Thou Art God
-Swami Parthasarathy interviewed by Hemamalini Raghunathan

Swami Parthasarathy is acclaimed as one of the greatest exponents of Vedanta. Vedanta unravels the mysteries of life and bridges the gulf between the known universe and the unknown Reality. After a distinguished corporate career in a multinational company, Swami Parthasarathy entered into full-time intensive research on Vedanta philosophy and its practical application in life. Swamiji has a multi-disciplined academic base which includes post-graduation from the London University. His writings and discourses on the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads have earned him international eminence. His ability to translate subtle philosophical concepts into simple themes is unique. He conducts seminars and workshops for senior executives and professionals on stress reduction, work ethics etc. Here, Swamiji proclaims that we need not retire to jungles to gain true knowledge of the self; we can put Vedanta into practice while we are engaged in worldly affairs.

What is Vedanta?
Vedanta literally means the end of knowledge. This systematic knowledge which explains the relation between man and God, is founded on its own authority. With this knowledge, you can gain inner peace and bliss. Vedanta trains you to think for yourself. It helps you to analyse, investigate and realise the essence of life. This is liberal education. But the people seek servile education. They do not want to reflect independently. They rely on authorities. They function predominantly on blind faith and mechanical rituals. In the holy name of religion, fanatic superstitions and parasitic ideas have infested the entire mankind. This is spiritual suicide. The role of Vedanta is to pull man out of his infatuation to personalities and educate him on eternities.

"Knowledge proceeds from the known to the unknown. Man tries in vain to understand the unknown God through unknown factors. Vedanta points out God through the media known to you already. The realm known to you is the world you live in."

What is the basis of Vedanta?
Man alone, of all living creatures, is endowed with the faculty of reason. Reason makes you the masterpiece of creation. But you do not care to develop your thinking and reasoning faculty. You believe that thinking is a natural process. It is not so. Thinking is an art which has to be learnt and practised. In the world today, few have developed the art of thinking. People are possessed with groundless beliefs. Neither the teacher nor the taught go through any systematic study and reflection. Consequently the world remains poor, morally and spiritually. Vedanta helps you to enquire, question and reason with the truths of life. You evolve, attain peace and happiness.

What are the elements of Right Living?
Vedanta inculcates the elements of right living into your physical, mental and intellectual planes. With these disciplines you can live an ideal life and reach the highest perfection. At the physical level, perform your obligatory duties impersonally. Remember you are the Self in all your activities. At the mental level, develop universal love and not, sentimental and selective attachment to beings and things. At the intellectual level, through independent reflection, gain true knowledge which recognises the one divinity in the manifold names and forms.

Human thoughts are classified under tamas (inactive), rajas (active) and sattwa (trans-active). The purpose of life is to raise yourself from tamas to rajas and from rajas to sattwa to reach transsattwa, your godhead.

The caste system is based on the three temperaments. Not realizing this, people stick fanatically to their own divisions and ruin their lives. Vedanta explains the true meaning and purpose of the caste system. It helps you to annihilate tamas and rajas and raise you to sattwa. It takes you to realisation of your true Self beyond the three temperaments.
To live your life, you must first learn the laws of living imparted by Vedanta. But the procedure today is reversed. You live your life as you like and start religious education towards the end of your life.

Could you please explain the spiritual courses prescribed by Vedanta?
Yogas are spiritual courses. They remove vasanas (reminiscences of past birth) and merge your ego with your supreme Self. There are four yogas (i) Bhakti yoga: Course of Devotion, (ii) Gnana yoga: Course of knowledge, (iii) Karma yoga: Course of Action, (iv) Hata yoga: Course of Compulsion. The four yogas are designed for four classes of persons. Bhakti yoga for the ‘emotional’, gnana yoga for the ‘rational’, karma yoga for the ‘energetic’ and hata yoga for the ‘indolent’
The ‘emotional’ man is one whose mind predominates over his intellect. He needs an altar to pour out his love. The ‘intellectual’ man is one whose intellect predominates over his mind. He needs logic and philosophy of Vedanta. The ‘energetic’ man is balanced in his mental and intellectual personalities. He needs to satisfy both. The ‘indolent’ has neither his mind nor his intellect developed. He is forced into a scheme of physical exercises. These four spiritual courses prepare the practitioners for concentration and meditation.
Meditation is the final gateway to truth. Without the above preparation, practice of meditation has no meaning. Meditation is the art of keeping the mind in sharp focus upon a single thought, to the exclusion of all other thoughts. Meditation leads to realisation of the ultimate Reality.

People have developed an aversion for Vedanta because of a wrong approach. Vedanta is like physical exercise. You may not get any immediate benefit. It provides you the inner growth and development to relish and rule the world.

What is renunciation?
Renunciation is a practical way of life. People have to inculcate the spirit of renuncation right in their family life. Renunciation is the essence of Vedanta. People have a wrong concept about renunciation. Renunciation does not mean dispensation of normal life of a householder. Renunciation is not seclusion or isolation. You can remain in contact with the world of objects and still practise renunciation. Possession and enjoyment have nothing to do with renunciation. The capacity to set the right value for all that this world offers and to consider them ephemeral determines true renunciation. Renunciation is spiritual growth. Renunciation is knowledge of Reality.
Renunciation in action, not renunciation of action is the beauty and grandeur of human activity. Renunciation is the secret of success. When your mind rests on a high ideal, beyond selfish and egoistic living, all your energies get directed to your determined goal. You are then at your best. Vedanta propagates this truth. The stern law of life is: Attach you lose, detach you gain.

Could you throw light on the use and abuse of spirituality?
It is a vast subject. It is composed of different facets. The fundamental requirement in spiritual training is to choose that aspect of religion, which suits the individual. Every individual has a constitution of his own. No two constitutions are the same. The inner nature differs from person to person. It is called swadharma in Sanskrit. The opposite of swadharma is paradharma. Swadharma literally means ‘one’s own nature’.
Paradharma means ‘alien nature’. It is incumbent on you to choose swadharma and discard paradharma activities in your life. It is applicable both to your material and spiritual spheres of activity. In the material sphere you must select a field which is consistent with your nature and temperament. If you possess a tendency for mathematics, you ought to go in for mathematics. If your tendency is for music or art, you must choose your vocation based on music or art. If you do that, your material career will be successful. The same rule holds good for religion as well. Spiritual training starts with analysis of your inner constitution. First of all diagnose your spiritual requirement. Then administer the appropriate spiritual treatment. Today religious practices are taken up indiscriminately, without any reference to individual requirement. Consequently religion has little effect on people. Religion is not a physical pastime or an emotional balm or an intellectual entertainment. Religion is a prescription to cure your mental and intellectual disease. Spiritual practices undertaken with a utilitarian purpose in mind is negative religion. Most people pursue religion either for material gain, mental solace or intellectual curiosity and not for removing desires and realizing the inner Self. This is abuse of religion.

Your home should be the centre and not the boundary of your affection. Vedanta can transform the frail form of emotion into a pillar of strength.

What is the law of causation?
Law of causation is based on the functioning of cause and effect relationship. It consists of law of destiny and law of karma. Law of destiny connects your past with your present. Law of karma deals with your past, present and future. It explains your life in this world in its entirety. Past activities are cause and the present nature is effect, called destiny. You are bound by your past activities. You are the creator of your destiny and not God. God is the supreme power which enables you to act. God does not interfere with the nature of action. Action is your choice. You have unlimited power to make or mar yourself. You get what you deserve, not what you desire.
Your effort makes the difference in your destiny. God is the source of your effort. God has nothing to do with the course of your effort.
Your effort is independent of your destiny. But when you apply your self-effort in the background of your destiny, its effect is changed. Keep on applying your self-effort. It neutralizes your destiny and establishes itself. Creation, destruction and maintenance are three facets of the same phenomenon. Hindu scriptures have symbolised them as gods. Universe is nothing but an expression of these three powers.

How does Vedanta explain the theory of Reincarnation?
Vedanta explains life and death on the basis of law of causation. It gives sound logic and reasoning to support the theory of reincarnation. It connects unfulfilled desires of the dead with the appearance of latent desires in the new-born. The unaccounted loss of vasanas of the dead are linked with the unaccounted gain of vasanas in the new-born.
Law of heredity says that man inherits his tendencies from his parents. Law of karma covers the law of heredity and more. Law of karma explains that the resultant of man’s desires finds his own parents. No other extraneous force decides it.
According to Vedanta, man does not reincarnate immediately after death. Between death and birth, man goes through a state of existence called heaven or hell. It is like a dreamland in the long sleep of death.
What is your message to EST readers?
Your home should be the centre and not the boundary of your affection. Vedanta can transform the frail form of emotion into a pillar of strength. Give your personality a lift to your real being; you will then lift the whole world.

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