Inner Realms: Of breaking free from ego & the cycle of life and death

We generally consider ourselves as being distinct from the rest of the creation. The creator may also be seen as someone in the sky above. Someone, who can be pleased through flowers and offerings. This feeling or belief is what is known as ‘Duality’ or as some scholars have described it ‘Ego’. The expression ego in spiritual parlance is not about being mentally bloated or thinking too high of oneself. Ego or duality is the state of dark about the realisation that we are a part of the Paramatman (the divine creator and existence).

In one of the myths, it is mentioned that all souls lived happily in the peaceful realms of heaven. Misled by the Devil or Shaitan, many of them came to the Supreme and demanded that they be set free. They no longer wanted to be attached to Paramatman, rather wanted their own sovereign existence. The Divine, knowing that nothing can exist without him, also comprehended that these souls were not in a state to understand the eternal truth. He then created the infinite realms of material existence where these souls could go. He also gave them individual consciousness and free will. To be co-creators. This also gave rise to duality, a feeling in them that they were independent.

The so-called freedom in the material existence is also a great set of shackles. Only the ones who are able to peel off the veils of duality, of Maya or illusion, through right living and meditation can break free of this cycle of birth and death.

The Upanishads explain that we are a part and parcel of the one reality, the cause of all causes. If we were to be distinct from the One, then our self-realisation, our liberation would be an impossibility because souls would cease to exist; their very existence has to be within the One.

Secondly, if at all the soul came outside the purview of eternal super-consciousness, it could create a bondage for itself, which would be eternal, without an unconditionally loving creation and creator surrounding it.

The Upanishads, thus, resolve a central question. Some narratives state that souls can be perpetually condemned to realms like hell without any light or hope for redemption. That, the Upanishads illuminate to be incorrect and contrary to the very nature of the creator. None can subsist away or by detaching itself from the existence of the Supreme. Since the fundamental quality of the super-consciousness is bliss, it is only natural that no portion of it can forever stay unblissful. Hence, the expression ‘forever damned’ allegorically signifies a very long period of pain, an existence which may appear to be hopeless.

There is a story of the great sage Bhrigu, who is considered as one of the 7 greatest sages or Sapta Rishis. He is also famous because the Bhrigu Samhita, a Sanskrit astrological (Jyotisha) treatise compiled by him, is used for astrological forecasting.

The story says that Bhrigu is instructed by his father Varuna, who is also his Guru, to realise Brahman through tapas. Tapas implies deep meditation in perfect surrender. As Bhrigu meditated, he was able to slowly pierce through the various layers of maya or illusion. He became self-realised as time went by.

The entire analysis is also brought together in the Mandukya Upanishad from the Atharvaveda. This is perhaps the most important of all the Vedantic texts from the point of view of Vedantic meditation. It is explained by sages that for the liberation of the soul, the Mandukya alone is sufficient. The principal method of meditation according to the Upanishads is provided and explained in the Mandukya Upanishad.

It is written that the most profound Samadhi is one of not doing. Where the soul is inspired and the Brahman himself does the Tapas or meditation. The meditator only receives, in a state of deep surrender or relaxation. Beyond the asanas and postures. This ‘experience’ is the way of meditation enshrined in the Upanishads.

A process of slow but sure enlightenment taking place deep inside. Such a knowing which permeates every cell, every aspect of our being is the theme and the undercurrent of the very thought of the Upanishads. They are thus the pristine, perhaps representing the earliest Divinely revealed scriptures on jnana, the tattva darshan or a deep knowing of the one primordial creator (Tattva—essence, the principle; darshana- experience, knowing).

(Disclaimer: The views expressed are the author’s own).

Parneet Sachdev is an International Tax Consultant, Author, Professor of Eminence and former Principal Chief Commissioner Income Tax. He has also written best-selling books, including “The Six Secrets of Life.”