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Objective of life

CHENNAI: The Self (Atman) is the most valuable objective to be attained by a human being in his life, as Self-realisation liberates the soul from bondage and puts an end to rebirths. Even if one were to go to heaven as a result of meritorious deeds (Punya) done in this birth, the bonded soul has to return to this world after exhausting its Punya and strive for its salvation all over again.

According to theistic traditions realisation of God enables the soul to overcome transmigration. The Absolute Reality (Brahman) is Nirguna (without qualities) in the Advaita tradition and thus has to be experienced as the Self (Atman) within. But Brahman is also Saguna (with qualities), called Iswara, and a spiritual seeker must initially practise devotion to Iswara to evolve further.

In his discourse, Sri P.M.Vijayaraghava Sastrigal said change was the nature of Gunas (qualities) which make up this manifold creation. One can see for oneself how everything, from the lowest to the highly evolved beings, change. Brahman is beyond this ever-changing universe and is eternal. The Vedas are the source of knowledge for knowing the Absolute and they teach both action (Karma) and knowledge (Jnana). Like a shopping mall which merchandises both common household consumables and also valuable items, the Vedas teach in the Samhita section Mantras and sacrifices by which an individual can obtain worldly and heavenly ends, and in the concluding section of the Brahmanas comprising the Upanishads, the nature of the Self.

It is customary while writing a book to sum up the subject dealt with in it in the end; one can surmise from the Brahmanas that the Vedas have Brahman as the subject of their exposition. The very term “Brahman” connotes its all-pervasiveness and hence there cannot be another besides that. If one accepts another then Brahman will not be great and the word and its connotation will then become an anomaly. There are many Upanishads and Sankara has commented on the major ones. Traditionally the number is said to be 108 though they are much more than that. The Upanishads do not tire of teaching the nature of the Self.

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