In most of the spiritual group or
discussion forums, there are no discussions on the subject matter, but most of
the people indulge in making point or getting their point across to be heard
and making observations from their own limited viewpoint from their accumulated
knowledge based on the false self.
By getting rid of Ignorance one can acquire Self-knowledge
or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. But he has got none
but himself to remove his ignorance.
One may find solution for his worldly problems by others,
but self-knowledge has to be acquired none but one's own self.
Sri,
Sankara says in (VC) :-
54. The true nature of things is to be known personally,
through the eye of clear illumination, and not through a sage: what the moon
exactly is, is to be known with one's own eyes; can others make him know it?
55. Who but one's own self can get rid of the bondage
caused by the fetters of Ignorance, desire, action and the like, aye even in a
hundred crore of cycles ?
405. The Shrutis themselves declare that this dualistic
universe is but a delusion from the standpoint of Absolute Truth. This is also
experienced in the state of dreamless sleep.
407. This apparent universe has its root in the mind, and
never persists after the mind is annihilated. Therefore dissolve the mind by
concentrating it on the Supreme Self, which is thy inmost Essence.
First the seeker has to realize his inherited religious
conditioning [samskaras] is greatest obstacle in self-realization.
The ultimate truth is one without the second, the one is not in
the sense half or two, but the one that remain forever One, without the
second. The consciousness is all pervading;
there is no place where consciousness is not.
Consciousness is in everyone, consciousness is in everything. Consciousness
is one behind many. Consciousness alone is. It means the universe is the
visible form of consciousness. Formless and colourless is consciousness’s
creative and impulsive imagination to know itself as omnipresent, infinite and
eternal. Consciousness in turn is invisible form of the universe.
When Sri,Sankara says the world is
illusion, it includes birth, life and death, which happens within the world.
Thus seekers main aim is to mentally trace the formless substance of the
illusion, which is also the witness of the illusion. The formless substance and
witness of the illusion (universe) is the Atman, and this Atman itself is
Brahman. This Brahman cannot be attained by indulging in egocentric religious
orthodoxies. The knower of Brahman is Brahmin not the Brahmin who indulges in
priest craft, which leads one to utter darkness as per Yajur Veda.
Brahmin is the one who has realized
the Brahman or Gnani [ultimate truth]
and helps fellow seekers towards inner path. The one who knows Brahman knows his
body and his experience of the world are mere illusion and also he knows his
body and his experience of the world are also as Atman [consciousness], which
is Brahman. Thus, the priest craft which are crafted on the body based theories
will lead one to hallucinated moksha. But real moksha or freedom is possible
only through non-dual wisdom.
Thus it is necessary to follow the
path of Brahman not the path of the priest- craft. Only by dropping all the
accumulated priest crafted baggage, one has to move forward to reach the Advaitic or non-dual destination in lesser time and effort.
Consciousness
is not different from mind or physical existence(man+world). The substance and witness of the mind or physical existence is
consciousness. The consciousness is the
true self and when one limits the consciousness to the physical entity, it
becomes ego and ego is the cause of experiencing the duality as reality. Ego is
the cause of the ignorance of formless non-dual nature of the
consciousness. Prior to experience of
duality or mind, there is only consciousness. The ego is part of the experience
of duality. The consciousness can remain
with or without the experience of duality but ego ceases to exist without the
experience of duality or mind. The mind is fully dependent on consciousness,
whereas the consciousness is independent. Therefore there is need to understand what is
mind and what is substance of the mind in order to assimilate the Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.
References of such commands are replete in scriptures like Manusmriti, Vedas, Upanishads, Brahmins, Grihsutras, Dharmasutras and others.
Few citations from different scriptures are imperative to bring home the point and clear the misconceptions:-
Manusmriti (Chapter 5 / Verse 30) says, “It is not sinful to eat meat of eatable animals, for Brahma has created both the eaters and the eatables.”
Manusmriti (5 / 35) states: When a man who is properly engaged in a ritual does not eat meat, after his death he will become a sacrificial animal during twenty-one rebirths.
Maharishi Yagyavalkya says in Shatpath Brahmin (3/1/2/21) that, “I eat beef because it is very soft and delicious.”
Apastamb Grihsutram (1/3/10) says, “The cow should be slaughtered on the arrival of a guest, on the occasion of ‘Shraddha’ of ancestors and on the occasion of a marriage.”
Rigveda (10/85/13) declares, “On the occasion of a girl’s marriage oxen and cows are slaughtered.”
Rigveda (6/17/1) states that “Indra used to eat the meat of cow, calf, horse and buffalo.”
Vashistha Dharmasutra (11/34) writes, “If a Brahmin refuses to eat the meat offered to him on the occasion of ‘Shraddha’ or worship, he goes to hell.”
Also, comments of some great pundits of Hindu belief system are also worth noting:
Swami Vivekanand said thus: “You will be surprised to know that according to ancient Hindu rites and rituals, a man cannot be a good Hindu who does not eat beef”. (The Complete Works of Swami Vivekanand, vol.3, p. 536).
• Mukandilal writes in his book ‘Cow Slaughter – Horns of a Dilemma’, page 18: “In ancient India, cow-slaughter was considered auspicious on the occasions of some ceremonies. Bride and groom used to sit on the hide of a red ox in front of the ‘Vedi’ (alter).”
• A renowned scholar of scriptures Dr. Pandurang Vaman Kane says, “Bajsancyi Samhita sanctifies beef-eating because of its purity”. (Dharmashastra Vichar Marathi, page 180)
• Adi Shankaracharya’ commentary on Brihdaranyakopanishad 6/4/18 says : ‘Odan’ (rice) mixed with meat is called ‘Mansodan’. On being asked whose meat it should be, he answers ‘Uksha’. ‘Uksha’ is used for an ox, which is capable to produce semen.
• The book ‘The History and Culture of the Indian People’, published by Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Bombay and edited by renowned historian R.C.Majumdar (Vol.2, page 578) says: “this is said in the Mahabharat that King Rantidev used to kill two thousand other animals in addition to two thousand cows daily in order to give their meat in charity”.
A great majority of the followers of Hindu belief system are not in contact with their religious scriptures. i just want to highlight so many add-ons and adulteration has taken place in the past thus the Hindu belief system is not pure Vedic religion or Sanatan Dharma.