Slokam 3

Brahma’s continuing creative activity, is described in slokam 3.  The slokam emphasizes that Brahma (like all the rest of us), performs his morning ablutions, and observances prior to starting his day.

It is also mentioned that there are other beings (Chiranjeevis)  with Brahma who lived in the preceding Brahma kalpa with memories of the past.  The key statement in this slokam is that the Chiranjeevis bring with them the memories of the past. 

All of us carry the key memories of past life in our genomes.  However, we are not endowed with the ability to tap into them This is by design.  If we were given the ability to see the past, we would continue to dwell on them. Our consciousness would be directed only to our past life.

Some of the events that all of go through even within one life can be really horrendous.  If we dwell on our experiences in past lives as well, we will never stop regretting, wishing things had been different,  and pulling ourselves down in the process.  Sri Krishna Paramathma clearly states in the Bhagavath Gita that the past should never be dwelled upon.

When the scriptures talk about a new kalpa with a new Brahma, new creations, new environment, we would wonder if there is nothing more to this existence than the fleeting glimpse of life that we experience.  If that is the case, why should we progress at all?  Progress takes effort and a lot of what we think as sacrifice (or abstaining from transient pleasures).  The answer is that we are not what we were yesterday and we are not going to be, tomorrow, what we are today.  We are traveling in a vehicle that is constantly changing. We are made up of of a zillion different component parts, each of which works on an agenda of its own. Yet we cling to ourselves, not know that what we are trying to cling on to. 

Change symbolizes evolution of our inner self. Change should always be for the better, step by step.   We all work towards material betterment, which means acquisition of wealth, and physical betterment, which is improvement of health.   However,  we shirk working towards spiritual progress, simply because this is in direct contrast to what we have learnt all along. Rather than acquire,  we have to start giving up all that we came to possess.  We move from acquisition, to a life of sacrifice.  The sacrifice is the giving up of the different false aspects and layers that we have covered the inner self with, and the effort we take to live in a world of delusion.  Giving up this world of delusion and Maya takes us from transience to a state of permanence.

But wait a minute, If all that I am physically made of, perishes,  which aspect of me would reach the state of permanence? The answer probably is that all aspects of ourselves that we are conscious of,  will cease to exist.  However, that aspect of our inner self which is the instrument of awareness of all our various aspects, including itself, and which is called consciousness,  will ultimately transcend to permanence.  Our mind and body will disappear,  and along with it this world which torments us everyday will also disappear. 

Consciousness is an universal fabric.  It is the Paramathma’s assumed form, which permeates all objects including every aspect of our self.  It is that aspect of ourself that makes us aware of our own self.

It is consciousness (which is the Paramatma) that manifests itself into different forms of this world and also manifests into our different components of the body and mind. 

It is this consciousness which makes us relate to our fellow human beings and fellow creatures, because it is the fabric that runs through all perceived objects and people. 

In one of the earlier slokams, Sri Bhattadri touches upon how this life giving consciousness is to be channeled and released through a (virtual) orifice at the top of the head to attain Moksham.