Spiritual Vision

Acharya Shri 108 Krishnamaniji Maharaj

At the outset, lets ponder on the external sense organs and their functions. The meaning of sense organs is "Means" in Sanskrit which actually is medium. These 'means' or the senses are of two types – External and Internal. The external senses can again be divided into two. Some of these external sense organs are used for sensing and others for working. Those that are used for sensing are called perceptive sense organs and the others which are used for working are called organs of action. Furthermore, organs of perceptions are of 5 types, namely –

1. Ears – Those which help in hearing and are mediums for understanding words.

2. Eyes – those which help in seeing i.e. Mediums for shapes and colours

3. Nose - that which helps in smelling – medium for odors

4. Skin – that which helps in touch – medium for cold, warmth, soft, hard etc.

5. Tongue – that which helps in taste – medium for flavor

In this way, these perceptive sense organs help us gain knowledge of the external world.

Those which are used for work, they can be divided into 5 types – Namely-

1. Speech – means for expression of ideas through words

2. Hands – Means for performing various actions

3. Feet – Means for transportation or walking

4. Anus – Means for excretion of waste materials

5. Genitals – Means for excretion of liquefiable wastes and for reproduction.

The above mentioned sense organs are externally oriented, i.e. external mediums. Apart from that, the internal sense organ, or the Antahkaran can be further divided into four parts – manas, buddhi chitta and ahamkar, which can be roughly translated as mind, intellect, mindspace and ego. These internal mediums are subtler than the external sense organs. Combined together these organs are called "Sattva" or to a certain extent can be translated as consciousness. Sattva, has been divided into four different types on the basis of four different fields of operation. Manas or mind for its power of dwelling, buddhi or intellect for the power of its decision making, chitt or mindspace for its power of reflection and ahamkar or ego for its pride and association. Some ancient texts however incorporate chitt and ahamkar as a part of manas and buddhi respectively. Put together they have been called antahkaran for being internal in nature and Sattva for being subtle and being immensely powerful in nature.

Visible external sense perceptions and invisible but capable of being felt internal sense organs are all means or mediums. Knowing them as mediums, the next obvious question should be "For whom are these mediums for or who uses them?" On reflecting deeply, we'll figure it out that these are actually mediums for the Soul or the Spirit and that we ourselves are the Soul and hence these are means for us. God gifted us the body along with the means. As a matter of fact this gift, which we call body, is gross in nature and is a medium and it has been adorned by these subtle but immensely powerful internal sense organs.

Once we realize the above knowledge, our next task would be an enquiry into the God's reason for providing us with such means and such an enquiry will lead us to self realization beyond which lies God Realization. This human form is a means for attaining God Realization. Once we know this, we should ask ourselves whether we are utilizing this God's gift for the reason it has been provided for!!?? If we are on the path of God Realization, well and good and we should have a go at it with more zeal and if not then we should mend our ways for in not doing so, we are only fooling ourselves.

This knowledge will lead us to an understanding that these mediums are important and they have to be used properly. Having their knowledge it becomes vital that we also understand how they work.

Lets now understand the working process of these external and internal sense organs. If we use eyes as a medium for vision, we should also understand that the eyes are associated with manas and hence we are able to see but if our attention or the power of manas is directed elsewhere, we will not be able to see despite the eyes being open. Similarly, if the manas is wandering elsewhere, the ears wont grasp the words that are entering into it. Even though its hearing but not listening properly. Hence we can conclude that without the proper association of the external sense organs with manas, eyes, for example, will not be able to see by themselves. To see, eyes have to be properly associated with, or, have to be in tune with the manas. Hence the association between internal and external sense organs is important and only then the proper functioning of organs of action and organs of perceptions is possible. Hence the phrase, " man ke haariye haar hai" or defeat is only a perception of the mind, function of the mind. If the manas becomes indolent, the body will become slothful. If the mind is active, it would take no time for the body to come into action. The external sense organs derive power from the internal sense organs and without their association they are useless. People with weak minds have sluggish external sense organs and if internal sense organs are strong, people with deformed external organs can excel in work. Even blind and dumb people, if are intelligent can excel in many a tasks. Even though the internal sense organs are subtle, they are immensely powerful and support the external gross sense organs. In the daily interactions, because their use is so openly visible and widespread, we can understand their workings easily, if only we pay proper attention.

Along with the above, one more aspect of life has to be understood properly and that is the Soul. The internal sense organs like mind and intellect work only on the vital force derived from the soul otherwise on passing away of the soul, all adorned body is useless i.e. that body turns into a corpse. One thing clearly stands out and that is the sense organs will only function in the presence of the Soul. They derive their power from the spirit. This power is first transmitted to the internal sense organs and then passed on to the external sense organs. Its only because of the vital force provided by the soul, does this elemental body functions and since it functions because of the soul, this body is only a means or a medium for the soul or the spirit. It is because of the soul, can this body see, hear, smell, walk, talk etc. In short, the external and the internal sense organs are completely dependent on the soul for their function. That is the reason it was mentioned in the beginning that only the soul has vision.

Even though, it is the Soul which has the vision and all the living beings see because of the Soul, the mention of Spiritual Vision here carries a different connotation. Lets enquire further.

It's the energy provided by the soul that enables us to see through our eyes. None the less, this cannot be called spiritual vision. The energy of the soul traverses from within through to the sense organs that we are able to perceive the external world, see the sights, listen to the sounds and smell the odors of the external world. This is called the external vision. When the energy received by the external sense organs, travels from the external sense organs back to the internal sense organs, a human is able to understand the imperceptible knowledge. This knowledge is superior to the perceptible knowledge received by the external sense organs and in this state, what is normally not available to the external sense organs to perceive is also perceived (for eg.: something not usually visible to the eye, can also be seen by it ). This is called the opening of the inner eye. This is the knowledge gained through the sixth sense. On opening of the sixth sense or sometimes called the "Third Eye" in the lay mans language, the subtle secrets of material existence come to the fore and one can see the happenings around the world sitting in one corner of the world. Many great seers have used this sense to calculate the positions and speed of the heavenly bodies in the universe and have unveiled various secrets of the universe. The unveiling of the secrets of the universe is dependent on the intensity of this energy, which reverts from the external sense organs and encompasses the antahkaran, viz. manas, chitta, buddhi and ahamkar. The more the intensity the greater is revealed to the person and hence some ancient seers could see and understand more and some less. The ancient texts refer to this as the 'Inner Vision' as well.

Now let us move onto something more significant. When this reversing energy, passing through the internal sense organs, viz the antahkaran further moves on back to its origin, i.e. the soul, the circuit is completed. In this state, one starts realizing one's own self, gains the knowledge of the soul as well as other souls. Not only this, one then starts perceiving God and also sees the eternal world beyond this transient universe. This vision is called the Spiritual Vision. Those who were blessed with the spiritual vision were able to behold God and know all the secrets of both, transient and the eternal worlds. Such souls, living in the transient world could see the imperishable and describe It. In this perishable world, only a few have been able to attain Spiritual Vision. It is them who have unveiled the knowledge about the imperishable. Those, whose Inner Vision is open, can often catch glimpses of the Demi Gods and Goddesses but they are not able to have a glimpse of the imperishable Eternal Lord or His realm.

Mahamati Shri Prannath ji speaks of beyond the perishable, of the Eternal. Let us try and understand it. The Eternal realm is incomprehendable. From among the imperishable, those souls, who belong to Akshardham and Paramdham, ordained as a humans in this world, live as a spectators in this body. Those belonging to Akshardham are called Ishwari Shrishti and those who belong to Paramdham are called Brahm Shristi's. Mahamati has elaborated on Brahm Shrishti's and on this basis we will have to understand Ishwari Shrishti's as well. Let's throw some light on Bhrahm Shrishti's (Brahmic Souls) here.

The origin of Brahmic Souls is Paramdham. They are also known as Par-atam. Like the awareness of the mind, the awareness of par-atam comes in this transient world. Mahamati has called it by the name of "Surta" – or attention of par-atam. Such surta's are just spectators. They live in the bodies of the exalted jivas together with them. Amongst such souls, whose Spiritual Vision has opened, their attention reverts back to their origin, i.e. the par-atam. Mahamati has called this the unison of the Spiritual Vision with par-atam. In such a state, a Brahmic Soul can behold Poorna Brahm Aksharaateet Paramatma Shri Krishna ji, Shri Rajji and His realm, Paramdham. Not only this, the soul also catches glimpses of various enactments of Paramdham. Only such souls are called completely awakened or completely enlightened. They can envision everything from all of the perishable world to the eternal. Staying in this material perishable world they are beyond it. It is for them Mahamati has mentioned " So rahat bhavsagar paar" , or - those that live beyond the perishable remaining in perishable; "It he baithe ghar jaage dhaam" or –Living here they awaken in Paramdham, the eternal world, etc.

Mahamti has given significant importance to the state where the Spiritual Vision has opened and it has found unison with it par-atam. Hence –

Jab atam drishti judee par atam, tab bhayo atam nived;

Yaa vidh lok lakhe naheen koee, koee bhaagvantee jaane yaa bhed.

जब आतम दृष्ट जुड.ी पर आतम, तब भयो आतम निवेद ।.

या विध लोक लखे नहीं कोई, कोई भागवन्ती जाने या भेद ।।

Dear Sundarsaath ji! We should introspect on this esoteric fact and try and understand it. There is a vast difference between, external vision, inner vision and Spiritual Vision. Its only when the spiritual vision is in unison with its par-atam, is Paramdham and Shri Rajji visible.

This body is just a medium but such a great medium. Utilizing this medium properly, our spiritual vision can be opened and can achieve unison with par-atam.

Now let's begin at the beginning. Have we really thought of this body and all its sense organs as a medium? First of all, we have to recognize it as such. Then we will know that this medium is for us. Now, let us utilize it properly. Our soul's vital force is not for enjoying the external sense objects but for self realization. If we have not understood this body as a medium, how will we understand ourselves. If we utilize this medium for self realization only then have we put it to proper use otherwise we have wasted it. Wasting it is akin to suicide. Would you want to commit one? Destruction of this body by any means is not suicide, its death but not being able to realize self is suicide.

Lets contemplate on what all we have done for our body and for our soul and compare the two. If we have fed the body to make it strong and not done anything for the soul, then we are like that driver who fills the tank of the vehicle he is driving but is famished himself. How long will his vehicle run? Or how long can he drive his vehicle? If he does not feed himself, he will not be able to drive the vehicle past a certain point. The vehicle will not move on its own. We are in the same situation. Thinking that we are the body, we have been taking care of it. This is our blunder. We ourselves are not body but a soul. First task is to recognize and accept ourselves as a soul. Hence an adherent is first asked to recognize one's own Self. Hence –

Pehele aap pehchaano re saadho, pehele aap pehchaano.

O practitioner, first recognize your self.
Recognizing ourselves, we should find out if we have done anything for ourselves? Have we fed the soul? Or have only fed the body. We have provided nutrition for the body but neglected the Self. We don't even know what the food for our Soul is! Hence, figure out the nourishment for the soul. For this, let us study and contemplate the life of Shri Devchandra ji. What has He considered the food for the soul? Holy Shri Tartam Saagar is the food for our soul. This provides us with the love nectar of Shri Raj ji. The divine knowledge or the Tartam Gyaan and the love permeated veneration/worship are the mediums for providing nourishment to the soul. Proper utilization of these means will help in attaining Spiritual Vision and it will unify with par-atam. Only then will we be able to see Shri Raj ji , hear Him, understand His Will, receive His Divine Love and become blissful. Along with it, this perishable body will also drown in ecstasy for the time immemorial.

Reference: Shri 5 Navtanpuri Dham - Jamnagar