Religions of the World: Same or Different?

It is simplistic to say that the religions of the world are all same. They are clearly not. But it is also simplistic to say that the religions of the world are so different that they share nothing at all in common. That is not true either. Religions do share much in common, but opinions can vary about what it is that is shared among religions and where it is that they differ.

Our Addiction to the Cosmic TV

It might seem like the TV appeared on the face of this earth only a few decades ago. Not quite. The TV has been here for as long as the “here” has been here. Clearly, I am not speaking about the tiny box (not so tiny these days) in most urban households the world over. I am referring to the huge box spanning our mind and the senses. It is so huge that not only can we not think outside the box, but we cannot even see beyond it.

Bathing the Lord

When I was offering the ritual bathing water (snāna) during the worship some days ago, a thought came to my mind. Water can be seen as representing matter (since its potentiality is identified with one of the five primal elements) and the offering of snāna, besides being water for bathing, represents also a material sheath to cover the Spiritual Being, who is of the nature of pure consciousness. Only when clothed in matter can God become tangible and accessible to the human mind and senses.

Krishna: The Stealer

Through charming stories, songs, and anecdotes, the baby Krishna is depicted as a stealer of butter. His personality is so endearingly lovable and it is so easy to fall in love with him that he is also often called a stealer of hearts.

The Consciousness of Consciousness

I wouldn’t be able to see the chair unless I was conscious that I was seeing the chair. There cannot be any perception without consciousness. I am conscious of the chair in front of me, but am I conscious that I am conscious of the chair in front of me? Do I have consciousness of the consciousness of the chair? Can I experience consciousness itself?

The Pseudo Atmans

It made me very happy when I received an email about three years ago in which a friend wrote: “One thing is crystal clear: the Annamaya Kośa is all about decay and death.” How very true!

The Truth in Me

Besides the obvious truth (“I am a human being”) and the spiritually yet-to-be experienced truth (“I am pure consciousness, free and eternal”), what is the truth in me now, at this moment?—this is an important question that every spiritual seeker has to grapple with.