Presents…

The hidden truth of yoga

PART ONEPART ONE

The nature of reality

The world is a virtual reality The world is a virtual reality

The world did not arise from The world did not arise from chemicals chemicals

The world is not false (an illusion The world is not false (an illusion produced by ignorance.) produced by ignorance.)

7 impossible tenets7 impossible tenets

1. Nature of Avidya (ignorance, real or unreal)2. Incomprehensiveness of Avidya (ignorance is

neither real or unreal)3. Grounds of knowledge of Avidya (obscuring

layer, positive darkness)4. Location of Avidya (enter point)5. Avidyas obscuration of Brahman (it’s an

impossibility)6. Removal of Avidya by Brahma-vidya (god

knowledge, whatever exists has attributes)7. Removal of Avidya (discloses bondage as real

because knowledge indicates it)

The environment of this reality is controlled by The environment of this reality is controlled by outside agents (intelligent and bureaucratic design.)outside agents (intelligent and bureaucratic design.)

Virtue is a shifting element of the environmentVirtue is a shifting element of the environment

our environment informs or institutions -our environment informs or institutions -our institutions are made of roles our institutions are made of roles

humans are inherently adaptable humans are inherently adaptable (have immense plasticity) (have immense plasticity)

[cf. human nature vs. souls nature][cf. human nature vs. souls nature]

We are not our roles, however we accept what we are presented with…

due to this plasticity humans readily adapt due to this plasticity humans readily adapt to the nature of the roles presented to the nature of the roles presented

The case for shifting virtue and plasticity – The case for shifting virtue and plasticity – but, first a word about Vedic evidence…but, first a word about Vedic evidence…

Yoga deals with the unobservable, so it must rely on a very stringent system of verification

Yoga uses a three fold balance and check system for accepting bona fide evidence

An impeccable lineage, 100% pure teachers, and consistency with the body of sacred texts

Social Harmony in the VedasSocial Harmony in the Vedas

Varnasrama system

•The ideal: spiritual advancement (service)

•The collapse: self aggrandizement (exploitation)

Social Harmony in the VedasSocial Harmony in the Vedas

Satya – Ideal (no caste-no class division)• Undivided Veda is expressed by the syllable

oà, and God is worshipped as Lord Haàsa through the process of meditation.

• The people of Satya-yuga are for the most part self-satisfied, merciful, friendly to all, peaceful, sober and tolerant. They take their pleasure from within, see all things equally and always endeavor diligently for spiritual perfection.

Social Harmony in the Social Harmony in the VedasVedas Treta –

• at the beginning of Tretä-yuga Vedic knowledge appeared from the original source of prana; in three divisions—as Åg, Säma and Yajur. Then from that knowledge God is worshipped as the threefold sacrifice.

• In Tretä-yuga each leg of religion is gradually reduced by one quarter by the influence of the four pillars of irreligion—lying, violence, dissatisfaction and quarrel.

• They are not excessively violent or very lusty after sensual pleasure. Their interest lies primarily in religiosity, economic development and regulated sense gratification, and they achieve prosperity by following the prescriptions of the three Vedas. Although in this age society evolves into four separate classes

• In Tretä-yuga the four social orders were manifested. The brähmaëas appeared were like the head (intelligence) of

society. The kñatriyas were like the strong arms (or protection) of society The vaiçyas were like the thighs (or forward movement) of society The laborer & artisan were like the feet (or support) of society

These categories are classified in terms of one's work and qualification and not by birth.

Social Harmony in the VedasSocial Harmony in the Vedas Dvapara –

• In Dväpara-yuga the virtuous qualities of austerity, truth, mercy and charity are reduced to one half by their irreligious counterparts—dissatisfaction, untruth, violence and enmity.

• In the Dväpara age people are interested in glory and are very noble. They devote themselves to the study of the Vedas, possess great opulence, support large families and enjoy life with vigor. Of the four classes, the kñatriyas and brähmaëas are most numerous.

Social Harmony in the VedasSocial Harmony in the Vedas Kali –

• In the age of Kali only one fourth of the principles of virtue remains. That last remnant will continuously be decreased by the ever-increasing principles of irreligion and will finally be destroyed.

• In the Kali age people tend to be greedy, ill-behaved and merciless, and they fight one another without good reason. Unfortunate and obsessed with material desires, the people of Kali-yuga are almost all members of the exploited class.

Social Harmony in the VedasSocial Harmony in the Vedas

Kali continued… Cities will be dominated by thieves, the Vedas will

be contaminated by speculative interpretations of atheists, political leaders will virtually consume the citizens, and the so-called priests and intellectuals will be devotees of their bellies and genitals.

The brahmacärés (students) will fail to execute their vows and become generally unclean, the householders will become beggars, the vänaprasthas (retired class) will live in the villages, and the sannyäsés (renunciates) will become greedy for wealth.

Social Harmony in the VedasSocial Harmony in the Vedas

Kali continued… Above all the age will be marked by conflict

between the common people and those in power and the three way struggle between the materialist, the politico and the pseudo -spiritualist

“O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.”

Srimad Bhagavatam

Social Harmony in the VedasSocial Harmony in the Vedas The four ages described in these slides are

manifestations of various modes of material nature. The age of truth, Satya-yuga, manifests the predominance of material goodness, and Kali-yuga manifests the predominance of darkness.

According to Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura, within each age the other three ages occasionally manifest as sub-ages. Thus even within Satya-yuga evil in the mode of ignorance may appear, and within the age of Kali the highest spiritual principles may flourish for some time.

Prophecy of the Golden AgeProphecy of the Golden Age

Herein is the Vedic evidence of a Golden Age inside the dark Iron Age schedule to begin near the time identified in the roman calendar as the beginning of the 21st century.

Prophecy of the Golden AgeProphecy of the Golden Agefrom the Brahma Vaivarta Purana Ganges said: O protector, Supreme enjoyer, on

your departure for the perfect abode, Goloka, thereafter what will be my situation in the age of kali?

Krsna replied: On the earth 5,000 years of kali will the careless and selfish deposit their karmic reactions in you by bathing. 

Thereafter by the sight and touch of those who worship me by my mantra, all those reactions will be burnt.

There will be chanting of the name of Hari and reading of the [Bhagavata] Purana. Reaching such a place, attentively hear.

Prophecy of the Golden AgeProphecy of the Golden Age Negative karmic reactions including the killing of

a brahmana can be nullified by hearing the Purana and chanting of the names of Hari in the manner of devotees.

Just as dry grass is burnt by fire, by the embrace of a Vaisnava [devotee] all karmas are burnt.

O Ganges, the whole planet will become a pilgrimage sight by the presence of My devotees, even though it had been burdened with selfish behaviour.

In the body of my devotees remains eternally [the purifier]. Mother earth becomes pure by the dust of the feet of my devotees.

Prophecy of the Golden AgeProphecy of the Golden Age It will be the same in the case of pilgrimage

sights and the whole world. Those intelligent worshipers of my mantra who partake My remnants [prasadam] will purify everything. 

They are more dear to Me than My life, who everyday meditate only on Me. The air and fire become pure simply even by their indirect touch.

For 10,000 years of kali such devotees of mine will fill the whole planet. After the departure of My devotees there will only be one varna [outcaste].

Devoid of My devotees, the earth will be shackled by kali. Saying this Krishna departed.

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Social Harmony in the VedasSocial Harmony in the Vedas

Societal roles Corresponding individual

responsibilities

Intelligensia Administrative Productive Artisan & common assistance

Spiritual knowledge Society (social interaction) Development of the mind Maintenance of the body

Everyone must be given assistance to advance

Social Harmony in the VedasSocial Harmony in the Vedas

“‘Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, cleanliness,

satisfaction, tolerance, simple straightforwardness, devotion to Me, mercy, and truthfulness are the natural qualities of the

brähmaëas.’

“‘Dynamic power, bodily strength, determination,

heroism, tolerance, generosity, great endeavor, steadiness, devotion to the brähmaëas,

and leadership are the natural qualities of the kñatriyas.’

“‘Faith in Vedic civilization, dedication to charity, freedom from hypocrisy, service to the brähmaëas and perpetually desiring to accumulate more

money are the natural qualities of the vaiçyas

“‘Service without duplicity to the brähmaëas, cows, devas

and other worshipable personalities, and complete satisfaction with whatever income is obtained in such

service are the natural qualities of those providing common

assistance.

Social Harmony in the VedasSocial Harmony in the Vedas

According to the Vedas these roles are not human nature, but

fluid changing attributes

If one shows the symptoms of being a brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya or çüdra, as described above, even if he has appeared in a different class, he should be accepted according to those symptoms of classification.

Srimad Bhagavatm

our true nature resides in the qualities of the soulour true nature resides in the qualities of the soul

the soul is presently in a dream statethe soul is presently in a dream state

the Vedas describe three ways of the Vedas describe three ways of awakening the dreaming soul;awakening the dreaming soul;

karma Jnana Yoga

Yoga is of two typesYoga is of two types

Mystical Devotional

yama, niyama, asana….sravanam, kirtanam, smaranam…

These two yogas are the same but the first kind These two yogas are the same but the first kind requires an environment of immense virtuerequires an environment of immense virtue