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Aptavani-1
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Aptavani-1
If you remain in the attributes of the Self, then you are a purush' (the Self-absolutely free).
those you worship. There is a predominance of rajas attributes in people of India whereas the rest of the world is inclined towards tamasic attributes. The three deities represent the three attributes. They are not born but are symbolic representations. Even the Vedas state that one should become free from these three attributes and become the Self.
Prakruti is like a top' (spinning toy). What does that mean? The winding of the string around the top is the cause, as the string is pulled away the spinning of the top is prakruti. There is skill and precision in the winding and there is also skill and precision in the unwinding. Everything occurs exactly as it was caused. Even when a child eats, does he put the food in his ear instead of his mouth? If a serpent dies before its eggs hatch, the baby serpent when born will know how to strike. What is the reason behind this? That is the wonder of prakruti. The precision with which prakruti functions, is a wonder in itself. How far can prakruti go? There is a limit from the very beginning as to how far it can go. Even when a top is spinning. it spins within its boundary. For example, even the thoughts that come to you have a limit. When you are overcome with illusionary attachment, there is a limit to that too. Every living being has its 'center' in its navel. In the navel area the soul is completely free from covering by any karmic matter. The pure light of knowledge is to be found here. If prakruti were to go beyond it's limit, then this area would become obscured and that living being would become inert, but this can never happen. No matter how intense a person's illusionary attachment becomes, it will reach its limit and then begin to subside. All this occurs according to the laws and limits of nature. Nothing ever occurs outside the boundaries of nature.
It is the prakruti that makes a person dance or do things but people claim 'I am dancing' or 'I am doing it. It is foolishness to think this way. Every human being is like a top, what effort does he have to make when it is the prakruti that is making him spin? When a man makes a lot of money, he claims he is the one who earned it but does he accept responsibility when he makes a loss? At that time he will claim that it is God's doing.
It is prakruti that dictates what you do, but you claim to be the doer. Fasting, doing penance, meditating, giving alms, being kind, speaking the truth, practicing ahimsa (non-violence) are all attributes of the prakruti. Good habits or bad habits are all qualities of the prakruti. However charming and graceful one's prakruti may be, one never knows when it will deceive him or disgrace him. You may have a king who is very benevolent and devout but if he were to get lost in the jungle and not eat for days, would he be embarrassed to beg for food? Definitely not! What happens to his imperial and monarchical qualities at that time? Alas! His prakruti is crying out from within and he is trapped in circumstances that reduce even a king to becoming a beggar. If this can happen to a king then what chance does a commoner have? It is the prakruti that makes you give alms and it is the prakruti that makes you beg, so where is your effort in that? A thief steals twenty rupees, goes to a restaurant and orders a nice meal and enjoys himself. On his way out he gives the remaining ten rupees to a leper, what is all that? This is all a play of prakruti. It is incomprehensible.
The Prakruti And Its Three Attributes
The deities of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh represent the three attributes of prakruti. These are sattwa, rajas and tamas respectively. Those with tamas attributes worship Lord Mahadev, those with sattwa attribute worship Brahma and those with Rajas attribute will worship Lord Vishnu. You acquire the attributes of