The identity crisis!
Who are we?
The philosophy of Advaita or 'monism' leads one to ultimate reality. In the Dvaita or dual philosophy, devotee and god are kept separate and they can not merge with one another. In qualified monism, the devotee is eligible to aspire for the exalted position of God but still there is long way to go. But in Advaita or Monism, it is established that the individual self can merge in the supreme self as the rivers merge in the ocean. Ordinary human beings have to start from the first step of spirituality which is duel. Initially, the devotee considers god as a supreme one who can be worshipped through rituals and devotion. When the devotee is firmly established in this philosophy, this slowly lead him to qualified monism which is termed as "Vishistadvaita". Hence these are all various steps meant for ordinary household man or woman who strive to worship god. Very rarely, a worldly man attains God directly. King Janaka was one such example who had such an exalted conscious to remain as a King as well as Yogi. He performed his duties pertaining to the Kingdom. Inwardly, he was a matured yogi and hence people call him Rajarishi Janaka. He had no attachment to the mundane world but performed all his duties as delineated in the scriptures.
Now, I am not straying from the main theme. This sort of prelude is necessary to explain the topic 'identity crisis'. In many of my hubs, I have dealt regarding the "I" which is primal for every human being in the world. Though people use it to identify their bodies, the "I" really represents the inner Self. Every one talks to identify himself as "I". None say directly the name labelled on them like Ram, Krishna, Jacob, Mary or Ibrahim. They start with the conversation "I am Ram or I am Krishna and so on. Hence the vital part is "I am". Now who is this "I" and what is represented by "I am"? I or I am represent the inner Being, the supreme Self which pervades all. The Self is not divided up in parts and allocated to each. In fact, the Self is the only reality in the whole creation and due to our ignorance we posit the differences and assume the separation of physical entity. We miserably limit ourselves to the physical form and deluding mind. Sathya Saibaba has said once, You, as a body, mind and soul is a dream!
Again he said, 'body is a water bubble and mind is a mad monkey'! Yes, it is realistic that our bodies are compared to water bubble since it will burst at any time, none can predict when? The mind is the most confusing element in the human beings. If not controlled properly, it will lead man to abysmal depths, worse than animals. How long the body will survive? In rarest of rare cases around 100 years. Most of the people pass in the middle age or during their 60s and 70s. Some children leave the world when they are toddlers. Be him a King or pauper, every one has to succumb one day or other. Even saints, sages and prophets leave their body in some mysterious ways and circumstances. Then what to talk about ordinary mortals like us? If you say that you are the perishable body, you acknowledge that you are not eternal. But scriptures claim that God is Sat, Chit and Ananda, the ever existing, all knowing Blissful One. But god has no qualities as such. Only to illumine the mind of ordinary beings, these adjectives are used. In fact, God is formless and attribute less.
He has full freedom to choose any form, when he decides to descend among human beings to raise their conscious. Thus came Rama, Krishna, Jesus, Sai and others. The incarnations of god are endless. They manifest in each Yuga in different forms in different places. Hence it is very clear, a perishable body or wavering mind can not be assumed as "I", which is the inner core of all. In Bible, it is said, I AM THAT I AM. Saibaba has clarified that I am not Sathya Saibaba. It is a name given by parents and devotees. He emphasized 'I AM I', He said, this is the core truth of every one of you. Sadly, the world considers the bodies as paramount and innovate newer gadgets to keep the body and mind in comforts and pleasures. But man miserably forgets that the pleasures are momentary and fades in a moment. Hence realize that you are not the body/mind complex, the intellect or the senses. You are the Self, the immortal and eternal Self!
