MMY_2.pdf

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

1/39

About the Author

Michael C. Dillbeck is Professor of Psychology and Dean of

the Graduate School at Maharishi International University.

He received his B.A. summa cum laude from Benedictine

College in 1972. He then went to Purdue University as a

University Fellow, where he received his M.S. in 1973 and

his Ph.D. in 1976 in psychology. Dr. Dillbeck has published

widely on the theoretical foundations of Maharishi Vedic

Psychology and empirical research testing its predictions on

such variables as EEG coherence, perceptual and cognitive

flexibility, reduced anxiety, reduction of crime rate, and

improved quality of life in society. He is also co-editor of

S c i e n t i f i c R e s e a r c h o n M a h a r i s h i ' s T r a n s c e n d e n t a l

M e d i t a t i o n a n d T M - S i d h i P r o g r a m : C o l l e c t e d P a p e r s ,

Volume 5.

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

2/39

The Bhagavad-Gita: A Case Study in Vedic Psychology

M i c ha e l C . D i l l be c k

Maharishi International University

Fairfield, Iowa, U.S.A.

Abstract

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has described the many narrative accounts contained in the

Vedic literature as case studies in his Vedic Psychology. This article describes the pur pose of the Vedic case studies and it analyzes the Bhagavad-Gita as a model case study

from the Vedic literature. This case study provides knowledge of the full range of

human development—from a state of complete ignorance characterized by mistakes and

suffering to the state of complete enlightenment characterized by unrestricted success

and fulfillment. The case study is expressed in the form of an interaction between Lord

Krishn and the warrior Arjun who is seeking wisdom. The Bhagavad-Gita points out

that all forms of problems and suffering are due to lack of full integration of life, which

in turn is due to individual consciousness not being fully established in the field of pure

consciousness, identified by Maharishi as the unified field of natural law. The impor

tance of both direct experience and intellectual understanding of the field of pure con

sciousness is emphasized by the Bhagavad-Gita; the experience of pure consciousness

is described as effortless and blissful. The Bhagavad-Gita describes the experience of

higher states of consciousness—stages of enlightenment—and identifies the quality of

experience of these states. A description of the self-interacting dynamics of conscious

ness, at the basis of the creative process in nature, is also found in the Bhagavad-Gita.

The Bhagavad-Gita thus contains the essence of Maharishi Vedic Psychology,

expressed in a form that can be appreciated and applied by people of all walks of life.

Note: This article is the seventh in a series on Maharishi Ved ic Psycholog y. In his Vedic Psyc hology, Maharishi MaheshYogi brings to light a complete understanding of individual and collective consciousness, its expression in mental processes

and behavior, and its application for the enrichment of all aspects of human life. The foundation of this approach is the experi

ence of the field of pure consciousness, which is the most fundamental level of consciousness, the basis of all mental activity.

As Maharishi explains, this field is the unified source of subjective and objective existence, the unified field of natural law

glimpsed by modern physics, which through its self-interacting dynamics gives rise to all the laws of nature. It is the field of

cosm ic intelligence in nature, referred to in Maharishi Vedi c Science and Technol ogy as the Ved and in Maharishi Vedic

Psy cho logy as the cosm ic psyc he. Through the Maharishi Transcendental Meditation technique, one systematically and repeatedly experi

ences transcendental or pure consciousness; on this basis, as pure consciousness becomes more and more established as the

basis for all thinking and activity, the individual naturally and effortlessly develops higher states of consciousness.

the Maharishi TM-Sidhi program accelera tes this devel opment by training the individual to think and act from the level of pure

consciousness. With the complete development of human consciousness—unity consciousness—one becomes fully awake to

the field of pure consciousness interacting within itself at the basis of the whole creative process in nature. The practical bene

fit of developing higher states of consciousness is that thought and action become spontaneously in accord with natural law,

free from mistakes and suffering, so that one enjoys more and more success and fulfillment in life. The practical application

of Maharishi Ved ic Psychol ogy to enrich all aspects of individual and coll ect ive life is the topic of subsequent articles on

Maharishi Vedic Psych ology.

Address correspondence to: Department of Psychology

Maharishi International University, 1000 North Fourth Street, DB 1118, Fairfield, 1A 52557-1118

Modern Science and Vedic Science, Volume 4, Number 2, 1991

© 1991 Maharishi International University

97

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

3/39

MODERN SCIENCE AND VEDIC SCIENCE

Contents

Th e Rol e of Case Studies in Mahari shi Ved ic Psycholog y 98The Bha gav ad-G ita 102

Th e Story of the Bha gav ad- Gita 103

Th e Interac tion be twe en Lord Krishn and Arjun 106

The Teac hing s of the Bha gav ad- Gita 108

Th e Bha gav ad- Gita on the Cau se and Re mo val of Suffering 109

The Bhag avad -Gita on the Exper ience of Transce ndent al Consc iousn ess 112

Th e Bhag avad -Gita on the Dev elo pme nt of Enlig htenm ent 119

Cos mic Consc iousn ess 119

Cosmic Consciousness and Skill in Act io n 121Unity Conscio usness 126

The Bhagavad -Gita on the Self-Interacting Dyn ami cs of Consc iousne ss 127

Conclusion 129

The Role of Case Studies in Maha rish i Vedic Psyc hology

In twentieth- centur y psy cho log y, the pu rpo se of case studies has been to exemp lify,

through concrete instances of the treatment of individuals, the principles by which psy

chological problems may be solved. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1982) explains that the

accounts of Vedic literature are the fulfillment of this concept, because they provide

sol ut ion s to the enor mo us range of co mp le x pr ob le ms that may aris e on the pat h to

enlightenment, which extends from the most abject suffering to the complete fulfillment

that comes from realizing the full development of human awareness in enlightenment.

Maharishi (1982) has pointed out that the essential principle for solving all problems,

which is revealed in a great number of different ways in the Vedic case studies, is for

the ind ividu al psy che to realize its ultimate natu re as the field of pur e consci ous nes s, the

unified field of natural law, and thereby cease to make mistakes and to create suffering.

Mah ari shi expla ins that pro ble ms can alwa ys arise in the absen ce of com ple te conn ec

tion betw een the indi vidual psy che and the cosmi c psych e, becau se the field of co sm ic

intell igence alone—the Ved—is able to simultaneously govern the evolutionary and

progressive development of all aspects of l ife on all levels of individual existence.

Individual awareness must be fully open to the entire range of awareness, from the non-

changing unified field of natural law to the diversity of natural law in relative existence,

for cosmic intelligence to be lived in every boundary of individual life, and thus for all

problems to be averted before they can arise. The Vedic literature, which expresses the

fundamental transformations of natural law in the Ved, thus presents a vast range of

case studies addressing the entire range of existence, from the most obvious manifest

level to the most subtle level of exist ence , the field of pure con scio usn ess.

Maharishi (1982) has noted that the Vedic case s tudies port ray the interact ion

between the individual psyche and the cosmic psyche, revealing how cosmic intell i

gence itself functions in specific situations to resolve problems facing individual life

(please refer to Figure 1). These case studies provide model solutions that can be

9 8

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

4/39

THE BHAGAVAD-GITA: A CASE STUDY

Rol e of the Cas e Studi es in the Vedi c Lit erat ure

Expressed inIndividual Situations

Figure 1. The case studies of the Vedic literature describe in the form of stories how the field of

pure intelligence, the cosmic psyche, functions in specific situations to resolve problems facing

individual life.

applied by the individual whenever one is confronted with similar events in one's own

life. All the var iou s prin cip les of be ha vi or that natura lly guid e life wh en indi vidu al

awareness is established in the totality of natural law, the field of pure consciousness,

are brought to light as the solutions to the situations presented in these accounts.

The Vedic case studies are expressed in poetic language in order to refine the emo

tions and awaken the intellect of the reader. These case studies are presented as stories;

thus, they are easy to remember so that if a problem situation such as they describe

should begin to develop it can be quickly recognized and averted before its destructive

potential confronts the individual (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, 1982). Thus, in contrast

with the case studies of twentieth-century psychology, which have been only for the

psychologist, the Vedic case studies are for everyone. In contrast to contemporary psy

chological techniques, in which the individual is dependent on the psychologis t ,

Maha rish i Vedi c Psy chol ogy ma ke s ea ch person self-sufficient in the kno wle dge and

technology for his or her own development. This development is accomplished primar

ily throu gh the Mah ari shi Tran sce nden tal Medit ati on and TM- Sid hi programs, but is also

sup por ted by the theoretica l princ iples found in Mahar ishi Ved ic Psy cho log y and

Maha rishi Ved ic Science and Tech nolo gy, which provide a comple te underst anding of

one's development to higher states of consciousness and which are expounded in the

Vedic case studies.

99

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

5/39


As Maharishi (1986a) explains, the Vedic l i terature, in which the Vedic case stud

ies are exp ress ed, has its sou rce in the self -in tera ctin g dy na mi cs of the field of pur e

consciousness (please refer to Dillbeck, 1988). The Vedic literature is the literature ofconsciousness and natural law, expressing all the qualities of consciousness and all the

dynamics of natural law (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, 1986a). The Vedic case studies have

been articulated by individuals who directly cognized these dynamics of natural law in

the highest level of con sci ous nes s, and the case studies are therefo re evolut ion ary ,

inspi ring , and life-supporting for eve ryo ne, no matt er wha t the indi vid ual' s level of con

sciousness. Maharishi (1982) has noted that the Vedic records have a meaning at every

level of evolution of the individual. The same account will therefore be comprehended

on increasingly profound levels as one grows in consciousness, until one comprehends

its significance on the level from which it was originally expressed, unity conscious

ness. Thus, the Vedic case studies provide guides to life throughout the entire range of

sev en states of consciousne ss outl ine d by Mahar ishi Ved ic Psych ology (please refer

to Alexander & Boyer, 1989), but are most meaningful as one's consciousness devel

ops to higher states.

For this reason the greatest benefit from the Vedic case studies is gained when the

i n d i v i d u a l i s d e v e l o p i n g h i g h e r s t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s t h r o u g h t h e M a h a r i s h i

Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs. Then the individual spontaneously

relates the content of the Vedic case studies to his or her own experience of development

of con scio usn ess; the understanding and mem or y of the Vedic case studies bro ade ns

intelle ctual appr eciatio n of on e' s own exper ienc es, raises self-confi dence, and thus sup

por ts the natural direction of on e' s own deve lop men t (Mahar ishi Ma he sh Yogi , 19 82).

In addition, Maharishi (1982) has explained that the Vedic case studies profoundly

influence the individual through their sound. As was discussed in a previous article in

this series on the experience of the Ved (Dillbeck, 1989), the organizing power of a

word exists on two levels: the meaning and, more importantly, the direct influence of

the sound vibrations on the physical structure of the nervous system. Because the Vedic

liter atur e is exp res sed in the "la ngu age of natur e itse lf"—t he so und s exp ress ed by the

self-interacting dynamics of the field of pure consciousness—its sound quality directly

produces a l ife-supporting influence on one's physiological functioning. The sound of

the Vedic stories is said by Maharishi (1982) to generate an influence that purifies the

area of phys iolo gical fun ctionin g asso ciat ed with the wea kn ess or pro ble m addres sed

by the work. In this way, the Vedic case studies directly support the purification of

physiological functioning that takes place through the Transcendental Meditation and

TM -S id hi prog rams (Wa lla ce, 1 986) . The goal of this physi olog ical purificati on is the

pe rm an en t esta blis hme nt of the experi enc e of pure co nsc iou sne ss as the basis for all

thin kin g and activity; this cont inuu m of pure awar eness forms an unshakable fo unda

tion of inner satisfaction in highe r states of con sci ous nes s, whic h no cha ng ing situat ion

can overshadow.

Ex am pl es of case stud ies may be found in the Upani sha ds and the Pura nas, as well as

ot he r part s of the Ve di c l i tera tur e. The Br ah ma n aspect of the Ved, of wh ic h the

Upanishads are one part, expresses the infinite organizing power inherent in the struc

ture of pure kn owl edg e—t he Ved . (Please refer to Dillbeck, 1989.) Maharish i (1987 )

100

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

6/39


explains that the Upanishads are that part of the Brahman aspect of the Ved that deals

with the holistic structure of the Self from the angle of the knower (Rishi). The Puranas

are an aspect of the Vedi c literature whi ch des cri bes all the me cha ni cs of transf ormati onof the Self from the angle of the process of knowing (Devata).

In an example of a case study from the Puranas, the total potential of natural law is

em bod ie d in the dwarf Lord Vamana —inf ini ty is express ed in its point value . The term

"L or d" is used beca use Lord Vama na fully embo die s the field of pure consciousn ess.

King Bali, who has mastered all the laws of nature through the development of his

awa ren es s, grants Lord Vam ana anyt hing he wishes , all the riches of the world. Vam ana

replies that his needs are few and that he only wishes as much of the king's land as he

can measure with three steps. The king's advisor warns him that Lord Vamana is no

ordinary individual. The king replies that no greater good fortune can befall him than tofulfill Lord Vamana's request, whereupon he grants Vamana his wish.

Lord Vamana then begins to grow from point to infinity; he covers all of manifest

existence in his first step, the unmanifest in his second step, and when he has nowhere

to place his foot for the third step, the king fulfills Lord Vamana's wish by offering him

his own head for his third step, indicating that the king has attained the wholeness of

life that is greater than the manifest and unmanifest together. This is fully developed

unity consciousness, or Brahman, which comprehends at all times the unity (Samhita)

of knower (Rishi), process of knowing (Devata), and known (Chhandas). (Please refer

to Alexander & Boyer, 1989.) The extent of King Bali's "land" is the wholeness ofexistence on the level of human consciousness. The story thus displays for the reader

the goal of complete enlightenment.

Another example of a case study is drawn from the Upanishads. In this story,

Vajasravasa sends his son Nachiketa to gain knowledge from Yama, who governs the

wh ol e con ti nuu m of cha nge in nature and thus rules over death. In order to ma ke ame nd s

for keeping the young Nachiketa waiting three days while he was absent, Yama grants

the boy three wishes. Nachiketa's wishes express great wisdom, and his final wish is for

knowledge of immortality. Yama is portrayed as capable of giving the knowledge of

immo rtal ity , since cha nge ultimate ly takes place on the basis of non- cha nge ; relativ e

exi ste nce has its basi s in the abso lute field of pure con sci ous nes s. The full potential of

the relative, the field of change or death, is thus found in the field of pure consciousness,

the field of immortality.

Another example of a case study from the Puranas is the story of Lord Dhanwantari.

In this narrative, the positive and negative forces of nature are represented at each end

of a giant snake that encircles a mountain suspended in the ocean; they are shown both

as being together and yet tugging against each other. Their tugging spins the mountain

back and forth, and this churns the ocean. After repeated churning of the ocean. Lord

Dhanwantari emerged from the ocean, holding a vessel filled with amrit, the elixir of

immortality. In his commentary on this narrative, Maharishi (1986b) points out that the

oc ea n des cri bed in this story is the un bo un de d ocea n of co nsc io usn es s, the field of pure

consciousness. It is a field of perfect symmetry and balance; the self-interacting dynam

ics of this field give rise to all the laws of nature that uphold the processes of creation,

evolution, and dissolution in the universe. Enlivening the infinite silence and dynamism

101

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

7/39


of this field in on e' s awar en es s, on e awa ke ns to the imm ort al status of this field of pu re

intelligence in nature. In the same process one promotes the production of the most

ref ined physio logical substances , which maintain perfect balance in the body and

thereby sustain health and longevity. 1

Each of these stories points to the importance of connecting the individual awareness

wit h the field of co sm ic inte llig enc e, the unified field of natura l la w. For those wh o are

alrea dy hav ing this expe rien ce, through Maha rish i Ved ic Scie nce and Tec hno log y, the

Ve di c cas e studies describe var ious features of their own grow th and develo pme nt. Lik e

Nac hike ta, or as narra ted in the story of Lor d Dhanwa nta ri, thos e who begin to expe ri

enc e tran scend enta l con sci ou sne ss thr oug h the Tra nsce nde nta l Medi tati on techn ique find that the

source of the ever-changing mind is pure consciousness, an eternal field of both pure

s i l e nc e and in f in i t e dy na mi sm . In f ac t , sc i en t i f i c r es ear ch has sh ow n tha t t heTra nsce nden tal Meditat io n and TM- Sidh i prog ram s reduce biological aging and pro

mo te longe vity. (Please refer to Ale xan der & Boye r, 1989.) In t ransce ndental con

sciousness, these people find their small localized awareness expanding to infinity as

des crib ed in the story of Lor d Va ma na . Like K ing Bali they rapidly rise to who len es s of

life and enrich the whole environment.

For those not yet experiencing pure or transcendental consciousness, the Vedic case

studies provide an inspiration to gain it . Unless the individual repeatedly gains the expe

rie nce of pure cons cio usne ss, de vel opme nt to higher states of cons ciou sne ss does not

systematically take place, and these Vedic case studies therefore remain mere stories.But if con scio usne ss is dev elo ping throu gh the Mahar ishi Tran scen dent al Medit ation and

TM-Sidhi programs, then the Vedic records become comprehended in terms of one's

own growth of consciousness and become relevant as case studies of the dynamics of

that growth. Their deeper meaning is perceived and their real value in supporting the

growth of enlightenment is realized.

The following pages analyze in detail the text which Maharishi has identified as the

mo st central of all Ve dic case studies, the Bhag ava d-G ita, in light of Mah ari shi 's ow n

translation and commentary on this work.

The B h a g a v a d -Gita

Maharishi (1982) explains that the Bhagavad-Gita displays the practical application

of the k now led ge and ex per ienc e of brin ging the individua l into conta ct with the field of

cosmic intelligence, the unified field of natural law. The Bhagavad-Gita describes what

cou ld be unders tood as a "V ed ic psychol ogic al sessi on" of appro ximat ely two hours,

which is sufficient for Lord Krishn to raise Arjun, who has sought his guidance, from a

state of suffering to the state of enli ghte nmen t. L ord Krishn is called "L or d" bec aus e he

is understood in the Vedic tradition to most fully embody the totality of natural law, the

totality of consciousness.

'The theoretical and practical knowledge of maintaining physiological balance and health is found in the discipline of the

Vedic literature known as Ayur-Ved (one of four aspects of the Upa Ved). This knowledge has been brought to light by

Maharishi in its completeness—in relation to consciousness—and is termed Maharishi Ayur-Ved.

102

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

8/39


In the cou rse of this session, Lord Kris hn a' s dialogue with Arjun unfolds the sys tem

atic structur e of Maha rish i Vedi c Psych olog y in a concre te and com pre hen siv e ma n

ner. The Bhagavad-Gita addresses the cause and elimination of suffering, the levels of

the mind, the mechanics of experiencing transcendental consciousness, and the develop

me nt of hig her states of con sci ous nes s, or enl igh ten men t, in wh ich life is lived at the

highe st level of bliss, effectiveness, an d universali ty.

In co mm en t i ng on the Bh aga va d- Gi ta a s a case s tudy of Ve di c Ps yc ho lo gy ,

Maharishi (1963) has suggested that psychologists and all those who seek the solution

to pr ob le ms in life sho uld take adva nta ge of the wi sd om foun d in this work :

Psychology as exemplified in the Bhagavad-Gita presents the study of the development of

the mind from a pitiable state of anxiety and depression to that most highly developed state

in which the intelligence is established in the consciousness of eternal Being [the field ofpure consciousness], the most evolved state of human evolution.

The Bhagavad-Gita describes the psychologies of the individual and the cosmic minds

[cosmic psyche], and marvelously succeeds in bringing about their correlation, so that the

status of eternal life may become infused into the temporal phase of the phenomenal exis

tence of man. If this does not take place the individual remains forever subjected to the

phenomenal aspect of his nature and it is, as a consequence of this, that suffering overtakes

him. (p. 263)

In outl ini ng the Bha gav ad- Gita as a cas e study of Mahar ishi Ved ic Psy cho log y,

this article first briefly describes the general story of this work, and comments on theinteraction between its two major characters. The remainder of this article describes in

detail the full rang e of Mah ari shi Ve di c Psy ch olo gy as foun d in the kn ow le dg e giv en

by Lord Krishn to Arjun. The enormous range of knowledge of the psyche found in the

Bhagavad-Gita—from individual to cosmic psyche—is much greater than could be

expected from any case study in twentieth-century psychology. As Maharishi (1982)

explains, this is because the Bhagavad-Gita expresses in compact form the totality of

the knowledge of consciousness. The Bhagavad-Gita 's exposit ion of Vedic Psychology,

as brought to light by Maharishi, is explored in this article in terms of four themes: the

nature of suffering, the experience of transcendental consciousness, the development of

enlightenment, and the self-interacting dynamics of consciousness.

T h e Story of the Bha ga va d -Gita

The Bhagavad-Gita, set on a batt lefield, narrates a dialogue between Arjun, the

greatest archer of his time and, as Maharishi notes, a man of great integrity, clarity of

mind, and compassion, and Lord Krishn, who is acting as Arjuna's charioteer. The cen

tral event of the narrative is the dilemma in which Arjun finds himself as the battle

approaches, and the subsequent transformation that he undergoes as a result of his inter

action with Lord Krishn.

The events leading to the bat t le , as wel l as i t s resolut ion, are re la ted in the

Mah abh ara t, of whi ch Arjun is a hero and of whi ch the Bhaga vad -Git a is the central

part. In Mahar ishi Ved ic Scien ce and Tec hno log y, the Maha bha rat is part of the Itihas

aspect of the Vedic literature, which displays the dynamics of all transformations of the

Rishi, or knower. The Mahabharat is thus considered by Maharishi to express funda-

103

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

9/39


mental dynamics of natural law that have an eternal, universal character independent of

particular time and place; at the same time, these dynamics are expressed in the context

of even ts that occu rred appro xima tely f ive thou sand years ago (Mahar ishi M ahe sh

Yog i, 196 7, p. 9).

At this time, Dhritarashtr, the blind king of the Kuru family, had delegated to his

y o u n g e r b r o t h e r P a n d u t h e m a n a g e m e n t o f h i s k i n g d o m . O n P a n d u ' s d e a t h ,

Dhritarashtr had decided to give his throne to Yudhishthir, the eldest of the five sons of

Pandu, who was renowned for his righteousness, rather than to his own eldest son,

Du ry od ha n, who lacke d qualities of an ideal leader. Dury od ha n seized the thro ne for

himself and sought to destroy the five sons of Pandu, one of whom was Arjun. Lord

Krishn attempts to resolve the conflict peacefully; however, his attempts fail, and war

seems inevitable as Duryodhana's forces prepare for battle and the sons of Pandu pre

pare to defend themselves.

In the cont ext of Maha rish i Ve di c Psy cho log y, the action s of a gov ern men tal leader

are the exp res sio n of the whol e collective consciousness of the soci ety (Ma har ish i

Mahesh Yogi, 1976, p. 122). (Please refer to Orme-Johnson and Dillbeck, 1987 for a

detailed description of Maharishi 's principles of collective consciousness.) For exam

ple , whe n stress in the col lect ive co nsc io usn es s of a nation build s up to an ex tr em e

deg ree , it burst s out in turbule nce or viol ence of so me kind, whe ther dom est ic or inter

national, and the decisions and actions of the head of state respond to and express this

stress in national consciousness. Maharishi (1985a) comments on this situation in the

context of the Bhagavad-Gita in the following way:

Duryodhan was the opponent of Arjun in the Mahabharat. When he was faced with some

wise man, he said:

Janami dharmam na cha me pravrittih

I know what is right, but I cannot do it.

Janamy adharmam na cha me nivrittih

I know what is wrong, but I cannot refrain from it.

Kenapi daivena hridisthitenaSome motivating power decides in my heart

yatha niyukto'smi tatha karomi

and whatever it designs, that only I can do.

Duryodhan was the head of state. He knew what was right but he could not do it; he knew

what was wrong but he could not refrain from doing it; and he gave the reason. He

expressed . . . that it is the national consciousness which is the motivating power of the

head of state. (pp. 182-183)

Ar ju na 's dile mma is outl ined in the first chap ter of the Bhag ava d-G ita , wh ic h nar

rates his situation as the armies are preparing for battle. Feeling indignant when faced

on the battlefield with the forces of Duryodhan, Arjun asks Lord Krishn to draw his

chariot between the two armies so that he might more closely observe the opposing

army. After doing so, Lord Krishn, knowing that Arjuna's anger will weaken him,

induces a sudden change in Arjuna's at t i tude in order to make him receptive to the

104

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

10/39


k n o w l e d g e that Lord Krishn has to offer him (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, 1967, pp.

4 6 - 5 1 ) .

Lo rd Kris hn ind uce s this sudd en ch an ge throu gh a series of skil led actio ns and

wo rd s . Hav ing brou ght Arjun to view the forces of Dur yod han , Lord Krishn says :

"Parth, behold those Kurus gathered together" (I. 25). Maharishi (1967) explains that

Lord Krishn refers to Arjun as "Parth," that is, the son of Prith, Arjuna's mother; in so

doing he stirs Arjuna's tender feelings. He also reinforces this emotion by describing

the army of Dur yod han as "Ku ru s" —Ar ju na 's kinsmen . The immedi ate result is that

Arjun begins to view his opponents as kinsmen rather than as enemies. His anger sub

sides; in a wave of compassion his resolve for battle is completely lost and he feels

ov erw hel med by the dile mma of his s ituation.

As descri bed by Mah ari shi (1 967 ), Arj un a's dil emm a is that the call of duty and free

do m requir es him to defeat the forces of Du ry od ha n and re mo ve the opp ress ion which

the kingdom has suffered under him, while the love and compassion he experiences

makes him feel that it would be wrong to kill his kinsmen. Unable to act, Arjun drops

his bow, an d pro mp ted by anot her phras e of Lord Kri shn, turns to him for gui dan ce.

Maharishi points out that Lord Krishn has created in Arjun a natural state of receptivity

to kno wl ed ge by ma ki ng him aware of a dile mma that he cann ot resolve from his pre

sen t leve l o f kn ow le dg e . Wh en Ar jun sur r ende rs to Lord Kr i s hn a ' s wisd om and

becomes receptive to his guidance, Lord Krishn responds with the solution to Arjuna's

dilemma. This response forms the remainder of the 18 chapters of the Bhagavad-Gita.

Maharishi (1963) has described in the following way the interaction between Arjun and

Lord Krishn and the knowledge that Lord Krishn provides:

The way in which surroundings and circumstances influence the individual mind is demon

strated at the very beginning of the text, where, the most highly evolved man, the greatest

archer of his time, Arjun, the hero of the Mahabharat, although awake to a most complete

knowledge of right and wrong in the world, is unable to rise to the occasion before him and

falls into a state of utter dejection. The surroundings have so strong an effect upon his mind

that all persuasion and suggestion are powerless to help him.

The Bhagavad-Gita teaches that the effect of surroundings and circumstances upon the

mind depends upon its strength—that the intensity of the effect of an impression is in

inverse ratio to the strength of the mind. At one time Arjun is found in a perilous state of

indecision, but, after putting into practice the psychological teaching of the Gita, it is not

long before he is found in full power of confidence and decision, although the circum

stances remained quite unchanged. A close study of Lord Krishna's discourse reveals a

great depth of psychological insight; it shows that the individual mind, however intelligent

it may be on the superficial conscious level, can be overcome by its failure to understand

and encompass a situation which obviously lies beyond its control, unless it is in tune with

the unlimited cosmic mind. The establishment of conscious coordination between the indi

vidual and the cosmic mind is the only way to ensure that the individual becomes entirely

free of the possibility of failing to understand a threatening situation and of successfullyrising above its adverse effect. A pond is apt to dry out in the heat of summer, but for the

ocean the question does not arise. The psychology of the Bhagavad-Gita presents one mas

ter technique for bringing out this coordination of the individual mind with the cosmic

mind; the attention is to be brought to the field of the transcendental absolute existence.

This is to transform the weakness and limitation of the individual mind into the unbounded

strength of cosmic intelligence. This great achievement is so simple to achieve that any and

10.

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

11/39


every individual on earth can succeed in it, and in this way make unnecessary all the petty

complexiti es and innumerable sufferings in life (pp. 263- 264).

After approximately two hours of interaction, Arjun is ready to resume his role as theleading warrior of his army. Maharishi notes that during this period of time Arjun has

gained from Lord Krishn the knowledge and direct experience of Yog—"union" or

enl ightenment .

Arjun learns from Lord Krishn that before enlightenment one is never able to deter

mi ne all of the rights and wr on gs of acti on; and that the key to pe rf or min g right actio n

is to establish o ne 's awa ren ess in the field of pure con scio usn ess, in the state of yog or

union, and then act. (Please refer to the following article in this series on Maharishi

Vedic Psychology for a detailed discussion of this principle.) Only action from the level

of the unified field of natural law is capable of creating the most evolutionary effect forthe actor and the whole environment.

The Interaction Between Lord Krishn and Arjun

As analyzed by Maharishi, the interaction between Lord Krishn and Arjun, and Lord

Krishna's method of counseling Arjun, illustrate three important characteristics of Lord

Krishna's skill in bringing Arjun directly to enlightenment. These points in this case

stud y illustrate pro foun d and practical prin ciple s of Mahar ishi Ved ic Psy cho log y.

First , the know led ge of enl igh tenm ent is portr ayed as co mi ng from a repre senta tive

of the t im ele ss Ve di c t radi t ion to a ful ly rece pt iv e seeker . Mah ari shi (19 67) haspo int ed out that the kn ow le dg e of the ful l de ve lo pm en t of co nsc io usn ess can be

gained most effectively when the one seeking knowledge is receptive to a teacher who

ca n spe ak from the level of en li gh te nm en t, from the va nta ge poin t of full hu ma n

development (p. 303) .

Lord Krishna's stature is unveiled in stages as the Bhagavad-Gita progresses, yet his

quie t mas tery of the events ar ound him is di splay ed from the beg inn ing of the work .

This mastery is indicated by the fact that with a few words, Lord Krishn brings Arjun to

seek guidance. Lord Krishna's evenness in adversity is also brought out before he

begins to teach Arjun. To Arjun, who was "sorrowing in the midst of the two armies,Hrishikesha [Lord Krishn] smilingly spoke" (II. 10). As the armies draw up for battle

and the hero of his army is lost in despair, Lord Krishn is shown as smiling to Arjun.

Thus , Lord Krishn is port rayed as es tabl ished in evenness , a pr imary a t t r ibute of

enlightenment. He is also identified later as specifically representing the timeless Vedic

tradition and as fully embodying the field of pure consciousness.

On ce Arjun turns to Lord Krishn for gu id anc e, the whole flow of kn ow led ge of the

Bhagavad-Gita begins, illustrating the importance of the state of receptivity in the aspi

rant for kno wle dge of enl igh ten men t. With a highly rece ptiv e learner , as fully ex emp li

fied by Arjun, knowledge given can be absorbed without loss of information or distort ion. As Maharishi (1967) explains, when the teacher is enlightened—giving expression

to the unified field of natural law—and the listener is fully receptive, the minds of the

tw o begin to flow toge ther on the same level of co smi c intelligen ce. In this rela tion ship

the seeker can quickly rise to the level of enlightenment (p. 303).

A sec ond imp ortan t princ iple of the intera ction betw een Lor d Krish n and Arju n,

106

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

12/39


Maharishi points out, is that Lord Krishn does not attempt to resolve Arjuna's problem

by focusing directly upon it, but instead gives Arjun the intellectual understanding and

experiential development necessary to rise above this or any other problem. After Arjun

presents his bewildering dilemma, Lord Krishn does not respond with an analysis of

Ar ju na 's conce rns ; he provi des a descr iptio n of an ideally wise person, and an elabo ra

tion of how that wisdom is gained through experience of transcendental consciousness.

From such wisdom will naturally come a solution to the situation.

Because Lord Krishn is aware of the full range of human development, he is not so

concerned with discussing Arjuna's situation directly, although he does advise Arjun to

perform his duty. He does not dwell on Arjuna's feelings of unhappiness. Rather, his

primary concern is to bring Arjun to the state of enlightenment, described as a state in

which neither the present dilemma nor any other situation will cause Arjun grief. Thus,

Lord Krishn immediately begins to paint a picture of the goal toward which he wants to

bring Arjun. The effectiveness of this technique is indicated by Arjuna's rapid transfor

ma ti on from a state of wi thd raw al to one of acti ve and alert ques tio ni ng of Lor d Kri shn .

Maharishi (1967, p. 126) calls this principle of bringing in light rather than worrying

over the source of the darkness "the principle of the second element." He points out that

adding the element of direct experience of bliss consciousness is much more effective

and simple than analyzing the causes of suffering in a person's character or environ

men t. The experi ence of bliss con sci ous nes s is gained when the individual m ind con

tacts the field of pur e con scio usn ess dur ing the Mahar ishi Tran scend ental Meditat ion and

TM-Sidhi programs. This principle of the second element has profound importance for

all those involved in clinical psychology. Its use protects the emotions of the client as

well as the counselor, focusing their attention in a direction which supports the most

r a p i d d e v e l o p m e n t o f b o t h ( M a h a r i s h i M a h e s h Y o g i , 1 9 6 3 , p p . 2 5 7 - 2 6 4 ) . I n

Maharishi ' s words :

It should not be the act of psychology to remind a man that his past was miserable, or that

his surroundings and circumstances were unfavorable, or that his associations were depress

ing and discouraging, or that there was lack of love and harmony with dear and near ones.

Such information delivered to anyone only results in suppressing one' s consciousness. . . .

The psychological influence of such depressing information is demoralizing. The inner

core of one's heart becomes twisted by such information. On the other hand, information

regarding the greatness of one's family traditions and glory of one's parents, friends, and

environment helps to elevate one's consciousness and directly encourages one to surmount

and rise above one's weaknesses.... (p. 258)

Transcendental consciousness is bliss consciousness. When bliss consciousness comes

within the range of the conscious mind, the mind is contented. On the platform of content

ment, based on the positive experience of bliss, all the virtues flourish. Love, kindness,

compassion, tolerance, appreciation of others, all naturally take hold of the mind and the

individual is the center of divine intelligence. The field of absolute Being, the field of pure

consciousness, is the source of all intelligence, all creativity, all peace and happiness. (p. 262)

A third principle in Lord Krishna's method of dialogue with Arjun, Maharishi notes,

is that Lord Krishn emphasizes both the knowledge and experience necessary for the

de ve lop me nt of enli ghte nmen t. He immedi atel y begi ns to resp ond to Arjun by descr ib

ing both the understanding of the field of pure consciousness and the experience of it.

107

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

13/39


After a numb er of verse s in Lord Kri shn a' s response to Arjun, Maharish i (19 67)

comments :

Intellectual understanding of Reality convinces a man of the existence of a nobler and morepermanent field of life that lies beyond and underlies the ordinary level of phenomenal

existence. That has been the purpose of the discourse up to this point. Now Lord Krishn

wishes to introduce Arjun to the practice whereby his intellect will become established in

Reality. This is to give him that positive experience of the truth of existence which will

bring him to a state where he is unaffected by the binding influence of a c t i o n . . . . just as a

contented business man, having achieved great wealth, is not affected by small losses or

gains. (pp. 116-117)

Lord Kr ish na' s teach ing emp has ize s that enli ghte nmen t is a matter of direct expe ri

en ce rat her than just an intelle ctual att itude t owa rds life. Thi s point is also evident fromthe fact that Lord K ris hn tells Arjun that the tho ught and beha vio r of the enl igh ten ed

person are completely natural and spontaneously right. Yet at the same time, Lord

Krishna's detailed explanations indicate that intellectual understanding is also necessary

to complete the experience of enlightenment.

Lord Krishna's display of the power of Vedic Psychology to lead the individual to

the full deve lop men t of cons ciou sne ss is so effective, Maharis hi obser ves, that at the

end of this sessi on of tw o hou rs, Arjun de cla res , Smritir labdha, "I have regained mem

ory." Maharishi (1980) notes that the word "memory" (smriti) refers to the lively con

nection with the totality of natural law: "When the totality of natural law does not disappear from memory then the individual is established in enlightenment" (p. 16). As

poi nte d out in a prev iou s article in this series (Dillb eck, 1988), Maha ris hi Ve di c

Ps yc ho lo gy sta tes that the unified field of natural l aw, the Self of eac h indivi dual , is

always connected with each of its expressions through a lively self-referral relationship.

(In his commentary, Maharishi distinguishes between individual awareness—the self—

and the field of pure un bou nde d con sc iou sne ss— the universal Self.) Thus , the comp let e

aw ak en in g of the in div idu al ' s awar ene ss to the unified f ield of natural law can be

understood as regaining the memory of its unified source and of the dynamics of trans

forma tion thr ough whic h the field of pure cons cio usne ss expresse s itself

Th e Teachin gs of the Bhaga vad- Git a

In describing the knowledge of the individual psyche and cosmic psyche given by

Lord Krishn to Arjun, this article draws on Maharishi's translation and commentary on

the Bhagavad-Gita (1967) as well as some of Maharishi's other works. In order to gain

a comprehensive and correct understanding of the Vedic texts, it is extremely important

to rely on the com me nt ar y of one who has a lrea dy gain ed the fruit of Ve di c wi sd om ,

enlightenment. This age is remarkably fortunate to have in Maharishi one who embodies Vedic wisdom of the highest state of human consciousness. Maharishi is in addition

a teacher capable of appreciating the possible misunderstandings that can arise in the

absence of direct experiential verification of the knowledge in the Vedic literature. In a

number of places in the text that follows, commentary by Maharishi is quoted in order

to clarify passages cited from the Bhagavad-Gita and thus to avert possible misunder-

108

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

14/39


standing of the descriptions given by Lord Krishn of the development of human experi

ence to enlightenment.

To fully understand Arjuna's transformation and to appreciate the Bhagavad-Gita as

a com ple te case study of Maharish i Ved ic Psycho logy, Lord Kris hna 's teaching will

be examined in terms of the themes of the nature of suffering, the experience of tran

scendent al con scious ness, a nd the deve lopm ent of enligh tenment . The essence of Lord

Krishna's message to Arjun, as elaborated by Maharishi, is that suffering results from

lack of permanent inner fulfillment, which in turn leads to undue attachment to (or iden

tification with) the diverse and changing aspects of life. Lord Krishn states that there is

a transcendental field of life which is unified, non-changing, and the source of inner

contentment, and that this field can be experienced as one's own consciousness or

"Self." Wh en this experien ce of the Self as non- chan ging beco me s permane nt, Lord

Krishn says, one begins to live a state of enlightenment, in which the problems and

changing situations of life do not result in suffering. One rises to the unrestricted bliss

of a unified state of life in the midst of all diversity and change.

Th e Bhagav ad- Git a on the Cau se and Remova l of Suffering

Maharishi (1967, p. 50) points out that the Bhagavad-Gita addresses the question of

suffering in a way that is intended to apply to all forms of suffering and problems. It

accomplishes this by presenting suffering in a most noble man, caused by a most diffi

cult situation. Arjun is not only one of the greatest warriors of his time, but is also a man

of personal integrity who has a clear mind and a full heart. He had committed himself to

bat tle bec au se he saw the nee d to preve nt further opp res sio n of his bro the rs and their

people. Yet, at the same time, he feels such compassion for his kinsmen in the opposing

army that he questions whether any good could come from the impending destruction. In

spite of the wrong-doing of his cousin Duryodhan and others, he feels he could not enjoy

a kin gd om g ai ne d at the pri ce of suc h conflict. As a result, he is una ble to act at all.

Arjuna's suffering is brought on by an apparent conflict between his honorable quali

ties, his great sense of duty and his compassion. Maharishi notes that by portraying this

particular dilemma in such a highly developed man, the Bhagavad-Gita addresses i tssol uti on to all for ms of suffer ing, eve n in the "m os t noble , sinless and most highl y

developed in both heart and mind" (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, 1967, pp. 51-52).

Arjun, wanting only to do what is good, suffers because there is a conflict between

duty to society and love of family. In Maharishi's commentary, the cause of suffering

wh ic h eme rg es from this exa min ati on of Ar ju na 's situation is Arj una 's inability to inte

grate the conflicting demands which arise from the diversity of life. The source of

Arjuna's dilemma, in Maharishi 's analysis (1967, pp. 76-77), is the conflict between

the di ctates of Arj un a' s min d (the val ue of duty ) and heart (the value of com pas sio n).

Arjun is naturally attached not only to his brothers and their cause but to his relatives inthe opposing army. As a result he feels divided in himself and in this lack of integration

he is unable to act. Maharishi states:

Within man there is mind and there is heart. These, by their very existence as two, hold the

possibility of suffering. When they are united, when there is harmony between a heart and

mind full of righteousness and noble inspiration, suffering cannot arise. But when there is a

lack of coordination or a conflict between them, suffering automatically results. (p. 50)

109

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

15/39


The solution lies in the infusion into the field of duality of a nondual element which

ble sse s m a n 's life wit h a st at us un affected by suffe ring, ev en whil e he re mai ns in the field

w here su ffer ing is po ss ib le . (p . 52 )

Lor d Kr i shn r esponds t o t hi s s i t ua t ion by g iv ing Ar jun t he knowledge a nd exper ience

of th e f ield of pu re inte ll ige nce w hic h in tegr ates a l l the manife st diversi ty of l i fe. Th is

f ield, de scr ibe d by Lo rd Kri shn as the f ield of Be ing , is ident i f ied by Mah aris hi V ed ic

Ps yc ho lo gy a s t he uni f ied f ie ld of na t ur a l la w, t he f ield of pur e co nsc iou sn ess . Th is

theme of removing suffer ing through at tuning individual l i fe with the unif ied f ield of

n a t u r a l l a w h a s b e e n p r e v i o u s l y d e s c r i b e d i n t e r m s o f b o t h M a h a r i s h i V e d i c

Psy ch olo gy a nd t he pr inc ip les of mo de r n sc ience ( Ale xa n der & Boyer , 1 989) . In t he

Bha ga va dGit a , Lor d Kr i shn e la bor a t es t hi s sa me t heme in t er ms which a r e concr et e ly

psy cho log ica l in na t ur e, co nc er n ed wi t h t he pr o cess of expe r ienc e.

Lo rd K rish n states that suffer ing ar ises f rom the lack of the stable in ner ex pe r ie nc e

of fulf i l lment, wh ic h resu lts in un du e at t ac hm en t to uns tabl e exter nal sou rce s of sat is-

fact ion. He states:

In this verse, Lord Krishn points out that a l l sat isfact ion that has i t s basis in the con

t a c t of t he se l f wi t h t h e cha n gin g objec t s of t he senses , w i t ho ut d i r ec t ly expe r ien c ing

t h e i r n o n c h a n g i n g b a s i s i n p u r e c o n s c i o u s n e s s , w i l l l e a d t o s o r r o w , b e c a u s e o n e i s

d e p e n d e n t o n t h e e n v i r o n m e n t f o r o n e ' s h a p p i n e s s . I n a s u b s e q u e n t v e r s e , h e t e l l s

A r ju n th at t h e e n l i g h t e n e d p e r s o n , o n t h e b a s i s o f u n s h a k a b l e in n e r c o n t e n t m e n t a n d

b l i s s , i s n o t a t the m e r c y o f c i r c u m s t a n c e s . M a h a r i s h i ( 1 9 6 7 ) c o m m e n t s u p o n th is verse

a s fo l lows :

. . . the intensity of happ iness that one can enjoy depend s on the level of on e's conscious-

ness. At every level of consciousness there is a corresponding intensity of happiness. This

principle applies also to intelligence and power. . . .

If the self delig hts in the expe rience of objects, since the objects are ch angin g, the

delight will soon be lost. This loss of pleasure will give rise to suffering. That is why the

Lord says: "they have a beginning and an e n d . . . . The enlightened man does not rejoice in

them." He who lacks contact with inner Being becomes engrossed in external pleasures....

W hen one jo y co mes to an en d, th e self is su bje ct ed to a st ate wit hout joy whic h, in con-

trast with the ex peri enc e of joy , is suffering. B ut if the Self has gained a state of perpetualhappiness, then It is left with no possibility of suffering. Absence of blissconsciousness is

the source of sorrow. (pp. 367368)

M a h a r i s hi ' s a na lys i s of suf fer ing a l so e la bor a t es Lor d Kr i sh na ' s t h em e by r e la t ing

suffe r ing to act ion whi ch is not in tun e with th e laws of natu re gov ern ing hum an devel-

op m en t . Th e inne r fu l f i l lment of b l i s s i s foun d in t he d i r ec t exp er ie nce of pur e con

All ple as ure s bo rn of co nt ac t ar e onl y sourc es

of sorrow; they have a beginning and an end,

О son of Kunti [Arjun]. The enlightened man does not

rejoice in them.

(V. 22)

1 1 0

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

16/39


sciousness, the total potential of natural law. When that is not available, behavior is

guided by impressions from the senses which reflect only partial values of natural law

without awareness of their basis in the unified field of natural law, the field of pure

con sci ou sne ss. Th e result of this restricted awa ren ess is action that is not fully life-sup

porting for either the individual or the environment.

This is clearly brought out by Lord Krishn when he says that sensory pleasures have

a "beginning and an end," (V. 22) implying that they are finite; they do not provide the

etern al fulfillment of pur e con sci ous nes s. Th us, as Mahari shi points out, if pure co n

scio usn ess has not been stabi l ized as the basis of all cons ciou s exp erie nce, sensor y

impressions may fragment the wholeness of life, which results in suffering. Arjuna's

suffering arises from the fact that the wholeness of his life has been divided by his heart

and mind drawing him in opposite directions. In order to solve his dilemma, Arjun must

esta blis h his con sci ou sn ess in the unified field of natu ral law. In Mah ari shi Ve di c

Psychology, this is the only means to integrate life's most contrasting demands.

This case study emphasizes, however, that locating the source of suffering as attach

ment to the changing aspects of life does not imply that one should adopt an unnatural

attitud e of det ach men t, or that one should at temp t to deny onese lf the expe rien ce of jo y.

Rather, Lord Krishn says:

Creatures follow their own nature.

Even the enlightened man acts

according to his own nature.

What can restraint accomplish?

(III. 33)

As Maharishi emphasizes, the implication is that attachment to pleasure is natural,

an d that the state of en lig ht enm en t, whi ch is the great est bliss, is als o natural. Lor d

Krishn does not suggest that joy is at fault, but rather he asserts that the joy resulting

from attachment to sensory pleasure is too shallow, transient, and divisive when not

integrated by stabilized pure consciousness. In contrast, he proposes that Arjun gain a

state of such inner fullness that all his desires and actions do not weigh heavily on him,

but are sup po rt ed and fully integ rate d by the totality of all the law s of nat ure :

He whom all desires enter as

waters enter the ever-full and

unmoved sea attains peace, and

not he who cherishes desires.

(II. 70)

111

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

17/39


In commenting upon this verse, Maharishi (1967) describes the enlightened man:

. . . his state is like that of an ever-full and steady ocean. This, being the state of absolute

bliss, is the goal of all desires in life.

Desires arise from a particular want, from a lack of happiness; the mind is ever seeking

a field of greater happiness. Thus desires are always flowing towards eternal bliss-con

sciousness, as rivers to the ocean.

Once bliss-consciousness is permanently attained, desires have served their purpose and

therefore cravings do not arise. This is a state of true contentment, a state of lasting peace.

. . . However, this does not mean that in order to attain peace in life a man should cease to

desire and to aspire. It is the desires that lead a man to greater happiness and to fulfillment—

not the control and killing of desires, which has been widely advocated through the ages....

Thinking that to desire and to aspire will not lead to peace, people begin to abstain fromenterprise and cease to open the gates of progress. This is simply a wrong understanding of

the Lord's teaching.

The verse shows Arjun very clearly that the Self-awareness of the realized is like an

ocean, which will accept any stream of desires and will satisfy it without being affected.

The ocean accepts the river as it comes and denies no stream rushing in, yet its status

remains unaffected. Such is the state of established intellect, which cannot be affected by

anything. It is a state of eternal peace. (pp. 170-171)

In summary, Maharishi's insight into Lord Krishna's analysis of suffering is that in a

world of change and diversity, undue attachment to changing sources of pleasure gives

rise to suffering through sorrow or conflict. He proposes that freedom from suffering is

based on stable inner fulfillment and peace. This inner fullness is cultured through the

experience of transcendental consciousness.

Th e Bhagavad -Git a on the Experience of Transce ndenta l Consciousness

As ela bora ted by Mahari shi (1 967), L ord Krishn describ es the experie nce of the field

of pure or transcendental consciousness as one's innermost Self. His strategy for teach

ing Arjun about transcendental consciousness is to provide Arjun first with an intellec

tual understanding of the nature of the transcendental field and then with direct experi

ence of it . He begins with a description that allows Arjun to realize that there is

something to be gained beyond the range of his usual experience.

Lord Krishn f irst describes the f ield of transcendental consciousness, the unified

field of natural law, in several verses which follow in close succession:

Know that to be indeed indestructible

by which all this is pervaded. None

can work the destruction of this

immutable Being.

(II. 17)

112

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

18/39

THE BHAGAVADGITA: A CASE STUDY

He is uncleavable; he cannot be burned;

he cannot be wetted, nor yet can he be

dried. He is eternal, allpervading,

stable, immovable, ever the same.

(II. 24)

He is declared to be unmanifest,

unthinkable, unchangeable; therefore

knowing him as such you should not

grieve.

(II. 25)

^ t " lHc44cieqt^T ^TcfFT ЧШ\ I I

d f H I d H f f u i W r f a ^ T ^ f ^ПГ^^Ч^ГУ ll^oll

He who dwells in the body of everyon e

is eternal and invulnerable, О Bharata;therefore you should not grieve for

any creature whatsoever.

( II . 30)

I n t h e s e v e r s e s , M a h a r i s h i n o t e s , L o r d K r i s h n d e s c r i b e s a t r a n s c e n d e n t a l a n d a l l

pe rv ad in g f ield of exi ste nce wit ho ut dif feren t iat ion or ch an ge . Thi s f ield is a lso ident i-

f ied a s t he inne r na t ur e of ea c h per son, t ha t i s , a s consc i ous nes s . Th e f ield of "B ei n g"

descr ibed by Lord Krishn is the unif ied f ield of natural law, termed the f ield of pure

c o n s c i o u s n e s s o r t h e c o s m i c p s y c h e i n M a h a r i s h i V e d i c P s y c h o l o g y ( O r m e J o h n s o n ,

1 9 8 8 ) . L o r d K r i s h n a ' s d e s c r i p t i o n m a k e s A r j u n a w a r e o f t h e e x i s t e n c e o f t h i s f i e ld

b e y o n d t h e u s u a l r a n g e o f o b v i o u s s e n s o r y p h e n o m e n a , a n d a lso r e l ie ve s h i m o f h i s

concer n for t he fa t e of t he oppos ing for ces .

H o w e v e r , a s d e s c r i b e d i n a p r e v i o u s p a s s a g e b y M a h a r i s h i , L o r d K r i s h n d o e s n o t

con t in ue t o spe a k t o Ar jun pur e ly in t er m s of a n int e l lec t ua l und er s t a ndi ng of t he f ield

o f p u r e c o n s c i o u s n e s s :

т^щ ^ W 4T2f ^FfcRT TrJTFrfF 1 1 1 1This which has been set before you is

understanding in terms of Sankhya; hear it

now in terms of Yog. Your intellect

established through it, О Parth, you will

cast away the binding influence of action.

(II. 39)

113

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

19/39


In this (Yog) no effort is lost and

no obstacle exists. Even a little of

this dharma delivers from great fear.

(II. 40)

In Ma ha r i shi V ed ic Sc ie nce , Sa n khy a i s on e sec t ion of t he U pa ng a spect of t he

V e d i c l i tera tu re, o n e w h i c h g ive s a n in te l le c tu a l d e s cr i p t io n o f the fu ll r a n g e of rea li ty ;

Y o g i s a n o t h e r U p a n g w h i c h p r o v i d e s s y s t e m a t i c p r o c e d u r e s t o e x p e r i e n c e th e fi eld o f

pur e consc iousness a nd t her eby ga in enl ight enment . ( Upa ng r e fer s col lec t ive ly t o t he

s ix sys t em s of ga in in g com ple t e kno wl edg e, pr ov id ing bot h int e l lec t ua l un der s t a n din g

and direct exper ience. Please refer to Dillbeck, 1988 for a descr ipt ion of aspects of the

V e d i c l i terature in M a h a r i s h i V e d i c S c i e n c e . ) L o r d K r i sh n te l ls Ar jun th at th e p r a c t i c e

of Y og (uni on) wil l establish his awa ren ess in the f ield of pu re cons cio us ne ss, f reein g

hi m from his pres ent state and a ll po tent ia l s tates of suffer ing. Lo rd Kris hn a lso imme-

diat ely po ints out to Ar jun that the prac t ice of Yo g, to gain the ex per ien ce of t ranscen-

dental consciousness, i s easy and ef fort less because i t follows the natural tendency of

e v o l u t i o n (dharma) of the mi nd . Th e ef fort less natur e of the ex pe r ie nc e of t ransce nden -

t a l consc iousness i s d i scussed in det a i l be low.

In descr i b ing t he exper ien ce of t he f ie ld of pur e co nsc io usn ess , L or d Kr i shn ins t r uct s

A r j u n :

. . . Be withou t the three gunas,

О Arjun, freed from duality, ever

firm in purity, independent of possessions,

pos sess ed of the Self.

(II.45)

M ah ar is hi po int s ou t that this verse gives thre e cha ract er is t ics of the f ield of pu re

co ns c io us ne ss : i t i s nondu a l , i t is sepa r a t e fr om a ll ob jec t s , a nd i t i s on e ' s inner m ost

"Sel f . " He em ph a s iz es t ha t thi s ver se a l so descr i bes ho w t o ga in t he exp er ien ce of pu r e

consc iousness . In hi s Vedic Sc ience, Ma ha r i shi ( 1 967) ident i f ies t he " t hr ee guna s" a s

t hr e e q ua l i t ies of a c t i v i t y —c r ea t ion , ma int ena nce , a nd des t r uc t io n— a t t he ba s i s of a l l

ma ni fes t a t ion a nd cha nge in objec t ive a nd subjec t ive na t ur e . Thus, t he phr a se "Be wi t h-

out t he t hr ee guna s" indica t es t ha t t o ga in t hi s exper ience, one ' s a wa r eness ha s only t o

b e w i t h o u t a c t i v i t y . T h i s i s t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e f o u r t h s t a t e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,

d e s c r i b e d b y M a h a r i s h i V e d i c P s y c h o l o g y a s t r a n s c e n d e n t a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s

( A l e x a n d e r & B o y e r , 1 9 8 9 ) .

I f i t i s only necessa r y t o "be" t o ha ve t hi s exper ience, one might a sk why Ar jun ha s

not ha d t his exper ien ce a l r ea d y. Refer r ing ba ck to t he t heme of a t t a ch men t , Lor d Kr i sh n

go es on to state that i t i s the habit of desi re wh ic h br in gs the at ten t ion out wa rd thro ug h

114

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

20/39


th e sense s to identify sole ly with the diver s ity of the object i ve worl d rather tha n wi th its

ow n inner nature , thus obs c ur i ng the und er ly i ng f ield o f pur e cons cio us ne s s .

As fire is co ver ed by smoke , as a

mirror by dust, as an embryo is covered

by the amni on, so is Th is [p ur e cons ciousne ss] co ve re d by

that [desire].

(III. 38)

W is dom is ve iled by th is in sa ti ab le

flame of desire which is the constant

enemy of the wise, О son of Kunti.

(III. 39)

The senses, the mind and the intellectare said to be its seat. Overshadowing

wisd om by mea ns of th es e, it delu de s the

dweller in the body.

(III. 40)

The s ens es , mind, and in te l lect are here des cr ibed as re s pons ib le for making concre te

the more abs t ract qual i ty o f des i re . In co mm en t i ng upon thes e vers es , Maha r is h i (1967 )

notes :

It is necessary to rise above the influence of desire. But as long as life continues, it has to

be in th e field of de si re s. No pr ac tica l man co uld ev er be wit hout de sir es . W hen th e Lo rd

says: "wisdom is veiled by this insatiable flame of desire which is the constant enemy of

the wise," He does not intend to lay down the principle that desire has to be eradicated,

because th is is no t ph ys ic al ly po ss ib le . Any at te mpt in that di rection wi ll on ly make life

dull, useless or tense.

The Lord's purpose is to lay the facts before Arjun, and then to give him a technique by

which he can ri se with ease above th e binding influ ence of desire an d m ake his li fe

brighter, m ore successfu l, and fu lf il led on ev er y le vel . The Lor d expla ins cle arl y the

mechanics of bondage, so that Arjun may be better able to realize that to rise above this

bondage and live a life of et erna l free do m is no t diffic ult bu t ea sy . Th e great emphas is in

this verse upon the enmity of desires implicitly shows that the Lord is going to lead Arjun

to a way that will transform the influence of desire from enmity to usefulness. Desires will

cease to be the "enemy of the wise"; they will prove to be supporters of the wise and will

br in g th em fu lfil lment on ev ery si de .

The Lord, out of his great kindness, is going to give Arjun a simple technique of trans-

forming the whole machinery that gives rise to desire, of transforming the mind and heart

so that the rising up of desires and all their activities will serve as tidal waves of love and

bli ss in th e unbounded oce an of [uni ty ] conscio usne ss. Th is in vo lv es gi vin g a pa tter n to th e

115

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

21/39

MOD ERN SCIENCE AND VE DIC SCIENCE

machinery that creates desire—senses, mind, and intellect—so that even while remaining

in the field of desire, it remains free from the impact of desire....

Hav ing thus far explain ed that the loss of wisd om is due mainly to the min d' s incessant

engagement in the field of activity, to desire, the Lord now begins to describe a way

where by th e su bj ec tive as pe ct of one 's life, whic h is resp on sibl e for all de si re and ac tivi ty ,

can be influenced in such a manner that, on the one hand, it does not permit desires to over-

shadow Being and, on the other, it brings fulfillment to th e m . . . . (pp. 239241)

L o r d K r i s h n c o n t i n u e s :

The senses, they say, are subtle;

more subtle than the senses is the mind;

yet finer than mi nd is in te llec t;

that which is beyond even the intellect

is he.

(III. 42)

Thus, having known him who is

bey ond the intellect, hav in g st il led

the self by the Self, О migh tya rme d,

slay the enemy in the form of desire,

difficult to subdue.

(III. 43)

Let him gradually retire through

the intellect possessed of patien ce;

having established the mind in the

Self, let him not think at all.

(VI. 25)

Ma ha r i shi point s out t ha t in t hese ver ses , Lor d Kr i shn descr ibes t he mecha nics of

ex pe r i en cin g the Self as a proces s of wi th dr aw ing the at tent io n from the sens es thro ug h

t he "sub t le r " leve ls of inner ex pe r ie nc e— t h e mind, in t e l lec t , a nd ego ( indiv idua l se l f ) —

even t ua l ly exper i enc i ng t he Se l f or pur e consc iou sne ss ( Di l lbeck, 1 988) . Lor d Kr i sh n

ass ert s that in this ex per ien ce of the Self, wh ic h is be yo nd thou ght, the impel l in g force

of des ire no long er takes at tent io n ou tw ard thro ug h the senses.

In hi s com me nt a r y, Ma h a r i sh i em ph a s i zes t ha t t he pr oces s of t r a nsce nding descr ibe d

b y L o r d K r i s h n d o e s no t r eq u i r e ef fo rt o r c o n c e n t r a t i o n . A s q u o t e d p r e v io u s l y , L o r d

Kr is hn (II , 40) f ir st intro du ces the to pic of Y og by stat in g, "I n this (Yo g) no ef fort i s lost

and no obstacle exists . " However, he a lso sa id, as quoted above (II, 43), that desire was

"di f f icul t to sub du e. " Ma ha r i sh i expla ins t he r esolut ion of t hi s a ppa r e nt incons i s t en cy in

116

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

22/39


his commentary (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, 1967, pp. 243-245). He observes that i t is

indeed difficult to directly attempt to subdue desire, but notes that the process of tran

scending effortlessly makes use of the natural impulse of desire. Because transcendental consciousness is the field of absolute bliss consciousness, the experience of it, and

of the subtler levels of the mind which are closer to it, is more fulfilling then sensory

ple asu re. T hu s the same natural imp ulse of desire whic h lead s attenti on to senso ry

objects also leads attention to a more charming inner experience and ultimately the

exp er ie nc e o f t r ans cend en ta l consc iou sne ss . (P l ease r e fer to be l ow, and a l so to

Ale xa nde r & Boyer, 1989 for a discuss ion of this princ iple in Maha ris hi 's tech niqu e of

Transcendental Meditation.)

In co mm en t i ng upon the las t ver s e quo ted abo ve (VI . 25) , Ma har i sh i (19 67)

describes the process of effortless transcending by a principle of increasing charm:

One must not exert oneself in order to transcend. Exertion of any kind only retards the pro

cess of transcending. The mind naturally proceeds towards the Self because in that direc

tion it is attracted by ever-increasing happiness. (p. 432)

This understanding is suppor ted by other verses in which Lord Krishn again

describes the experience of transcendental or pure consciousness:

When his mind, completely settled,

is established in the Self alone,

when he is free from craving for

any pleasure, then he is said to

be united.

(VI. 18)

A lamp which does not flicker in

a windless place—to such is

compared the yogi of subdued thought

practicing Union with the Self.

(VI. 19)

That (state) in which thought,settled through the practice of Yog,

retires, in which, seeing the Self by

the Self alone, he finds contentment

in the Self.

(VI. 20)

Here, M ahari shi obser ves, Lord Krishn characterizes the experien ce of transcendental

117

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

23/39


consciousness as an experience of inner contentment that is most charming or fulfilling.

Maharishi offers the Vedic technology he has brought to light in the Transcendental

Medi tati on (TM ) techniqu e as the systematic means to gain the experi ence of transcendenta l con sc io usn ess and dev e lo p h igher s t a t es of con sc i ous ness ou t l ined by the

Bhagavad-Gita . Maharishi (1967) descr ibes his Transcendental Medi ta t ion technique

"a s turni ng the attentio n inwa rds towa rds the subtler levels of a thoug ht until the min d

transcends the experience of the subtlest state of the thought and arrives at the source of

thought" (p. 470)—that is , pure consciousness. Because "subtler" or less excited states

of awareness are more fulfilling or charming, Maharishi also notes that this process is

effortless: once given the proper direction, the attention automatically progresses to sub

tler levels until the experience of transcendental or pure consciousness is gained. The

Transcendental Meditation technique thus differs from any technique of concentration,

which attempts to use effort to quiet mental activity.

This description is found in Lord Krishna's characterization of the Self as a state of

awareness without mental activity, "beyond the intellect" (III. 43). Moreover, the effort

lessn ess of Tran scen dent al Meditati on is expr essed in Lord Kri shn a's description of Yo g

as involving "no effort" and "no obstacle" (II. 40). Finally, Lord Krishna's assertion that

the Self is characterized by "contentment" (III. 17; VI. 20) describes clearly the mechan

ics of the Transcendental Meditation technique as outlined above.

Th e Bha gav ad- Git a also descr ibes the funda menta l princi ple of the Mah ari shi T M-

Sidhi program. Mahar i sh i t rans la tes Lord Kr i shna ' s words in the fo l lowing way:

"Curving onto my own nature, I create again and again" (IX. 8). This principle of cre

atio n from the field of pur e con scio usn ess, a nd the mec han ics of the TM -Si dh i pr og ra m,

are discussed in Gelderloos and Berg (1989). Maharishi (1986a) also comments on a

later verse of the Bhagavad-Gita (IX. 10), in which Lord Krishn expresses the process

by which the field of pure consciousness gives rise to the creative process in nature, yet

rema ins the non -cha ngin g basis of all cha nge :

"Under my presidency, my nature creates again and again." That means, "I remain unin-

volved." The self-referral intelligence at the unmanifest basis of creation remains unin-

volved in the creative process, but the creative process owes its emergence and draws its

vitality from that self-referral performance of pure intelligence. (p. 30)

Please refer to Dillbeck (1988) for a further description of this creative process found in

Maharishi Vedic Psychology .

In summary, Lord Krishn declares to Arjun that there is a field of pure consciousness

which is without diversity or change. It is described as one's own "Self," experienced

when the mind settles to its most silent state of awareness. Lord Krishn indicates that

this s tate is not usually experienced because desire directs attention outward to the

obj ect s of the senses. How ev er , give n the pro per pro ced ure , pur e con scio usn ess is easily

and effortlessly exp eri enc ed bec aus e i t pro vid es exp eri ence of joy and co nt ent men t

greater than that given by sensory pleasure. Finally, Lord Krishn affirms that suffering

is end ed when the experience of pure consci ousne ss is perma nentl y established. This

occurs in the development of higher states of consciousness, or enlightenment.

118

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

24/39


Th e Bhagavad-Gita on the Develo pme nt of Enlig hten ment

The Bhagavad-Gita describes each of the three stable states of enlightenment identi

f ied by Mahar ishi Vedi c Psych ology : cos mic consc iousn ess, God cons cious ness or

refined cosmic consciousness, and unity consciousness (Alexander & Boyer, 1989).

This discussion focuses primarily on the first of these, the state of cosmic conscious

ness, and briefly refers to the state of unity consciousness.

Cosmic Consc iousness

Maharishi explains that the Bhagavad-Gita describes cosmic consciousness, the first

stat e of en lig hte nme nt, a s the state of life that resul ts from repea ted exp eri enc e of pure

consciousness, through which the Self becomes realized as the permanent basis of allother experience. The Self, pure consciousness, is maintained along with dynamic activ

ity in the waking state, as well as with the dreaming and sleep states. The inner bliss and

fulfillment associated with the permanent experience of the Self, unbounded awareness,

spo nta neo usl y results in lack of bon da ge to any cir cums tan ces or external so urce s of

reinforcemen t. The consequenc e of this developmen t, acco rding to the Bhagav ad-Git a,

is evenness and more effective action based on more accurate comprehension of the

en vir onm en t. Thi s is the state identified by Maha rish i Ved ic Psyc hol ogy as co smi c

consciousness .

Lord Krishn describes the permanence of the Self characteristic of the first state of

enlightenment as follows:

For him who has conquered his self,

who is deep in peace, the transcendent

Self is steadfast in heat and cold,

in pleasure and pain, in honor

and disgrace.(VI. 7)

Els ewh ere , Lord Krish n charact erize s this state of enl ight enme nt as a state of great

self-sufficiency arising from this stable inner peace:

Neither has he any profit to gain in

this life from the actions he has done

or from the actions he has not done; nor

is there any living creature on whom

he need rely for any purpose.

(III. 18)

The qual ity of con ten tme nt is also ascri bed to this state:

119

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

25/39

MO DE RN SC I EN C E AN D VEDI C SC I EN C E

ч 1 Н 1 Г* К ' Ч Ф Ч Г и | M | : M f u ^ d ^ Г Г He whose every undertaking is free

from desire and the incentive thereof,

w hose ac ti on is bu rn t up in th e fire

of knowledge, him the knowers of

Reality call wise.

(IV. 19)

Having cast off attachment to the

fruits of action, ever contented,

depending on nothing, even though

fully engaged in action he does

not act at all.

(IV. 20)

A sup er f ic ia l r e a d i n g o f t h e s e v e rs e s m i g h t s u g g e s t th at th e e n l i g h t e n e d p e r s o n i s n o t

e n ga ge d o r s ucce s s fu l i n act i v i ty . Ho w e ve r , Maha r i s h i ( 196 7) s ta te s ve ry s t ro ng ly that

th i s i s a mi s un d e r s ta nd i ng . I n co ntras t , Ma har i s h i o ut l i ne s the me cha ni c s o f e xp e r i e n ce

i n co s mi c co ns ci o us ne s s , i n w hi ch tho ught and act i o n are t ru ly p o w e rfu l and e f fe ct i ve

b e c a u s e th e y are in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h al l the la w s o f n a t u r e :

The Lord mentions the special qualities of the action of an enlightened man. The action

must certainly have impetus and an effective start, but the "wise" man is not motivated by

personal attachment in beginning the action any more than during its process or at its com-

pletion. Nor does he depend on its fruits. Thus through the whole range of action he is

involved yet not involved.

. . . Co mm only a man begins an action only when he has beco me aware of the desire for

it. The level at which a desire is appre ciated differs acc ordi ng to the level of the con scio us

mi nd of the individu al. Men of purer mind ap prec iate thoug ht and desire at a much su btler

level during the process of thinking. It should be understood that a thought starts from the

deepest level of consciou sness and dev elops into a desire when it reaches the consc ious

level of the mind. A man for whom the level of transcendental consciou sness has beco me

the level of the conscious mind appreciates the thought at its very start before it actually

develops into a desire. His thought becomes transformed into action without expressing

itself as a desire. This explains how, when a man succeeds in harmonizing his mind with

transcendental consciousness, his "every undertaking is free from desire."...

A man for whom the leve l of tr ansc endenta l con sc io usn es s has become th e leve l of th e

conscious mind has gained cosmic consciousness, and in this state he experiences Being

[pure consciousness] as separate from action. This experience creates a natural condition in

w hich there is actio n on th e surf ace an d a st ate of in acti on w ithin. D esir e is the lin k

betw een th e doer an d th e actio n. But w hen a natu ra l st at e of se paratio n is establi shed

between the doe r an d ac ti on , th er e ex is ts no link bet wee n them. In such a si tu at io n between

a doer and his action, desire has no place. This is how it is possible for "every" undertaking

to be free from desire....

In the state of cosm ic consciousn ess, wher e one finds eternal contentmen t within one-

self, the Self is selfsufficient—It can have no want. In this state, therefore, every undertak-

ing is free from the incen tive of desire.

120

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

26/39


The question may then be asked: What is responsible for initiating action in such a

man?

The answer is the almighty power of Nature, which is the cause of the vast and inces-

sant activity of creation and evolution throughout the cosmos.

Being forms the basis of nature. When the mind comes into full unison with Being, it

gains the very status of Being and thus itself becomes the basis of all activity in nature.

Natural laws begin to support the impulses of such a mind: it becomes as if one with all the

laws of nature. The desire of such a mind is then the need of nature, or, to put it in another

way, th e needs of nat ure are th e moti ve of su ch ac tivi ty . The Se lf has noth in g to do wit h

"desire and the incentive thereof." This is how it becomes possible for "every undertaking"

to be naturally "free from desire and the incentive thereof." (pp. 281286)

A s M a h a r i s h i c o m m e n t s , L o r d K r i s h n e m p h a s i z e s th at e a c h s ta t e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s

ha s i t s ow n int egr i t y , a nd t ha t co sm ic con sc io usn ess , in which t he Se l f i s per ma nen t ly

ma int a in ed wi t h dyn a m ic a c t iv i t y , i s a highe r s t a t e of con sc io usn ess , des cr ibe d a s a s ta t e

o f w i s d o m .

C o s m i c C o n s c i o u s n e s s a n d S k i l l i n A c t i o n

Ma ha r i shi point s out t ha t Lor d Kr i shn expla ins t o Ar jun concr et e ly a nd pr a ct ica l ly

t ha t t he s ta t e of co sm ic con sc i ou sne ss i s a high er s t a te of con sc io usn ess be ca u se i t lea ds

to ideal behavior . He states that "Yog is ski l l in act ion" (II. 50) and descr ibes two cen-

tra l quali t ies, balance and freedom, that result f rom establishing the mind in the f ield of

pu r e co ns c io us ne ss , t he uni f ied fie ld of na t ur a l la w . Th es e t wo q ua l i t ies cha r a ct e r ize

"sk i l l in a c t io n" in t he s t a t e of co sm ic con sc io usn ess ( p lea se r e fer t o Fig ur e 2) .

Th e fir st quali ty, bal an ce, is desc r ibe d by Lor d Krish n as an at t r ibu te of the state of

e s t a b l i s h e d B e i n g :

Established in Yog, О winner of

wealt h, per fo rm ac ti ons hav in gabandoned attachment and having

becom e bal an ce d in su cce ss and

failure, for balan ce of mind is

called Yog.

(II. 48)

T h i s v e r s e p r e s e n t s M a h a r i s h i ' s p r i n c i p l e o f " s k i l l i n a c t i o n . " T h i s p r i n c i p l e ,

Y o g a s t h a h k u r u k a r m a n i , " E s t a b l i s h e d in Y o g [ B e in g ] , p e r fo r m a c t i o n , " w il l b e elabo-

r a t e d i n d e t a i l i n a n o t h e r a r t i c l e i n t h i s s e r i e s o n M a h a r i s h i V e d i c P s y c h o l o g y .

Ma ha r i shi ( 1 985b, 1 986a ) ha s comment ed t ha t ba la nce i s inher ent in t he f ie ld of pur e

c o n s c i o u s n e s s , o r B e i n g , b e c a u s e i t i s t h e c o m p l e t e l y b a l a n c e d o r u n i f i e d s t a t e

( S a m h i t a ) o f k n o w e r ( R i s h i ) , p r o c e s s o f k n o w i n g ( D e v a t a ) , a n d k n o w n ( C h h a n d a s ) . ( F o r

f u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n o f t h i s se l f r ef e r r al t h r e e i n o n e s t r u c t u r e o f p u r e c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,

please refer to Dillbeck, 1989.)

Lo rd Kris hn goe s on to descr ibe ho w the quali ty of ba la nc e is ba sic to ski l l in act io n.

1 21

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

27/39

8/20/2019 MMY_2.pdf

28/39


hension—and as being free from selfish or narrow interests based on inner fulfillment

or contentment . A person in cosmic consciousness is able to behave spontaneously

effectively on the basis of clear evaluation of circumstances. Because of this balanceand contentment, this state is described as without the undue attachment that gives rise

to suffering. Maharishi (1967, p. 157) describes such a person as having a full heart,

cap ab le of res pon din g wa rm ly to all wit hou t reserv ation based on the unshaka ble secu

rity of inner bliss.

M

Documents

MMY_2.pdf