INDIA-PAK-AFGHANISTAN-IRAN ANCIENT HISTORICAL CULTURAL LINKS ESTABLISHED

How GANDHARA's Afghanistan ( Kingdom Of Queen Gandhari Of Mahabharata Era ) Became KANDAHAR ---- Afghanistan’s Epic History starts when it was an important region of Akhand Bharat ( Ancient Hindustan ) called Gandhara. One of its most frequently mentioned cities in the world today is Kandahar, made infamous by Taliban. The earlier name of the city was Quandhar, derived from name of the region of Gandhara. It was always a Strategic site, being on main Persian routes to Central Asia & India. Hence, it has a long history of conquests. Kandahar was taken by Greek Alexander in 329 BC, but he lost Battle & surrendered to King Purushottam ( Porus ) & Chandragupta Maurya in 305 BC as described in Inscription of Emperor ASHOKA. It fell under Arab rule in the 7th century CE & under the Ghaznavids in 10th CE. Kandahar was destroyed by Genghis Khan & again by Turkic conqueror Timur, after which it was held by Mughals ---- Early reference in Vedas & Puranas, Gandhara was locus of ancient Indian-Persian interaction, a center of world trade & culture. It was a major Hindu-SIKH-Buddhist intellectual hub for centuries. The giant Buddhist statues recently destroyed by Taliban were in Bamiyan, one of the important Buddhist cities of ancient times ---- IRANIAN's ( PERSIANS ) were Originally ZOROASTRIANS who worshipped AGNI DEV - Fire Worship of AGNI Bhagavan - Ahura Mazda ( Avestan Atar ) most of whom were Killed & remaining Forcibly Converted to Islam by Arabs ---- There is also evidence of Followers, Devotees & Worshippers of Maa Devi, Durga & Kali in the same areas. Shaivism was also an important influencial ancient religion in this region.The worship of Zun is related to old shrine of SUN God ADITYA at Multan. The worship of Zun ( SHIVA ) was primarily Hindu ( Sanatana Dharma ). Gandhara was the trade crossroad & cultural meeting place between India, Central Asia & Middle East. Buddhist writings mention Gandhara's Kingdom ( Peshawar, Swat, Balochistan, Kabul Valleys & Kandahar ) as one of 16 major states of Northern INDIA at that time ---- The Gandhara region was very much culturally & politically a part of Hindustan. King Shakuni, brother of Gandhari, fought with Pandavas in famous Epic Historical Battle Dharma Yudh Mahabharata. The battle was fought in Kurukshetra, heartland of India. Gandhari was married to King Dhritarashtra. Economic & Cultural Exchanges between Gandhara ( Kandahar ) & Hastinapur (Delhi) were well Established & Intense --- Mehrgarh, located in this region & part of the Indus Valley civilization, is the oldest town excavated by archeologists Dating back to 8000 BC---- Places mentioned in Bhagwan Ram's Ramayana & Krishna Bhagavaan's Mahabharata like Kubha ( Kabul ) - Purushapura (Peshawar) - Luvkushpura (Lahore) - Mulasthana (Multan) - Gandhara ( Kandahar ) etc are very much Ancient Kingdoms of Akhand Bharat lived & inhabited by our Ancestors & Forefathers !!!

Origin of Jewish Flag lies in the Shakti Yantra

It has been well known to us the cultural similarity between the jews and the hindus. In the left, we see the image of BALA SHAKTI yantra. A physical representation of the female side of lord shiva, the Shakti or Infinite energy.

More Yantras at: http://www.sics.se/~piak/yoga/yantra/

The image of Shakti Yantra is quite similar to the flag of Israel. which shows a 6 pointed star.

The image of Lord Vishnu within us

Based on the description in scriptures, idols and paintings of different Gods and Goddesses were developed and portrayed by our ancestors.

The painter portrayed Lord Vishnu like this - there is a sheer sagar (ocean of milk) with a bed of snakes, on which Maha Vishnu, the lord, rests. 

Sheer sagar is the blissful mind, the mind in which waves of contentment arise. 

The snake represents an awakened state of mind, kundalini shakti, that is within us. 

The consciousness rests in the blissful and awakened state of mind.

There are three layers to it.The ocean of milk means that the environment is very balanced. Only when the environment is favorable can samadhi (deep meditation) happen. Even for the discussion of scriptures or to sit and think peacefully, one needs to be assured that the atmosphere is free from trouble. If there is a flood or earthquake around, then no one would read scriptures or talk of research and knowledge. Thus the ocean of milk represents a favorable environment. Until the depth of knowledge is experienced, it remains on the surface. No matter how many Vedantas one reads, it is important to have a favorable environment.

When the kundalini shakti rises, the chaitanya shakti that lies within us, the infinite and eternal reigns. From the stomach of that infinite power, a lotus comes out effortlessly, from which Brahma appeared. Thus the creative power rose from there.

A blissful consciousness gives rise to creative power. The greatest of scientists came up with new inventions, only when they were in rest. It is extremely vital for researchers and those who experiment to have a favorable environment, one without noise and chaos. You cannot ask someone to do an invention in two days. Invention is not bound to time and cannot take place in an unfavorable environment.

Blue colour body

It means that the body is transparent as if it was not there. Even Krishna, Shiva, Rama are depicted in blue. That doesn’t concern the physical body but inside is infinity. Whatever is infinity is represented by blue: sky is blue, ocean is blue, the great, the big, enormous depth and that bliss, that being- the soul. 

Padmanabha

In Sanskrit,

Padma = Lotus 

Nabhi  = Navel

Padmanabha means whose navel is the size of lotus. Lord Vishnu is known as Sri Padmanabha.

The navel is also called the second brain. There are two brains in our body. One is the head and the other, the navel. It is called the solar plexus. The work that brain does is supported by the solar plexus. Half of the work is done by it. That is why when the stomach is upset, mostly there is chaos in the mind, there are a lot of thoughts in the mind.

So it is said, those who practice yoga sadhana have a blossomed solar plexus. Those who don't practice yoga sadhana have a solar plexus smaller in size like that of an amlakundalini shakti is fully, it is even bigger than an orange – it is like a blossomed lotus. (Indian Gooseberry). The solar plexus grows to the size of an orange for those who do yoga sadhana and meditation.

Lord Vishnu is depicted lying down, and a lotus comes out of his navel, followed by Brahma. Creation came later, first the strength to nurture was born. (In Hindu philosophy, Vishnu is considered to be the sustainer of the universe and Brahma is considered as the creator of the universe).

Many people believe that God is tired after working. No, no! For God, creation is effortless. Like for a housewife, making tea is effortless – she can talk, sing and still make the tea.

How does God reward?

“Om Namo Bhagvate Vasuevayah”

Dear devotees many of us worship God for different purposes and God rewards the devotee as per the devotion.

Now let take one example, one devotee wanted a Car, and for that he prayed God using all the possible method. Now question arises, Can God send him a Car? Have anybody seen a Car or any such physical thing arriving from sky?
I don’t think it ever happens or it is even possible. Then how does this whole method of worship and then God giving the reward works?

Here is the answer: Please have a look at the shloka:
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Ch10:Sh10
tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti

To those who constantly devoted and worship me with love, I give them theYoga of wisdom(Understanding) by which they attain me.
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We all must remember that this whole universe is bounded by the law of Karma. Nothing in this universe can happen which can break that invincible divine law. If law of karma is broken, this whole universe will land into chaos within few moments.

God provides human with the inner sense, clarity in thoughts and intellect and the power to perform action. Human still have to perform those actions to achieve the desired result. This is the whole process how worship and God rewarding for worship works.
Hope this discussion will provide clarity in knowing how God reward for worship.

May Bhagvan Krishna bless you.

“Hari Om Tat Sat”

Truth behind 33 crore (330 million) gods in Hinduism

The fact of the matter is, there exist NO 33 crore Gods.. The exact word that occurs in the Vedas for 'crore' is Koti (कोटी) which in many languages like Marathi literally indicate the numerical value of crore. But are we really to take that meaning?
If we go deep in the language of Sanskrit, we understand that the word Koti indeed does mean 'crore' but more correctly, it means 'types'. So 33 Koti Gods means 33 types or families of Gods.
Accepting this, then who are those 33 'families' of Gods which we have?  Plus, do Gods like Durga, Gnpati, Skanda,etc have any place in that?

So here are the 33 families of Gods- 12 Adityas + 11 Rudras + 8 Vasus + 2 Ashwini Kumar = 33 Families
The last two families of Ashwini Kumar are replaced by Indra and Prajapati sometimes. But this seems improbable since Indra or Prajapati was a general post with many people being named as Indra or Prajapati at many times.

Let us see these people in detail-
12 Adityas or द्वादशादित्य are the sons of Aditi and hence called Adityas. The names of these 12 Adityas are Tvashta (त्वष्ट), Pusha (पूषा ), Vivasvan (विवस्वान), Mitra (मित्र ), Dhata (धाता), Vishnu (विष्णू), Bhaga (भग), Varuna (वरुण), Savitru (सवितृ ), Shakra (शक्र ), Ansha (अंश ) and Aryama (अर्यमा). The Rigveda has just eight of these Adityas with certain Brahmanas mentioning all 12 of them. The Puranas unanimously mention the number to be 12. Their mother Aditi along with these are praised in the Rigveda as proper Gods. These were the sons of Kashyapa rishi. One of these Aditya, Vivasvan was the father of Vaivasvat Manu from whom the genealogies of kings started.

11 Rudras or एकादशरुद्र are those Rudraganas who are said to have originated from Brahmadeva's anger. Their names are Manyu (मन्यु), Manu (मनु), Mahinas (महिनस ), Mahan (महान ), Shiv (शिव ), Rutudhvaj (ऋतुध्वज ), Ugrareta (उग्ररेता ), Bhava (भव), Kaal (काल ), Vamdev (वामदेव) and Dhrutavrat (धृतव्रत). Their names vary in different scriptures but the number remains same.

8 Vasus or अष्टवसू are sons bron from Dharma rishi and Vasu. Their names are Drona (द्रोण ), Pran (प्राण ), Dhruva (ध्रुव ), Aka (अक), Agni(अग्नी), Dosha (दोष), Vasu (वसू) and Vibhavasu (विभावसु ).

The 2 Ashwini Kumars were born from the Sun and were the doctors of the Devas. These tow had helped Chyavan Bhargav rishi to regain his youth.

If we see, many scriptures do clarify on the truth of these 33 families of Gods. If one observes, major Gods like Brahma, Vishnu, Ganpati, Shakti,etc don't find place in here. It seems these 33 families of Gods were the oldest and were worshiped but got replaced by Gods having a larger role to play in our lives. But over time the meaning of 'koti' got changed and we started to believe that there were indeed 33 crore Gods.

But does that really matter ? Because looking at the current state, we have at least 100 Gods which are worshiped in some form or other. THAT is our real asset- Our Polytheism and the overwhelming tolerance of people worshiping different Gods. This ability of ours has led us to believe that the whole world is ours. Because, after all, Every type of worship leads to the same thing- Paramatma or Brahman..

|| एकं सत् विप्र बहुदा वदन्ति ||

It has been documented in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad - Chapter 3.


Śākalya         : "How many gods are there?"
Yājñavalkya  : "Three hundred and three." Then he says, "Three thousand and three."

Śākalya         : "Is this the answer that you give me to my question, how many gods are there? Three thousand and three; three hundred and three! Have you no other answer to this question?"
Yājñavalkya  : There are thirty-three gods.

Śākalya         : "All right!" (not satisfied with answer) ...Tell me again properly; how many gods are there?"
Yājñavalkya   : "Six are there."

Śākalya         : "How many gods are there. Tell me again. Think properly."
Yājñavalkya   : "Only three gods are there."

Śākalya         : "How many gods are there? Tell again.
Yājñavalkya   : "Two gods are there."

Śākalya         :  "Tell again; how many gods are there?"
Yājñavalkya   :  "One and a half gods"

(Then he was very much upset)

Śākalya         :  "What is this you say, one and a half gods. Tell again properly; how many gods are there?"
Yājñavalkya  :  "One god is there,"

Śākalya         : "All these numbers that you have mentioned – three thousand and three, three hundred and  three – what are these gods? Give the names of these gods, the deities."
Yājñavalkya  :   "All these three thousand and all that I mentioned – they are not really gods. They are only   manifestations of the thirty-three. The thirty-three are the principal manifestations, and others are only their glories, radiances, manifestations, magnificences or forces, energies,  powers."

Śākalya         : "But what are these thirty-three?"
Yājñavalkya   : "The thirty-three gods are eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Ādityas, then Indra and Prajāpati – these make thirty-three gods."

Śākalya         : "What are these Vasus which are eight in number?"
Yājñavalkya   : "Fire is one deity; earth is one deity; air is another; the atmosphere is one deity; the sun is one deity; the heaven is one deity; moon is one deity; the stars are one deity. These constitute eight groups"

Śākalya         : "Why do you call them Vasus?"
Yājñavalkya   : "Everything is deposited as it were in these constituent principles. Therefore, they are called Vasus."

Śākalya         : "Who are the Rudras?"
Yājñavalkya  : "The ten senses and the mind make eleven. These are the Rudras."
       
Śākalya         : "What are the twelve Ādityas, the suns?"
Yājñavalkya   : "They are twelve forces of the sun, takes away the vitality of people."

Śākalya         : "Who is Indra? Who is Prajāpati?"
Yājñavalkya   : "The rain cloud can be called Indra. Sacrifice can be called Prajāpati."

Śākalya         : "What do you mean by rain cloud?"
Yājñavalkya   : "By rain cloud I do not actually mean the cloud, but the lightning which is the embodiment of energy."

Interaction of senses with Prakriti

======Hot, cold, happiness and sadness======
=====Caused by nteraction of senses with Prakriti=====
“Om Namo Bhagvate Vasudevayah”

Ch2:Sh14
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः ।
आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥

संधि विक्छेद के साथ
--------------------------

मात्रा स्पर्शः तू कौन्तेय शीत उष्ण सुख: दुखः दः
आगम अपायिनः अनित्यः तान तितिक्ष्व भारत


भावार्थ : हे कुंतीपुत्र! इन्द्रीय और भौतिक पधार्थों का विभिन्न मात्रा में संयोग, सुख, दुःख, सर्दी, और गर्मी का अनुभव देते हैं| इन्हें बिना भ्रमित हुए सहन करो(करना चाहिए) क्योंकि यह अल्पकालिक एवं अनित्य [होते] हैं|

Ch2:Sh14
matra-sparsas tu kaunteya sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah
agamapayino 'nityas tams titiksasva bharata

O Son of Kunti! The interaction of sense and sense objects which are temporary experience give pleasure, happiness, sorrows, cold and heat, O scion on Bharata! Try to tolerate them without being disturbed.

“Shri Hari Om Tat Sat”

The Vedantic Concept Of Force And Matter

============= By Swami Vivekananda =============

Brahman (The Absolute) ---> Mahat or Iswar (Primal Creative energy) ---> Prana and Akasha (Force and Matter).

Today we find wonderful discoveries of modern science coming upon us like bolts from the blue, opening our eyes to marvels we never dreamt of. But many of these are only re-discoveries of what had been found ages ago.

It was only the other day that modern science found that even in the midst of the variety of forces there is unity. It has just discovered that what it calls heat, magnetism, electricity, and so forth, are all convertible into one unit force, and as such, it expresses all these by one name, whatever you may choose to call it. But this has been done even in the Samhita; old and ancient as it is, in it we meet with this very idea of force.

All the forces, whether you call them gravitation, or attraction, or repulsion, whether expressing themselves as heat, or electricity, or magnetism, are nothing but the variations of that unit energy. Whether they express themselves as thought, reflected from Antahkarana, the inner organs of man, or as action from an external organ, the unit from which they spring is what is called Prâna. Again, what is Prana?

Prana is Spandana or vibration. When all this universe shall have resolved back into its primal state, what becomes of this infinite force? Do they think that it becomes extinct? Of course not. If it became extinct, what would be the cause of the next wave, because the motion is going in wave forms, rising, falling, rising again, falling again? Here is the word Srishti, which expresses the universe. It is Srishti, projection. At the end of a cycle, everything becomes finer and finer and is resolved back into the primal state from which it sprang, and there it remains for a time quiescent, ready to spring forth again. And what becomes of all these forces, the Pranas?

They are resolved back into the primal Prana, and this Prana becomes almost motionless — not entirely motionless; and that is what is described in the Vedic Sukta: आनीदवातं सवधया तदेकं तस्माद्धान्यन न परः किं चनास || (Rig Ved 10.129.2) : "It vibrated without vibrations" — Ânidavâtam.

And what becomes of what you call matter? The forces permeate all matter; they all dissolve into Âkâsha, from which they again come out; this Akasha is the primal matter. Whether you translate it as ether or anything else, the idea is that this Akasha is the primal form of matter. This Akasha vibrates under the action of Prana, and when the next Srishti is coming up, as the vibration becomes quicker, the Akasha is lashed into all these wave forms which we call suns, moons, and systems.

All matter throughout the universe is the outcome of one primal matter called âkàsha; and all force, whether gravitation, attraction or repulsion, or life, is the outcome of one primal force called Pràna. Pràna acting on âkàsha is. . .projecting the universe. At the beginning of a cycle, âkàsha is motionless, unmanifested. Then Pràna begins to act, more and more, creating grosser and grosser forms out of âkàsha— plants, animals, men, stars, and so on. After an incalculable time this evolution ceases and involution begins, everything being resolved back through finer and finer forms into the original âkàsha and Pràna’.

The different Lokas are different spheres or layers of the universe are only so many varying products of Akasha and Prana. That is to say, the lowest or most condensed is the Solar sphere, consisting of the visible universe, in which Prana appears as physical force, and Akasha as sensible matter. The next is called the Lunar sphere (Chandra Loka) , which surrounds the Solar sphere. This is not the moon at all, but the habitation of the Deities, that is to say, Prana appears in it as psychic forces, and Akasha as Tanmâtras or fine particles. Beyond this is the Electric sphere (Indra's region), that is to say, a condition in which the Prana is almost inseparable from Akasha, and you can hardly tell whether Electricity is force or matter. Next is the Brahmaloka, where there is neither Prana nor Akasha, but both are merged in the mind stuff, the primal energy. And here — there big neither Prana nor Akasha — the Jiva contemplates the whole universe as Samashti or the sum total of Mahat or mind. This appears as a Purusha, an abstract universal soul, yet not the Absolute, for still there is multiplicity. From this the Jiva finds at last that Unity which is the end. Advaitism says that these are the visions which rise in succession before the Jiva, who himself neither goes nor comes, and that in the same way this present vision has been projected. The projection (Srishti) and dissolution must take place in the same order, only one means going backward, and the other coming out.

We read again: यदिदं किंच जगत् सर्व प्राण एजति निःसृतम् (Katha Upanishad 2.3.2) — "Everything in this universe has been projected, Prana vibrating."

You must mark the word Ejati, because it comes from Eja — to vibrate. Nihsritam — projected. Yadidam Kincha — whatever in this universe.

This is a part of the cosmological side. There are many details working into it. For instance, how the process takes place, how there is first ether, and how from the ether come other things, how that ether begins to vibrate, and from that Vâyu comes. But the one idea is here that it is from the finer that the grosser has come. Gross matter is the last to emerge and the most external, and this gross matter had the finer matter before it. Yet we see that the whole thing has been resolved into two, but there is not yet a final unity. There is the unity of force, Prana, there is the unity of matter, called Akasha. Is there any unity to be found among them again? Can they be melted into one?

Our modern science is mute here, it has not yet found its way out; and if it is doing so, just as it has been slowly finding the same old Prana and the same ancient Akasha, it will have to move along the same lines.

Here comes the next unity is the omnipresent impersonal Being known by its old mythological name as Brahmâ, the four-headed Brahma and psychologically called Mahat. This is where the two unite. What is called your mind is only a bit of this Mahat caught in the trap of the brain, and the sum total of all minds caught in the meshes of brains is what you call Samashti, the aggregate, the universal. Analysis had to go further; it was not yet complete. Here we were each one of us, as it were, a microcosm, and the world taken altogether is the macrocosm. But whatever is in the Vyashti, the particular, we may safely conjecture that a similar thing is happening also outside. If we had the power to analyse our own minds, we might safely conjecture that the same thing is happening in the cosmic mind. What is this mind is the question. In modern times, in Western countries, as physical science is making rapid progress, as physiology is step by step conquering stronghold after stronghold of old religions, the Western people do not know where to stand, because to their great despair, modern physiology at every step has identified the mind with the brain.

But we in India have known that always. That is the first proposition the Hindu boy learns that the mind is matter, only finer. The body is gross, and behind the body is what we call the Sukshma Sharira, the fine body, or mind. This is also material, only finer; and it is not the Âtman.

It is the Atman that uses the material mind as its instrument, its Antahkarana, as is the psychological term for the mind. And the mind by means of a series of internal organs works the visible organs of the body. What is this mind?

It was only the other day that Western philosophers have come to know that the eyes are not the real organs of vision, but that behind these are other organs, the Indriyas, and if these are destroyed, a man may have a thousand eyes, like Indra, but there will be no sight for him. Ay, your philosophy starts with this assumption that by vision is not meant the external vision. The real vision belongs to the internal organs, the brain-centres inside. You may call them what you like, but it is not that the Indriyas are the eyes, or the nose, or the ears. And the sum total of all these Indriyas plus the Manas, Buddhi, Chitta, Ahamkâra, etc., is what is called the mind, and if the modern physiologist comes to tell you that the brain is what is called the mind, and that the brain is formed of so many organs, you need not be afraid at all; tell him that your philosophers knew it always; it is one of the very first principles of our religion.

Well then, we have to understand now what is meant by this Manas, Buddhi, Chitta, Ahamkara, etc. First of all, let us take Chitta. It is the mind-stuff — a part of the Mahat — it is the generic name for the mind itself, including all its various states. Suppose on a summer evening, there is a lake, smooth and calm, without a ripple on its surface. And suppose some one throws a stone into this lake. What happens? First there is the action, the blow given to the water; next the water rises and sends a reaction towards the stone, and that reaction takes the form of a wave. First the water vibrates a little, and immediately sends back a reaction in the form of a wave.

The Chitta let us compare to this lake, and the external objects are like the stones thrown into it. As soon as it comes in contact with any external object by means of these Indriyas — the Indriyas must be there to carry these external objects inside — there is a vibration, what is called Manas, indecisive. Next there is a reaction, the determinative faculty, Buddhi, and along with this Buddhi flashes the idea of Aham and the external object.

Suppose there is a mosquito sitting upon my hand. This sensation is carried to my Chitta and it vibrates a little; this is the psychological Manas. Then there is a reaction, and immediately comes the idea that I have a mosquito on my hand and that I shall have to drive it off. Thus these stones are thrown into the lake, but in the case of the lake every blow that comes to it is from the external world, while in the case of the lake of the mind, the blows may either come from the external world or the internal world. This whose series is what is called the Antahkarana.

There comes another idea, startling perhaps, yet a characteristically Indian idea, and if there is any idea that is common to all our sects, it is this. Therefore I beg you to pay attention to this one idea and to remember it, for this is the very foundation of everything that we have in India.

The idea is this. You have beard of the doctrine of physical evolution preached in the Western world by the German and the English savants. It tells us that the bodies of the different animals are really one; the differences that we see are but different expressions of the same series; that from the lowest worm to the highest and the most saintly man it is but one — the one changing into the other, and so on, going up and up, higher and higher, until it attains perfection. We had that idea also. Declares our Yogi Patanjali — जात्यन्तरपरिणामः प्रकृत्यापूरात्। One species — the Jâti is species — changes into another species — evolution; Parinâma means one thing changing into another, just as one species changes into another. Where do we differ from the Europeans? Patanjali says, Prakrityâpurât, "By the infilling of nature". The European says, it is competition, natural and sexual selection, etc. that forces one body to take the form of another. But here is another idea, a still better analysis, going deeper into the thing and saying, "By the infilling of nature". What is meant by this infilling of nature?

We admit that the amoeba goes higher and higher until it becomes a Buddha; we admit that, but we are at the same time as much certain that you cannot get an amount of work out of a machine unless you have put it in in some shape or other. The sum total of the energy remains the same, whatever the forms it may take. If you want a mass of energy at one end, you have got to put it in at the other end; it may be in another form, but the amount of energy that should be produced out of it must be the same. Therefore, if a Buddha is the one end of the change, the very amoeba must have been the Buddha also. If the Buddha is the evolved amoeba, the amoeba was the involved Buddha also.

If this universe is the manifestation of an almost infinite amount of energy, when this universe was in a state of Pralaya, it must have represented the same amount of involved energy. It cannot have been otherwise. As such, it follows that every soul is infinite. From the lowest worm that crawls under our feet to the noblest and greatest saints, all have this infinite power, infinite purity, and infinite everything. Only the difference is in the degree of manifestation. The worm is only manifesting just a little bit of that energy, you have manifested more, another god-man has manifested still more: that is all the difference. But that infinite power is there all the same.

Says Patanjali: ततः क्षेत्रिकवत्। — "Like the peasant irrigating his field." Through a little corner of his field he brings water from a reservoir somewhere, and perhaps he has got a little lock that prevents the water from rushing into his field. When he wants water, he has simply to open the lock, and in rushes the water of its own power. The power has not to be added, it is already there in the reservoir. So every one of us, every being, has as his own background such a reservoir of strength, infinite power, infinite purity, infinite bliss, and existence infinite — only these locks, these bodies, are hindering us from expressing what we really are to the fullest.

If Modern Science can prove that force and matter are reducible to potential energy, in that case the Vedantic cosmoloqy will be placed on the surest of foundations. I clearly see their perfect union with modern science, and the elucidation of the one will be followed by that of the other.

Philosophers endeavouring to prove the freedom of the will have excluded the mind from nature; for as nature is bound and governed by law, strict unbending law, mind, if considered to be in nature, would be bound by law also. Such a claim would destroy the doctrine of free will; for how can that be free which is bound by law?

The philosophers of India have taken the reverse stand. They hold all physical life, manifest and unmanifest, to be bound by law. The mind as well as external nature, they claim, is bound by law, and by one and the same law. If mind is not bound by law, if the thoughts we think are not the necessary results of preceding thoughts, if one mental state is not followed by another which it produces, then mind is irrational; and who can claim free will and at the same time deny the operation of reason? And on the other hand, who can admit that the mind is governed by the law of causation and claim that the will is free?

Law itself is the operation of cause and effect. Certain things happen according to certain other things which have gone before. Every precedent has its consequent. Thus it is in nature. If this operation of law obtains in the mind, the mind is bound and is therefore not free. No, the will is not free. How can it be? But we all know, we all feel, that one are free. Life would have no meaning, it would not be worth living, if we were not free.
The Eastern philosophers accepted this doctrine, or rather propounded it, that the mind and the will are within time, space, and causation, the same as so-called matter; and that they are therefore bound by the law of causation. We think in time; our thoughts are bound by time; all that exists, exists in time and space. All is bound by the law of causation.

Now that which we call matter and mind are one and the same substance. The only difference is in the degree of vibration. Mind at a very low rate of vibration is what is known as matter. Matter at a high rate of vibration is what is known as mind. Both are the same substance; and therefore, as matter is bound by time and space and causation, mind which is matter at a high rate of vibration is bound by the same law.

Nature is homogeneous. Differentiation is in manifestation. The Sanskrit word for nature is Prakriti, and means literally differentiation. All is one substance, but it is manifested variously.
Mind becomes matter, and matter in its turn becomes mind, it is simply a question of vibration.

Take a bar of steel and charge it with a force sufficient to cause it to vibrate, and what would happen? If this were done in a dark room, the first thing you would be aware of would be a sound, a humming sound. Increase the force, and the bar of steel would become luminous; increase it still more, and the steel would disappear altogether. It would become mind.

Take another illustration: If I do not eat for ten days, I cannot think. Only a few stray thoughts are in my mind. I am very weak and perhaps do not know my own name. Then I eat some bread, and in a little while I begin to think; my power of mind has returned. The bread has become mind. Similarly, the mind lessens its rate of vibration and manifests itself in the body, becomes matter.

As to which is first — matter or mind, let me illustrate: A hen lays an egg; the egg brings out another hen; that hen lays another egg; that egg brings out another hen, and so on in an endless chain. Now which is first — the egg or the hen? You cannot think of an egg that was not laid by a hen, or a hen that was not hatched out of an egg. It makes no difference which is first. Nearly all our ideas run themselves into the hen and egg business.

The greatest truths have been forgotten because of their very simplicity. Great truths are simple because they are of universal application. Truth itself is always simple. Complexity is due to man's ignorance.