Sri Ramakrishna Math : The Vedanta Kesari, March 2003

'Life' seems to be a time-bound project for all--human beings, animals and even matter. After a beginning, its journey continues, to meet the inevitable end called death. It may be that we live one hundred years (shatam samâh); the trees and stones live and exist for many more years. Yet there is a pessimistic note: all will come to an end one day. The Vedic literature has divided this time-bound project for humans into six phenomena--birth, existence, growth, changes, decay and destruction or death. The ashrama dharma practised in India in days of yore divided this life span of hundred years into four time-slabs, about 25 years each--Brahmacharya, Gârhasthya, Vânaprastha and Sannyâsa. The whole practical life has been shown as a time-bound project, where every moment counts. But how many of us dare to really accept this obvious fact?

If life is a time-bound project, then what is 'Time'? 'Time' may not be more than a relative phenomenon. It depends on the position from which one looks at it. The theory of relativity clarifies the idea to some extent. Suppose a person is sitting in the compartment of a running train. S/He sees that the trees at a distance are also running, in the opposite direction. Same is the experience with a person who is travelling in a boat--the sceneries on the banks seem to run backwards. The truth is that we are in a moving or ever changing locus called life. Vedanta postulates 'Time' as the Avidyâ (Maya or Ignorance) itself. In the Shvetâshvatara Upanishad Brahman has been described as the Locus for 'Time' which itself is Avidya (Jnah Kala-kalo). Therefore, the Devi Mâhâtmyam praises the Mother Power (Shakti) as having the form of all the divisions of 'Time' (Kalâ-kâshthâdi-rupena). The Chhândogya Upanishad talks about kâla (Time) being dependent on the Sun. The Earth, along with us, is moving and we think that the Sun is doing so. But for one who realizes Brahman, there is no such kâla dependent on the Sun for him/her; s/he goes beyond the relative. S/He achieves Self-Effulgence. Therefore, the calculation of day, night etc. is in respect of this relative experience. In this sense, 'time' is running out for us.

Benjamin Franklin tried to draw an equation in the following manner: 'Do you love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.' But if we are a little careful about things, we will find that we make a very serious mistake to think that way. In reality it is not 'time', but 'life' or we ourselves, which is/are running out. Acharya Shankara makes a profound statement in his famous stotram 'Bhaja-Govindam': kâlah kridati, gachhati âyuh, i.e., time is playing with us, but it is our life that is running out. 'We may talk about killing time, while time silently kills us.' The famous king Bhartrihari also writes: kâlo na yâto vayam eva yâtâh, i.e., time is not going, rather we are going. The Buddhistic 'Kshana' or 'moment' is not time, but it is the existence of a created thing before its destruction; they have not accepted the concept of a 'Time'.

Based on this clarification, we may say that 'beat the clock' should not mean gaining some time out of a time-bound task, but using life in a skilful way. A person may gain time in a dexterous way; but, for what purpose? When there is a well-thought-out purpose and plan of life, time is measured in terms of life-scale, otherwise life is counted in terms of time-scale--this is the secret of the time-life equation. Therefore, the concept of time is relative. Is it for this reason that Sri Ramakrishna calls out to Niranjan (later Swami Niranjanananda) in anxiety, 'O Niranjan, time is running out fast; won't you notice? When will you realize God?'

'Time' again is said to be a record of changes (Parinâma-pradâyini). In respect of our earthly existence, life is just a graph of inevitable changes leading to a sure end, in which every moment is deducted from the whole project of, say, one hundred years. True it is that there is a palpable growth leading to the peak period of our physical energy, and strength, but after this it falls down to meet the 100-year point on the horizontal X-axis in the graph. Even it may go below normal level when in old age we live on others' help. So the truth about the physical dimension of life is all pessimistic. By pessimism we mean 'to end with destruction'. There is no contemplation on transcending the end and abiding eternally. Let us not forget that Eternity does not mean unlimited time but transcending the limits of time--it is beyond time. Once Swami Vivekananda (hereafter Swamiji) was getting late to reach the lecture hall for a lecture. Though his companions became restless Swamiji did not show any intention to hurry up. When he was told that time was already up, he retorted, 'You live in time, but I live in Eternity.'

Sri Rama says: 'Many are the bodies floating adrift in the ocean of this world. Amongst these, some particular bodies, receptive to knowledge and discrimination, are called human bodies.' Therefore, we, as humans, have a privilege over other species of the animal kingdom. We should not fail to use this discriminative faculty for finding a better meaning of life. Sri Ramakrishna reprimanded Mahendranath Gupta (hereafter M) saying, 'Don't you hate yourself for leading an animal life?' Humans can chalk out plans in order to make the best use of this time-bound project. The other dimension of our being, the intellectual dimension or the discriminative faculty, can be successfully used for this purpose. Therefore, the utility of this pessimistic project alone is immense, for it is by living the life of true fulfilment and joy that we can derive most benefit out of this span.

(a) At the very beginning, the mind, the most useful instrument for executing the plan, has been brought into focus. The scriptures are not tired of telling us that it is not by filling the mind with outside stuff, but by igniting it with the idea of fulfilment from within, that people should train the mind. Alleviation of poverty cannot be done by improving the size of the begging bowls, but by setting the bowls on fire. Swamiji says that even the wealth of the whole world cannot improve the poor condition of one Indian village if the people are not taught to help themselves. This is a decision which depends on proper use of the intellect, which is the next faculty of a clear mind.

(b) So through proper care one can endow oneself with Agryayâ Buddhyâ, with sharpened or enlightened intellect. With the help of an enlightened intellect one curbs unwanted and unwarranted emotions that thwart natural growth. One cannot get this enlightenment by focusing a thousand watt light on the chest; it has to come from within. This intellect has the power to convincingly discriminate between the Real and the unreal.

(c) The scripture confirms the Truth to be 'I am Brahman.' On what authority does one take it for the Truth? In other words, 'Why should one accept it?' The answer is : one who is endowed with such intellect sees through the fallacy of the so-called invincible logic. The Vedântasâra defines 'Vedanta' as Upanishad-pramânam. The simple logic is that to prove things transcendental (alaukika) one cannot present empirical (laukika) data. It will be as ridiculous as quoting Panini's grammar to prove or disprove load-calculations about a proposed RCC building! One has to search for alaukika data that are available in the records, called the scriptures, alone. What do the scriptures say about 'Life'? Among the legions of texts available on this subject, let us remember Sri Rama's warning, 'All are subject to decay, all that rise high are subject to fall, all that are connected will be subject to parting, and life will end with death.' These and such others are the ominous experiences that are available in our records. We are horrified at the prospect of the sad end. The Upanishads intervene to show the brighter side of the empirical existence by hundreds of verses, that 'One Absolute Reality in all is the ever abiding Principle--Deathless and Immutable'.

(d) This optimism makes one restless to get to the ultimate security, the real life in the midst of unreal deaths. A. Sachs writes, 'Death is more universal than life, everyone dies but not everyone lives.'

If we take point (c) first, we are informed about the greatest hope: we have another chance to begin after the end. On this depend all endeavours under the other three points above. There is a saying: 'An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity, a pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.' This will take us to the idea of a circular or elliptical approach in which we can improve upon our previous deficiencies and defects and begin with renewed zeal. Hence rebirth is the logical approach to life. It is our spiritual dimension alone which speaks about the hope of transcending all limitations. An integrated personality is one that integrates all these three dimensions of humans--physical, intellectual and spiritual. The scriptures say that if one does not realize God in this life, one will come back. This, for a major part, accounts for our being ethical. Until we find this spiritual connection, genetic relation will not be able to support altruism.

In the Vivekachudâmani Acharya Shankara informs that three things, Manushyatvam or a human birth worth the name, Mumukshutvam or the desire for liberation, and Mahâpurusha-samshrayah or refuge with a great soul, areacquired by a genuine spiritual aspirant by Divine Grace. M met Sri Ramakrishna for the second time in February 1882. Sri Ramakrishna tested the Manushyatvam of M through a few questions. Next, it was M's turn to ask questions to Sri Ramakrishna. He asked the first question: 'How, sir, may I fix my mind on God?' The personal question was a proof of M's Mumukshutvam. After receiving a satisfactory reply, M asked a general question to the Mahapurusha: 'How ought we to live in the world?' Henceforth, M spared no pains to fruitfully utilize his company with the great soul, which he acquired through divine grace. Sri Ramakrishna once said to Dr. Mahendralal Sarkar, 'If a person loves God, he/she will himself/herself seek the company of holy men.'