PRAPANCH AND PARAMARTH
DR .SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR
Most of us are automatons (with our control elsewhere), who are having a delusion that we are independent individuals. The activities going on in this delusion; irrespective of our age, sex, occupation, position and even state of evolution; constitute PRAPANCH.
As and when the cosmic trans-temporal reality, the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent truth pervading every particle, every dimension of space and every moment of time and every bit of consciousness i.e. God, Guru (also called BRAHMA or NAMA); reveals our oneness (although far from complete) with that reality, it marks the beginning of PARAMARTH or spiritualism. This is usually coupled with faint glimpses of future and recognition of the purpose (although indistinct) of our life.
Guru takes care of us like our mother. Just as our mother nurtures us in her womb for nine months; our Guru nurtures us through several lives; by experiences of pain and pleasure; both petty and noble; and like our mother He also delivers us at appropriate time; to the realm of immortality; His abode! This is the ultimate victory called GURU-BHET i.e. being one with true self.
This is a matter; accessible to study, practice and experience; and not casual belief or disbelief.

Spiritualism is process of reorienting and returning to our true self. It is resuming our original state. It is a continuous and eternal process.
We are some specific �engines�, with some specific energies, specific powers, specific capacity and differing versatilities. This probably holds true for all living, nonliving and other possible entities inside and outside.
However; during our primitive states of evolution and during embryonic life, childhood and even latter; we are not aware of this.
At some time; appropriate for us; we become aware of ourselves as �we�! Then we get charged with our instincts, emotions, thinking, perspective and some pursuit or another. We begin to be flooded with and enthralled by urges! The urges when in the unconscious realm simply keep manifesting resulting in temporary pleasures or pains. When in conscious realm; they prompt us that we have to do it, we cannot do without it, we are doing it, we will do it; or we cannot do it; and the associated pains and pleasures; and agonies and ecstasies! Thus our life gets unfolded in the form of all varieties; of living, nonliving and other possible entities inside and outside.
This cosmic and eternal spiritualism; is the supreme orchestra of our Guru, who is beyond time and consciousness. RAMA (Guru) and KARTA (the ultimate supreme master)!
Interestingly; again at some time; appropriate for us; we begin to �see� our Guru�s role in our life and every entity in universe; and we notice the increasing emergence of NAMASMARAN in our life! The urges of all our aspirations begin to culminate in the surrender to our Guru. This marks the beginning of the realization of the bounty of our Guru and our reorientation and return to our true self. The restlessness, emptiness, and all urges; in our lives begin to get replaced by eternal objective bliss; i.e. SACCHIDANANDA and we begin to be fulfilled and grateful to our Guru. We begin to get an assurance from our Guru; that He is always; literally always; with us; nurturing and blossoming; us and the whole universe (living, nonliving and other possible entities inside and outside)!
Guru would decide the fate of this writing also; whether it goes unnoticed, ignored, despised, liked, disliked, rejected or considered earnestly; as may be appropriate!

नामस्मरण आणि अस्वस्थता: डॉ. श्रीनिवास कशाळीकर.

अस्वस्थता हा जीवनाचा अविभाज्य भाग आहे. कारण शरीर आणि मन ही दोन्ही काळ आणि अवकाश यान्च्या आधीन आहेत. सुख आणि दुख्ख ही देखील अवकाश आणि काळाच्या आधीन आहेत. विचार देखील अवकाश आणि काळाच्या आधीन आहेत. ही एक प्रकारची असहाय्यताच आहे. त्यामुळे हिन्सा, अहिन्सा, प्रेम, राग, द्वेष, खिन्नता, उन्माद, निराशा; ही द्वन्द्वे देखील एक प्रकारची अपरिहार्यताच आहे. कोण्त्याही एका भावनेत शान्ति नाही. समाधान नाही. कोणत्याही एका मुल्यांमध्ये व तज्जन्य कृतीमध्ये समाधान नाही.

पण तरीही आपण एका कारणाने स्वस्थ बनू शकतो. ते म्हणजे; आपले गुरू आपल्याबरोबर असतात या वास्तवतेने. नामस्मरण करीत राहिल्यास या वास्तावतेचा अनुभव देखील येतो. हा अनुभव नामस्मरणाचे प्रमाण आणि आणि उत्कटता जशी वाढतात तसा अधिकाधिक आंतरिक होतो; आणि जीवनाचे सर्वस्व बनतो.

STRESS AND BHAKTI : DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

The words health, well being, stress management, welfare, holistic renaissance, superliving etc; are used by us in a casual and superficial manner. Even if we are honest; we are ignorant. We have no experience any of these; in true sense!

This is true for the word bhakti also!

Many of us conceive it as a gullible and impractical activity or a neurotic endeavor; suitable for the illiterates. But this is not true.

What is bhakti?

Bhakti is the firsthand experience of well being in true sense! It is intense, wholesome, selfless, universally benevolent and immortal state; in which a person transcends the individuality or subjectivity! There is no sectarianism, no prejudice, no hatred, no vengeance, no fear, no expectation�no trace of pettiness! Every moment; he or she exudes objective universal benevolence; divine love.

The presence of such a person (bhakta) SURELY catapults the others to well being in true sense; the immortal bliss.

We all; evolve or progress through the grace of Guru (gurukrupa) from our casual, superficial and petty life; to increasingly holistic thinking, feelings, instincts and behavior; only to realize that we are far away from the truth!

Gradually; every thought and effort of ours towards superliving, holistic renaissance or Total Stress Management or Total Well Being; at individual and global level; reminds us that it all is still a superficial and peripheral �stepping stone�! True health, true well being i.e. our true aspiration is actual firsthand experience of the submission to our guru; and His krupa!

This is bhakti; the culmination (and not substitution) of every effort and aspiration in life; and it is the greatest bounty of Guru. It is our greatest fortune if we could experience even a semblance of it! Hence; it has to be most important, dearest, singular and exclusive pursuit in our life.

QUOTIENT OF SATISFACTION (QOS): DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Quotient of satisfaction (QOS) is a ratio of; the extent of satisfaction to the amount of efforts put in.

It is true that both; the amount of our satisfaction and the amount of efforts put in by us; can be (though not exactly or precisely) �measured� by physiological symptoms and signs (such as those due to autonomic nervous system stimulation) or by time, energy and money spent by us; respectively.

This is because the evaluation of the satisfaction and the efforts; is more a matter of subjective perception; than laboratory investigation or assessment.

Nevertheless; both our satisfaction and our efforts; are a concrete reality and not ambiguous or illusory phenomena. Hence; they can certainly be �quantified� by us!

Thus besides the symptoms and signs of satisfaction; the subjective perception of intensity and duration of satisfaction; and the people involved in it can be considered; and besides the time, energy and money; the perception subjective labor, difficulty or actual pain; can be considered; to assess the amount of satisfaction and the amount of efforts respectively.

This understanding although in different semantics; is a universal legacy passed on from generation to generation; with very high QOS!

Thus generations after generations; world over; have observed and experienced that NAMASMARAN, JAP, JAAP, SIMARAN, SUMIRAN i.e. remembering one�s self (for atheists) and God (for the theists) is an activity that is like a precious stone that multiplies the QOS; in every moment and in every activity of life. Whether this holds true for us or not; can be and has to be verified; and not merely believed or disbelieved!