SHIVA TEMPLE IN THE GRAND CANYON

NAMED AFTER SHRI RAMA, THIS ANCIENT ROCK IS PRESERVED IN THE GRAND CANYON.

All of us are aware of the vastness on the perceived universe.  The perceived universe represents the insight into out own inner self.  The insight is made possible through the senses.  The perception provided by the senses is however temporary and limited by physical boundaries and by time.

The purpose of the teachings of the Paramathma and all of our scriptures is to make us become aware of the infinite vastness and tmelessness that are situated within us.  As Sri Krishna Paramathma says in the Gita,  this perceived world is but a small fraction of His inifinte vastness. The scriptures are categorical that this infiniteness lies within our inner self.  

The attainment of this infinite existense is the very purpose of this life.  Sri Krishna says in the Gita - "I am the force of life - Consciousness". 

We are split into two parts - inner and outer selves, or the perceiver and the perceived, or, the knower and the known. That part which is  the "Inner", the "Perceiver", or the "Knower" is CONSCIOUSNESS.  That aspect of ourselves, which is "Outside", which is the "Perceived", which is the "Known" is the MIND.

The mind is built from the five senses and is bound by physical limitations and bounded by the present, without access to the past or to the future. 

Consciousness is completely independant of any objects, and physical boundaries.  It pervades infiniteness of space, is not subject to limitations of time,  no opposites that induce conflict and no desires.  It represents pure existence with no "obligations" to any other being. 

The mind is something that we are all endowed with by our birth as Human Beings. We are all subject to the pulls and pushes that it imposes on our daily lives. We try to disassociate our selves from our "own" minds and try to run away from it, all the time. This tendency to try and run away is mainfested in various forms of diversions that the mind constantly seeks - entertainment, travel, exploration of this physical world, physical sports etc.  These diversions start to take control of the mind, as it begins to develop "attachments".   Attachments, help the mind to relate to the objects and beings of this world of senses and perceptions.  

The mind, because of this need for attachment to this physical world undergoes various experiences that subject it to alternate bouts of miseries and happiness.  Because of these experiences, the aspect of the mind knows as the "intelligence" develops. 

The intellect is that which is a storehouse of all the experiences of the mind (the "memory") and the ability to reach conclusions or genralizations based on the experiences (the "Rationalization").

Memory and Rationality are the two primary tools of the mind that we all use to navigate our existence on this planet. Both are endowments. We did not work for it nor did we ask for it.  These have been given to us through the process of evolution of "lesser" forms of existences that have been experienced by plants, insects and animals over many many YUGAMS (vast expanse of time). 

The mind is on a path of evolution and must progress to higher and higher levels. This inquiry happens using the two tools at its disposal - Memory and Rationality.

However, both memory and rationality relate to the "Outside" world.  There is a limitation on the value of this evolution.  While this knowledge is useful for attaining and maintainng a reasonably comfortable physical life, the knowledge perishes with physical death and cannot be carried beyond this level. 

The eternal progress happens when it inquires within - about itself.  Through this inquiry based evolution the mind begins to reject the transient and seeks the permenant. This inner  journey of the mind takes it closer and closer to the supreme consciousness (or force of life) from which it was born.  The merger of the mind with the super consciousness, brings the journey to an end and there is no need to experience this world of births and deaths. 

While the Mind has to evolve to attain its goal,  Consciousness is supreme and has no journey to undertake. It is that which is permenant, is not subject to change and is the ultimate goal of life.

Think of it this way - we are born with a small battery pack that powers our being. But it can go on only for a limited time. This small battery pack is known as the JIVAATMA.  There is a huge and unlimited generator of power that we need to directly connect to before this battery runs out.  That eternal generator is the Universal Consciousness - the PARAMATMA. 

In the following pages we will explore the requirements prescribed to enable this attainment also known as MOKSHAM.

An essential ingredient that the mind needs to stay on this journey of search and attainment is BHAKTHI.  This ingredient is the faith that there is a supreme guiding power whose kindness, understanding, forgiveness are infinite and who is all knowing and ever wiling to be the CHARIOTEER OF THE MIND.