The Function of Evil

From the book "The Secret of the Nagas" by Amish

Are you sure it is only people who can be Evil, my friend? There may be attachment to Evil within some. There may be a small part of Evil within them. But could the great Evil, the one that awaits the Neelkanth, exist beyond mere humans?

Shiva frowned. I donot understand.

Can Evil be too big to be concentrated in just a few men?

Shiva remain silent.

Lord Manu had said it's not people who are evil. True Evil exists beyond them. It attracts people. It causes confusion amongst its enemies. But Evil in itself is too big to be confined to just a few.

Shiva frowned. You make it sound like Evil is a power as strong as Good. That it doesn't work by itself, but uses power as its medium. Those people, maybe even good people, find purpose in serving Evil. How can it be destroyed if it serves a purpose?

That is an interesting thought, O Neelkanth, that Evil serves a purpose.

What purpose? The purpose of destruction ? Why would the universe plan that?

Let's look at it another way. Do you believe there is nothing random in the universe? That everything exists for a reason. That everything serves a purpose.

Yes. If anything appears random, it only means we haven't discovered its purpose as yet.

So why does Evil exist? Why can't it be destroyed once and for all? Even when it is apparently destroyed, it rises once again. Maybe after much time has elapsed, perhaps in another form, but Evil does rise and will keep rising again and again. Why ?

Shiva narrowed his eyes, absorbing Gopal's word. Because even Evil serves a purpose...

Thas is what Lord Manu believed. And the institution of the Mahadev is to act as the balance, the control for that purpose. To take Evil out of the equation at the correct time.

Take it out of the equation? asked a surprised Shiva.

Yes.That is what Lord Manu said. It was just a line in his commandments. He said that the destroyers of Evil would understand what he means. My understanding of it is that Evil cannot and should not be destroyed completely. That it needs to be taken out of the equation at the right time, the time when it rises to cause total annihilation. Do you think he said that because the same Evil may serve the purpose of Good in another time?

I came here for answers, my friend. You are only throwing more questions at me.

Gopal laughed softly. I'm sorry my friend. Our job is to give you the clues what we know. We are not supposed to interfere in your judgement. For that could lead to the triumph of Evil.

I heard something about Lord Manu saying Good and Evil are two sides of the same coin?

Yes, he did say so. They are two sides of the same coin. He didn't explain any further.

Strange. That doesn't make sense.

Gopal smiled. It does sound strange. But I knew you will make sense of it when the time is right.

Shiva was silent for some time. He looked out across the temple pillars. In the distance, he could see the people of Vaishali outside tha gates, waiting patiently for their Neelkanth. Shive stared hard, then turned back towards the idol of Lord Matsya. Gopal, my friend, what is the Evil that Lord Rudra took out of the equations. I know the Asuras were not evil. So what Evil did he destroy?

You know the answer.

No, I don't.

Yes, you do. Think, about it, Lord Neelkanth. What is the enduring legacy of Lord Rudra?

Shiva smiled. The answer was obvious. Thank you, Panditji. I think we've spoken enough for the today.

May I offer my opinion on your first question?

Shiva was surprised. About the Nagas?

Yes

Of course! Please.

It is obvious that you feel drawn to the Nagas. That you feel that your path to Evil lies through them.

Yes.

That can be due to two reasons. Either Evil exists at the end of that path..

Or?

Or Evil has caused its greatest destruction on that path.

Shiva took a deep breath. You mean the Nagas may be the ones who suffered the most at the hands of Evil?

Maybe.

Shiva leaned back against the pillar. He closed his eyes. Maybe the Nagas deserve a hearing. Maybe everyone else has been unfair to them. Maybe they deserve the benefit of the doubt. 

Gopal knew who Shiva was thinking about. He kept quit

 

Understanding The True Self And The False Self

Meditation is an attempt to find the true self. It is this self which holds the identity of what I am, an identity which, when realized, gives fulfillment and direction to our life. This is what we call the consciousness of 'I am', which emerges in meditation when there is concentration on the present and we focus on the now of 'I am', rather than the past, or the future (.I was', or 'I will be').

To remind us of this state, we use the word 'OM', which means 'I am a soul', the spiritual identity that acts as a key to human consciousness. As we find and realize the true self through meditation, we become aware of the false self and how deeply embedded it is in our lives, both in our way of thinking and being.

When we understand this illusory (false) self then we can begin the process of dissolving its negative effects on the original or true self.


The illusory (false) self is made up of desires that, even when fulfilled, fail to add value, or a sense of worth to the self. In fact, quite the opposite process happens.

Let us examine some of these illusions and how they give us a mistaken sense of value.

Illusion (False emotion): Ego
Thought: I know, I am
Result: Arrogance, inflexibility, controlling others

Illusion (False emotion): Anger
Thought: I expect
Result: Force, aggression

Illusion (False emotion): Attachment
Thought: I own, It's mine
Result: Insecurity, possessiveness, jealousy

Illusion (False emotion): Greed
Thought: I want, I need
Result: Emptiness, wanting, dissatisfaction

Illusion (False emotion): Lust
Thought: I desire
Result: Exploitation, misuse, emotional dependence

These are the five fires that burn away the quality of human life: uncontrolled emotions that once, in their original pure state, gave happiness and peace to the individual but now create only emptiness and sorrow.

Churning Spiritual Knowledge

Churning spiritual knowledge or thinking deeply about it makes us a complete authority of that knowledge. What are some practical ways of implementing churning in our lives?

Take 15 minutes out of your daily routine every day to think deeply on any topic related to spiritual self progress (like e.g. each day.s .Positive Reflection.). You do not need to disconnect yourself from action to do this. You could do this while taking a walk, while driving to office, while cooking food, etc. By churning this way in isolation, the mind is able to concentrate immediately. Secondly if you read some spiritual knowledge and afterwards write down the essence (summary) of it for 5-10 minutes as it has influenced the mind, then you will find that essence will remain with you and deepen during the day.

The benefits of churning spiritual knowledge are as follows:

1. Churning makes the soul feel powerful: it makes you aware of your powers and increases your self-respect. Any inferiority complex ends and one experiences oneself as a great and powerful soul. Self-confidence awakens as weak thoughts diminish: "I won't be able to do this. Will I succeed or not?" Strong thoughts emerge instead: "The Supreme Being himself is with me. I will definitely be successful." Such confidence and bravery is experienced which strengthens the soul to undertake any impossible task.

2. Natural and unruffled peace in my outlook: Churning takes us to the depths of the ocean of knowledge. The depth of knowledge finishes all our attractions. In the depths there are no storms, but only the peace and bliss of unlimited treasures.

3. The knowledge that we have becomes more real: and so can give more effectively to others. We can use the jewels of knowledge in serving others. This knowledge will have much greater power and be of much greater help to others than any form of scholarly or bookish knowledge.

4. Our personality changes: Limited views and thought patterns which give birth to various obstacles can be finished by churning. Our outlook towards life becomes very broad and we become completely content internally so that name, fame, respect, insult, etc. don't affect us, they seem totally insignificant.

5. Natural bliss: By churning, spiritual knowledge becomes a source of bliss. Because of the spiritual happiness and intoxication that comes from churning, our faces will become radiant and we become instruments to attract other people towards spirituality.

6. Our concentration power increases: By acknowledging and not suppressing impure thoughts we will easily clear negative thoughts within a short period of time. Our concentration power will increase. We will be able to clear and burn impure or waste thoughts, and easily become an embodiment of positivity. 

Meditation To Discover Your Inner Beauty

Given below is a meditation to reflect on and experience the original qualities and virtues of the soul. When you are in contact with these treasures, you begin to shine.

Create a space within you. Sit down and go within. Look at your being in a different way. Look at what beautiful things you have within, and learn to recognize them.

I allow my body to relax ... I breathe gently and deeply... My physical senses relax ... I can feel more and more how my body is calming down... I direct my attention to within, as if I was looking through a window... I discover a silent space... tranquil... calm... Here I feel safe from any outside influence... I can feel the silence ... My mind is quietening... it becomes silent and peaceful...

The expansion of my thoughts fades... I concentrate on my true being... The lake of my mind is serene... clean... transparent... Everything is clear ... I can feel my own presence... I feel the pure energy of my being... I am shining like a beautiful star of divine light at the centre of my forehead... My original qualities like bliss, love and purity begin to shine at the heart of my soul, like a fountain of water that comes from a spring... I begin to recognize these treasures that rise up within me...

I concentrate on them and make them emerge, feeling that I am those qualities... I am a spiritual being... I am a being of light... I shine and sparkle with unlimited peace, happiness and love... I feel the peace... I am at peace... I am a being of peace... I feel the love... I am a being full of love... of good feelings, of acceptance towards everybody... My heart is strong... I feel that I am a being without limitations... with great strength... I glimpse what I really am... a being of authentic light... strong... radiating this light towards all people... towards the whole world... I stay in silence ... and I smile.

Brahma sutra

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Hindu Philosophy does not talk about the Rule or Sutra to Follow. This is the only Hindu religion book which talks about the rules or Sutra. It contains the one line rule/sutra to follow in hindu religion.

Returning To The Inner Seat Of Mental Comfort And Peace

At the end of a busy and hurry filled and many a times even peaceless day at office, everyone goes home, to do what? Even a housewife, who has had a busy day in the kitchen and with the children, will yearn to do want at the end of the day? Sit, lie down, relax and experience peace. Just as each one of us returns home or to the comfort of the bedroom at the end of each day; each time we experience any of the various forms of anger in our words or actions or even in our thoughts, sooner or later, we will try to return to what we instinctively and intuitively know is the truth, what is right and good, to the inner seat of our own mental comfort and peace, which is our original and basic sanskara, peacelessness being an acquired one. It's as if we know when we are set on this seat that we have access to our inner power. It's as if we know that we can only be comfortable, powerful, blissful and content when we are first peaceful. 

Sitting on this seat also provides us with the ability and the power to influence others. A proof of the fact is that all of us have, sometime or the other, known someone who lived their life peacefully but assertively (not weakly or timidly). They expressed themselves peacefully and interacted with others free of any traces of anger in their personality, and they stayed, more or less, positively peaceful and peacefully positive. We remember that person for much longer than the one who is always finding an excuse to use the weapon of anger when things or people do not go his way or get things or people to be as he would want. The peaceful nature of another makes a deeper and more lasting impression on our hearts than the angry nature of another. And when we are in the presence of such a peaceful person, we always allow them into our lives much more and for longer periods of time. In the same way, when we function from our inner seat of mental peace, we are able to influence others and make a lasting impression on others much more.

Shri yogavashishthamaharamayan

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