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I. Practical implications of Māyā
- The ultimate purpose of this life is not to focus on names and forms, but to go beyond them.
- Our attitude to life should be like that of an actor who is perfectly playing their role in a movie. We should be careful not to get too involved or entrenched in the role.
- Everything and everyone is subject to change. We cannot control or change anyone. Therefore we should focus on improving ourselves.
II. Evolution of the five elements
ततः आकाशः सम्भूतः ।
आकाशाद् वायुः ।
वायोस्तेजः ।
तेजस आपः ।
अभ्धयः पृथिवी ।
tataḥ ākāśaḥ sambhūtaḥ .
ākāśād vāyuḥ .
vāyostejaḥ .
tejasa āpaḥ .
abhdhayaḥ pṛthivī .
From That, space was born.
From space, air.
From air, fire.
From fire, water.
From water, earth.
Explanation
- Various creation methodologies are proposed in our scriptures to help seekers who continue to have questions about the nature of the world and where it has come from.
- Brahman with Māyā creates the first element, space, and all other elements arise sequentially from space.
- Each element is less subtle (less pervasive) and has more properties than the previous one.
- Space has the quality of sound.
- Air comes from space, and has the qualities of sound and touch.
- Fire comes from air, and has the qualities of sound, touch and form.
- Water comes from fire, and has the qualities of sound, touch, form and taste.
- Earth comes from water, and has the qualities of sound, touch, form, taste and smell.
- All the elements also come with the three guṇas.
III. Evolution of the Sattva aspect – The organs of perception
एतेषां पञ्चतत्त्वानां मध्ये
आकाशस्य सात्विकांशात् श्रोत्रेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् ।
वायोः सात्विकांशात् त्वगिन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् ।
अग्नेः सात्विकांशात् चक्षुरिन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् ।
जलस्य सात्विकांशात् रसनेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् ।
पृथिव्याः सात्विकांशात् घ्राणेन्द्रियं सम्भूतम् ।
eteṣāṃ pañcatattvānāṃ madhye
ākāśasya sātvikāṃśāt śrotrendriyaṃ sambhūtam .
vāyoḥ sātvikāṃśāt tvagindriyaṃ sambhūtam .
agneḥ sātvikāṃśāt cakṣurindriyaṃ sambhūtam .
jalasya sātvikāṃśāt rasanendriyaṃ sambhūtam .
pṛthivyāḥ sātvikāṃśāt ghrāṇendriyaṃ sambhūtam .
Explanation
- Among these five great elements, out of the sātvik aspect of space, the faculty of hearing evolved.
- From the sātvik aspect of air, the faculty of touch evolved.
- From the sātvik aspect of fire, the faculty of sight evolved.
- From the sātvik aspect of water, the faculty of taste evolved.
- From the sātvik aspect of earth, the faculty of smell evolved.
Antaḥkaraṇa – the inner instrument
एतेषां पञ्चतत्त्वानां समष्टिसात्विकांशात्
मनोबुद्ध्यहङ्कार चित्तान्तःकरणानि सम्भूतानि ।
सङ्कल्पविकल्पात्मकं मनः ।
निश्चयात्मिका बुद्धिः ।
अहंकर्ता अहंकारः ।
चिन्तनकर्तृ चित्तम् ।
मनसो देवता चन्द्रमाः ।
बुद्धे ब्रह्मा ।
अहंकारस्य रुद्रः ।
चित्तस्य वासुदेवः ।
eteṣāṃ pañcatattvānāṃ samaṣṭisātvikāṃśāt
manobuddhyahaṅkāra cittāntaḥkaraṇāni sambhūtāni .
saṅkalpavikalpātmakaṃ manaḥ .
niścayātmikā buddhiḥ .
ahaṃkartā ahaṃkāraḥ .
cintanakartṛ cittam .
manaso devatā candramāḥ .
buddhe brahmā .
ahaṃkārasya rudraḥ .
cittasya vāsudevaḥ .
Explanation
- From the total sattvic aspect of these five elements, the inner instrument comprising the mind, intellect, ego and memory, is formed.
- The mind is of the nature of doubt and the seat of emotion. It vacillates between two or more choices.
- The intellect is of the nature of decision, the seat of thinking and inquiry. It makes a decision based on the choices presented by the mind.
- The ego is of the nature of the notion of doership. It puts the “I stamp” on everything. It is the root of all suffering.
- Memory is of the nature of thinking or recollection. We should make an effort to focus on, and retain, good memories, since these memories impact our decision making.
- The presiding deity of the mind is the moon, of the intellect, Brahmā, of the ego, Rudra and of memory, Vāsudeva.
- Balance between logic and emotion is required in any individual. Too much logic makes one arrogant and insensitive, and too much emotion makes one keep going through ups and downs.