Consciousness - 2

The three states

The devas, devathes and other celestial beings are capable of being in more than one place at the same time and are therefore called “Saamsharu”. Human beings, animals, etc. are capable of being in only one place at a time. They are called “Niraamsharu”. Taijas rupi bhagwantha grants us the power of being saamsharu in our dreams, when we can inhabit any body, be present in multiple places etc.

When Vishwa or Praagnya merge with Taijus, the jeeva experiences dream-state. In this state, Taijus is present behind the uvula(in the throat) in the vishuddhi chakra. The 19 headed Taijas, lights up the chitta and shows images (sounds, smells, etc.)* and along with the jeeva which he inhabits, experiences the pleasures and pain of the dream-state, just as a technician projects content on to a screen and watches the show along with the audience.

*the inner impressions of all five senses are experienced (sookshma anubhava)

The jeeva’s consciousness turns inwards, lit up by the luminous Taijus (juxtaposed with the darkness created by the closed eyes) yet like in the waking state it is still shackled by desires and fears. The dream-state is a reflection of the wakeful state. The jeeva preoccupied with the gross matters (sthoola), does not contemplate on God, even in his dream-state, and becomes fully immersed in the unreal reality! Dreams are replays of memories, sub-conscious impressions and to some extent glimpses into the future, but in terribly mixed-up sequence.

Like in the wakeful state, the jeeva acts through 19 factors... the 5 elements of the body, 10 praanas*, and manassu buddhi, ahankaara, chitta

*different from the 10 indriyas

The ten praanas: Praana, Apaana, Udaana, Vyaana, Samaana, Naaga, Koorma, Devadutta, Krikala, Dhananjaya The memories of this life and past lives are imprinted in these praanas, which play out in dreams**

When praagnya rupi paramaatma moves to the hard part below the stigma of the eight petalled lotus in the heart, the jeeva moves to a sleep-state. When one falls into deep sleep, there is darkness within and without. This is the only desire-less (nishkaama) state known to the ordinary man. Praagnya rupi bhagawantha is present in the anahata chakra (in the heart). Our hridayaakasha (the space in the heart) is filled with darkness and we lose awareness of both the internal and external worlds except for three factors, sense of self, darkness and time. Yet the jeeva remains unaware of this ‘awareness’.

Due to the all-pervading darkness and ignorance in this state of consciousness, there have been no visions of Praagnya, and thereby no description of him.

The Upanishads say that the three states of consciousness are meant for the ‘bhoga’ or pleasure of the paramaatma. Typically a jeeva identifies the three states as something he experiences, especially the wakeful state. (I am awake, I did this, I helped him...). But the awareness of one’s complete dependency on the supreme god, understanding that one is the not the master of one’s course of life, realising that god is the doer, results in spiritual humility which further reduces one’s burden of kaarmic baggage.