, fancies, idiosyncrasies, delinquencies, perversions, family disputes, quarrels; and world wide spate of antisocial activities leading to discord and destruction.

Since the root of the individual and universal problems; lies in the universal process of NAMAVISMARAN, the panacea for the radical measure for the cure and prevention of the individual and universal problems; lies in reversal of the prevalent universal process of NAMAVISMARAN through active practice and promotion of universal process of NAMASMARAN.

One can verify this; by the practice of NAMASMARAN; in personal life; by getting the reassuring and blissful experience of regeneration and rejuvenation of the petty self, by NAMA!

MANIACAL TENDENCIES: DR SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Most of us we wake up with some desire and also desire to do something (although vague).

But when this excitement gets flared up indiscriminately and becomes excessive, unreasonable, coercive and violent; then it is called maniacal tendency. Pathologically severer forms show far more aggressiveness and indiscriminate violence.

We can try the following; at our own risk; if we suffer from maniacal tendency;

1. Finding out; how reasonable and how important our desires are; and avoid the desires, which are unreasonable and not so very important to us.
2. Finding out; how much we may hurt and/or harm others; in fulfilling our desires and avoid them.
3. Finding out; if our own quiet and peaceful existence appears passive, redundant and defeatist to us!
4. Finding out; if there is ever increasing discrepancy between our achievements and our expectations; in view of rapid passage of time and advancing age.
5. Finding out; if the practice of NAMASMARAN helps us; to overcome the depressing or upsetting influences from the fleeting external and internal environment.

STRESS ELECTIONS AND DEMOCRACY: DR. SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

It is due to our own defects that we fail to appreciate that certain concepts such as elections and democracy are misused to black mail us and perpetuate injustice.

We fail to appreciate that dictatorship is certainly not a solution to individual and social stress; but democracy per se, leads to unabated meanness, pettiness and chaos; in absence of proactive measures in individual and global blossoming; through universally benevolent policies and plans such as holistic medicine, holistic education, holistic laws!

The barbaric forces; continue to thrive on unaccountability, irresponsibility, populist policies, and selfishness; leading to demotion of divinity promotion of pettiness and corruption.

Democracy becomes a license to voice and assert resentment, non acceptance, disgruntlement, disagreement, non cooperation, opposition and sabotaging of everything that comes in the way sectarian vested interests.

As a result of deification of elections and democracy; we (the voters and the candidates), have either developed an illusion or a superstition; that elections and democracy are panacea for the cure of the ubiquitous stress in individual and social life, or we pretend so; and promote, propagate and publicize these illusions and superstitions.

We have go to the root causes, dimensions and implications of stress; in individual, family, nations, world, in different walks of life, different age groups and different conditions such as pregnancy, delivery, diseases, handicaps, accidents, cyclones, earthquakes, epidemics, disasters, wars and religious persecutions.

This reveals to us; how the elections and democracy can be evolved for individual and global blossoming!

Thus; elections and democracy; together constitute; an ideological framework and mechanism; that tries to emulate the homeostatic mechanism in the body.

In homeostatic mechanisms of the body there is an ongoing connectivity and feed backs; from every cell in the body; to the governing centers; to ensure simultaneous wellbeing of the individual cells and the whole organism. If these function optimally, then the cells and the organism live healthily.

In democracy also; if all the inhabitants in a society are connected and interactive through feedback mechanisms; with the governing center/s; the well being of the individuals and the society; is ensured! To elections represent this connectivity and feedback operations with the controlling center or centers.

But, if there is no oxygen, then the homeostasis and the individual cells fail; and if the homeostasis and individual cells fail, then the feed back mechanisms also fail. The well being of the organism and the cells cannot be achieved unless oxygen is supplied promptly.

Today; we are short of oxygen of divinity. We are degenerating in pettiness. Therefore; the democratic mechanisms and electoral processes; representing social homeostasis and feedback mechanisms are also degenerating and collapsing. Hence; the individual and the social well being is in peril.

Through NAMASMARAN (the supply of oxygen); the controlling centers (the international leadership in different fields), the homoeostasis (democratic mechanisms), all the cells (individuals); and feedback mechanisms (elections) would be restored to health.

Even in individual life; through NAMASMARAN; we can elect the best amongst the millions of emotions and thoughts; arising every moment in our mind; and assert the best choice and enjoy intrapersonal democracy! This is exactly what ensures; healthy leadership, healthy democracy, healthy elections and healthy individuals.

Such evolution of elections and democracy (in our society and within ourselves) is implied in Total Stress Management i.e. individual and universal blossoming; i.e. holistic renaissance!