Author: S. Balakrishnan
Publication: The Times of India
Date: October 8, 2001
A management executive for eight
years till 1978, Jaya Row (48), has been preaching Vedanta to management
personnel, students and to other sections of the society on a regular basis
She started evincing interest in spirituality from 1965 onwards. She has
travelled extensively across the world and last year started an organisation
called Vedanta Vision with a view to systematically spread the "timeless
message" of the Vedanta among the people. Excerpts from an interview:
Q. How do you define Vedanta?
A. Vedanta is a science which develops
human capital spiritually A human being consists of the body, mind and
intellect which are matter enveloping the soul which is the real personality.
It is only when a human being understands this inner reality that he or
she is able to function properly in the material or outer world. Today,
we learn about everything except ourselves. Hence, we have stress, rage,
anxiety, depression. The highest selling drug in the U.S. is Prozac, which
is an anti-depressant. Vedanta offers an alternative style of living which
helps people to become successful, happy and progress spiritually to understand
his 'atman' or his real sell
Q. Vedanta is regarded as the ultimate
in human knowledge. But doesn't knowledge grow? How come Vedantins talk
of the Vedanta as Something unchanging and the ultimate?
A. Ideas change and so do perceptions.
But the reality, which exists independent of our perception of it, does
not change. Vedanta deals with this reality.
Q. But what is the reality?
A. Every human being goes through
three states of consciousness - waking, dream, and deep sleep. Vedanta
says these three states conditioned by ignorance. When the conditioning
is removed you realise your original state which is the fourth state of
consciousness called 'turiya' or self- realisation or God realisation or
'nirvana'. Vedanta states that this waking state is exactly like a dream;
it is illusive. Everything appears real when you are dreaming. But when
you wake up you realise that the dream was only a projection of your mind.
In exactly the same way the sages tell us that this state of waking is
a dream, but it appears very real as long as it lasts.
Q. What is the fourth state of consciousness?
A. It is the substratum on which
the three states of waking, dream and deep sleep are projected. The three
states don't confine the 'atman'. For example, a mud pot does not contain
all the mud of the world. Mud exists in the pot and beyond the pot as well.
Q. Does the chemistry of the human
brain undergo a change when you reach the fourth state?
A. The point of reference for the
human brain is the waking state. The fourth plane of consciousness is beyond
the waking state. Nobody has put a realised person under a microscope.
In all probability it may not be possible because it is too subtle a concept
to be measurable. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa says that the three states and
the fourth one are mutually exclusive.
Q. But isn't Vedanta also not a
part of the illusion? Why give it importance?
A. The Upanishads answer this query
beautifully. Vedanta is like a lion in a dream. In a dream when a lion
pounces on you, you wake up. Similarly, Vedanta shakes you out of your
waking state and takes you to the fourth state of consciousness.
Q. Don't you think that in the pursuit
of self-realisation, Man may withdraw from society and not concern himself
with the problems of fellow human beings?
A. No. The spiritual exercise prescribed
for self-realisation incorporates service to fellow beings, universal love
for all creatures and knowledge of the unity in diversity. All of these
makes you socially more responsible. Since you see divinity in each human
being you start respecting and caring for him or her even more.
Q. How come Vedanta has always been
an elitist pursuit? Why were the masses never drawn towards, it?
A. It is a subtle study which requires
intellectual sharpness. Few people may be engaged in research in pure science.
But the benefits of studying pure science are enormous and help the scientific
community and humanity as a whole. What is reassuring is that an increasingly
large number of people, irrespective of their religious beliefs, are getting
attracted to Vedanta because of its deep relevance to their daily lives.
Q. How does Vedanta help you face
death?
A. By helping you understand what
exactly death is. Death is nothing but a promotion. When your physical
body and environment is no longer conducive for the fulfillment of your
desires you move to the next stage. There is nothing to mourn about death
or for that matter celebrate birth. As Lord Krishna says the wise do not
grieve, either for the dead or the living.
