Spirituality and Indian Psychology: Lessons from ... - Mandhata Global

The Indian Worldview
I do not think, “I know (brahman) well enough.” “Not that I do not know: I know and I do
not know as well.” He among us who understands that utterance, “not that I do not know:
I know and I do not know as well,” knows that (brahman) (2). It is known to him to whom
it is unknown; he does not know to whom it is known. It is unknown to those who know
well and known to those who do not know (3) (kena upaniSad, Canto 2, Gambhiranand,
1972, pp. 59, 61).
While sitting, It travels far away; while sleeping, It goes everywhere. Who but I can
know that Deity who is both joyful and joyless (II, 21). This self cannot be known through
much study, or through the intellect, or through much hearing. It can be known through the
Self alone that the aspirant prays to; this Self of that seeker reveals Its true nature (II, 23).
The discriminating man should merge the (organ of) speech into the mind; he should merge
that (mind) into the intelligent self; he should merge the intelligent self into the Great Soul,
he should merge the Great Soul into the peaceful Self (III, 13) (katha upaniSad, Canto 2–3,
Gambhiranand, 1972, pp. 146, 148, 164).
This worldview is also present in other Indian texts. For example, in the durgA
saptazati, the devi (or Goddess) is described as the combination of two opposites.
In Chapter 1, verse 82, she is described as the most beautiful and one that is beyond
parA and aparA and is the supreme ruler (saumyA saumyatarAzeSa-saumebhyastvati-sundari,
parAparAnAm paramA tvameva paramezvari). In Chapter 5, verse 13,
she is described as both extremely tranquil or peaceful (saumya) and extremely
ferocious (rudra), and the devotee is at peace praying to these two conflicting forms
of the devi at the same time, in the same verse, in the same breath! (ati-saumyAtiraudrAyai
namastasyai namo namaH, namo jagat-pratiSThAyai devyai krityai
namo namaH). Besides the Goddess kAlI, who has many ferocious forms, we find
similar description of Lord narsiMha deva in the bhAgavatam (bhAgavatam, Canto 7,
Chapter 8, verses 20–22 1 ), who is so ferocious that even Goddess laxami is afraid
to approach him when he appeared and killed the asura king hiraNyakazipu
(bhAgavatam, Canto 7, Chapter 9, verse 2). However, the devotees are at peace
singing the praises of such a ferocious deity and glorify Lord narsiMha in the
evening prayers at the ISKCON temple around the world. 2
It should be noted that the Indian worldview is somewhat similar to what Mitroff
and Kilman (1978) categorized as the “conceptual theorist,” people who try to make
a determination of the right versus the wrong schema by comparing two means-end
1 The Lord’s form was extremely fearsome because of His fierce [angry] eyes, which resembled
molten gold; His shining mane, which expanded the dimensions of His fear generating [fearful]
face; His deadly teeth; and His razor-sharp tongue, which moved about like a dueling sword. His
ears were erect and motionless, and His nostrils and gaping mouth appeared like caves or a mountain.
His jaws parted ferociously [fearfully], and His entire body touched the sky. His neck was
very short and thick, His chest broad, His waist thin, and the hairs of His body as white as the rays
of the moon. His arms, which resembled flanks of soldiers, spread in all directions as He killed
the demons, rogues, and atheists with His conch shell, disc, club, lotus and other natural weapons
(Prabhupad, 1972, Canto 7, Chapter 8, pp. 141).
2 namaste narasiMhAya prahalAd AhlAd dAyine, hiraNyakazipurvakSaH zilATankanakhAlaye,
ito nRsiMho parato nRsiMho yato yato yAmi tato nRsiMho, bAhir nRsiMho hRdaye nRsiMho,
nRsiMham AdIm zaraNaM prapadye; tava kara kamalA vare nakhaM adbhuta zRGgam dalita
hiraNyakazipu tanu bhRGgam; kezava dhRta narahari rUpa jai jagadIz hare, jai jagadIz hare; jai
nRsiMha deva, jai nRsiMha deva; jai bhakta prahalAda, jai bhakta prahalAda.
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