TRUE SELF AND NAMASMARAN: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Student:
Sir! What is true self?
Teacher:
When we refer to self; it usually embodies and connotes a mixture of instincts, feelings, thoughts and vision, associated with the metabolic reactions, hormonal interactions and effects of neurotransmitters. All these interact continuously with the environment (The environment may be internal or external. Further; it may be; physical, chemical, biological, psychological, social, cultural or political. When it is characterized by people in the process of realizing true self; it is called spiritual environment). Thus; self with specific characteristics is recognized as a person; and said to be born and dead; distinguishing it from the body. The biographies do not describe merely the body; of an individual; but describe in details all above!
An object with three dimensions has a beginning, an end, a form and an identity. The space, which occupies; the inside and outside of that object; has a beginning and end. It has a form and an identity related to the object which it occupies from within and from outside.

Further; the time, which occupies a beginning, existence and end of an object; has also the identity of that object! For example; the time characterizes a house; as a 50 year old house! The period has an identity. The time that occupies the birth, life and death of an individual also has an identity. We call it the life of an individual.

Further; an individual human consciousness is associated the matter, the interactions, the energies, and the space and time; occupying all these! with
Self is associated with all above and it has a distinct identity.

True self is beyond all that has been referred to above! It is inside as well as outside. Our final destination is this true self. At one time or another; every one inevitably gets dissolved in the true self. Here the separate identity is dissolved in the cosmic consciousness and we lose separate and shackling existence. This is God; described with either no attributes or infinite attributes!
Student:
How to identify this true self?
Teacher:
The true self is the final and supreme controller. Since it has no form, no characteristics and no attributes, by which we can identify Him! However; He has descended in the consciousness of few; as NAMA and enthralled them with His attraction (ARTA, JIJNYASU, ARTHARTHEE, and JNANEE), remembrance (NAMASMARAN), orientation (ANUSANDHAN) and merger (MOKSHA)! Following them is the way of identifying and merging with true self!

NAMA, NAMASMARAN AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (PART 5) DR SHRINIWAS J. KASHALIKAR

Student: Did you; as a result; turn to spiritualism and NAMASMARAN?
Teacher: Actually; during this learning process itself; I was never cut off from religion, spiritualism, occultism, mysticism etc. I was eclectic. I was always enthusiastic to know and accept, anything; globally benevolent and internally satisfying.
Student: What merit did you find in spiritualism?
Teacher: There was something magnanimous and noble in the religious and spiritual traditions that attracted me and commanded my respect and even reverence. I did not know what it was, but there was something that haunted me! It could be; the perspective of universal unity, utmost noble heartedness, total selflessness, unquestionable honesty, exemplary simplicity, adorable kindness or something extraordinary linked God i.e. true self!
Student: What were the shortcomings?
Teacher: I thought the religion and spiritualism were alien from the socioeconomic and political mainstream. Various cults, traditions, creeds and religious practices appeared marginalized and merely survived on donations. I thought they had become the caricatures of themselves; even though; in some instances at least; they did some appreciable charitable work.
I found that spiritualism that I came across; provided temporary psychological solace, without much change in the objective conditions, in which a person lived.
In short I could not be satisfied by materialistic approach as well as the religious and spiritual traditions I came across. I could not find a way of simultaneous inner as well as outer; and individual as well as global blossoming.
Student: That means; you were not quite satisfied with the then prevalent materialism as well as spiritualism!
Teacher: I felt that I had yet to meet the “self” of atheists and “God” of theists! Actually I could, though faintly; perceive the fact that; what the atheists would call self, was the same, which was revered by the theists as God. This was why I could neither dislike atheist tradition; nor the theist tradition.
Student: But this must have kept you away from both traditions!
Teacher: I was not away from them, but I was not a conformist part of them.
I tried to pursue the whisper of my deep instincts, which cherished the essence of both traditions as and in the form I came across, but was not in perfect conformity with any of them.

I had a distinct feeling that; innate aspirations of all the doctrines I came across; were those of global welfare and innate fulfillment. They were in complete agreement. But I was not able to identify the link connecting them. Hence intellectually as well as emotionally; I was restless. I had a lot to learn. I had to expand my perspective. I had to expand my intellectual as well as emotional horizons. I was falling short. Hence I kept on reading and experimenting. But I did not find any specific solution. I merely came to a provisional conclusion that there was a need to raise the mass consciousness, trigger mass awakening; and initiate or boost the fight against injustice in every field. I began to write and share my restlessness, my criticism, my enthusiasm and my dreams.

NAMA, NAMASMARAN AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (PART 3) DR SHRINIWAS J. KASHALIKAR
Student: This was apparently because; you were still superficial. You had not gone to the depths. Oh! Do you think I am also superficial at present?
Teacher: Don’t feel bad! But it is natural to be superficial initially!
It is only later; that I began to get disturbed by poverty; and other miseries in the society; born out of it; besides of course; my own needs and wants, which were increasing as I was growing. Hence there was growing urge to help others; apart from petty pursuits!
I began to study and follow wherever feasible; the teachings of different thinkers and visionaries; in different fields of life; in addition to the curricular texts; so as to improve myself.
Around this time I also came across NAMASMARAN. But it appeared gullible or callous to me; to simply advocate NAMASMARAN for every problem, instead of actively helping the suffering people! Hence I found that one of the simplest, easiest and practical things; to improve myself was to try and be charitable.
Student: You must have tried it!
Teacher: Yes! I did. But through my experiences and observations over years; I found; that even as charity was necessary; as an immediate rescue and relief activity; on the long term basis; it proved to be insufficient; and at best; a palliative symptomatic treatment. It could not be a radical treatment of the root cause.
Student: Can you clarify? At least apparently; the charity in any form; is a very noble activity. It has a healing effect. It gives solace to millions.
Teacher: I will clarify what I mean. Charity is always nobler; as and when compared with total inaction, self centeredness, petty selfishness, profiteering or meanness. Charity does help in emergency situations. It is extremely valuable as a rehabilitatory activity. Moreover; it is also important in terms of satisfying our own innate need to help others! Actually in absence of charity all of us get suffocated, though most often we are not aware of this deep rooted suffocation due to being cut off from our own conscience!
But the reason I felt unsatisfied with charity; was because; barring emergency situations; often it was found to be misused. It led to perpetuation of irresponsibility, dependency, lethargy and parasitic tendencies; in those who were beneficiaries and it developed condescending attitude, arrogance; and even cheating and unabated exploitative behavior in those who practiced charity. Through introspection I found that charity did not eliminate the evils within me; whether I was a helping person or a helped one!