PERSPECTIVES

Title: "The McDonald’s Queue as a Reflection of Life’s Journey: Exploring Shrishti, Sthiti, Samhara, and Purushartha through an Advaithic Lens"I Image Description: A thought-provoking illustration of a McDonald's outlet with a lively queue of customers waiting at the counter. The scene has a subtle overlay of four symbolic stages: Dharma (an orderly queue with customers respecting the line), Artha (a worker handing an order, representing prosperity), Kama (customers enjoying their food), and Moksha (a customer departing with a satisfied look). Above, a subtle cosmic design represents Shrishti (creation), Sthiti (sustenance), and Samhara (dissolution) with faint cycles and symbols that suggest the cycle of life and Advaitic philosophy. The whole image evokes the interconnectedness of life’s journey and spiritual pursuits within the everyday scene of a fast-food queue. In Advaita Vedanta, the cycle of Shrishti (creation), Sthiti (sustenance), and Samhara (dissol...

In the Star Wars universe, "The Force" operates across space and time, connecting all beings through an energy field that permeates every moment and place. Yet, not everyone is aware of its presence. Here, Avidya, or ignorance, mirrors this unawareness. In Advaita Vedanta, Avidya is the veil that obscures one's true nature, creating an illusion of separateness that binds beings to the cycle of life and death. This veil keeps individuals from perceiving the ultimate reality—Brahman, or universal oneness—just as beings unaware of the Force remain bound by their limited perceptions. Karma, or the principle of action, is another common thread. In both Star Wars and Vedanta, every action taken, every choice made, imprints on the cosmic fabric, carrying consequences that shape one’s future. For Jedi and Sith, the choices aligned with either the light or dark side echo across time, influencing not only personal destiny but also the balance of the universe. In Advaita...

Bliss consciousness, often associated with states of deep meditative awareness or spiritual transcendence, is generally considered beyond the material body and universe in many spiritual traditions. In Advaita Vedanta and other non-dual philosophies, bliss (ānanda) is seen as a fundamental aspect of our true nature, which is beyond the physical form. It is thought to arise from the realization of the self as not confined to the body or mind but as the infinite, unchanging reality that permeates everything. In this view, bliss is not a product of the body or brain, which are considered transient and impermanent. Instead, bliss consciousness is an innate state of being that becomes accessible when the mind transcends its usual identifications with the material world, ego, and sensory experiences. It is an experience of unity, where dualities like subject-object dissolve, and one connects with the deeper truth of existence, which is often described as blissful in its essence. ...

If Adi Shankaracharya, the great philosopher and proponent of Advaita Vedanta, were to witness the intellectual prowess of AI today, particularly its ability to explain complex philosophical concepts like Vedanta, he would likely offer a nuanced perspective grounded in the core principles of Vedanta. While AI can simulate the intellectual understanding of Vedanta, Shankaracharya might remind us that there is a fundamental distinction between intellectual knowledge and experiential realization, a key tenet of his teachings. Here is a reflection on what he might say: 1. AI and the Power of the Intellect: Shankaracharya would likely acknowledge the remarkable capabilities of AI in processing vast amounts of knowledge and explaining Vedanta with clarity. He would appreciate that AI can assist seekers by making shravana (listening and studying) and manana (reflection) more accessible. In this sense, AI could serve as a tool for disseminating knowledge and guiding individuals thr...

In the mid-18th century, the region of Pâlghât (modern-day Palakkad) was a flourishing settlement at the intersection of trade and military strategy. Nestled amidst the Western Ghats, this town was destined to play a pivotal role in the history of Malabar. In 1757, when the mighty troops of Haidar Ali first marched into Pâlghât, they laid the foundations of a fort that would shape the town's future. Situated at the southeastern corner of the cantonment, the fort was a symbol of military power with its square design, flanked by round bastions and sturdy curtains. A wide ditch—21 feet deep and 15 feet broad—surrounded the fort, making it an impenetrable stronghold for a time. However, the shifting tides of history saw the fort falling into British hands on November 15, 1783, when Colonel Fullarton’s troops overran Haidar’s garrison. After a heavy downpour weakened the enemy's defenses, the British, led by Sir Thomas Maitland, seized their chance. Fullarton’s forces su...

A closer look at the interplay between human emotion and AI-driven logic, merging the two realms of creativity. The nature of creativity—whether it is subjective or objective—exists on a fascinating spectrum. Creativity often stems from a subjective experience because it is deeply rooted in personal perceptions, emotions, and thoughts. This is especially true for human beings, where creativity emerges from the mind's unique way of processing, interpreting, and expressing the world around it. Our emotional landscape, memories, and individual perspectives fuel our creative output, making it a highly subjective process. However, when we consider AI, creativity takes on a more objective dimension. AI generates poetry, art, or music based on data, algorithms, and patterns. While it can mimic subjective experiences by analyzing vast amounts of human input, its creative process is rooted in logic, objectivity, and pre-determined frameworks. AI doesn’t "feel" emotions...

Swami Chinmayananda often used a chart to illustrate key concepts of the human field of experience, linking BMI to Body, Mind, and Intellect. These three instruments, according to his teachings, are the vehicles through which we interact with the world. They enable us to Perceive objects, Feel emotions, and Think thoughts (PFT). The Body is responsible for perception, the Mind for feeling, and the Intellect for thinking. These in turn correspond to the realms of Objects, Emotions, and Thoughts (OET), which constitute our everyday experience of life. An intriguing aspect is the mind itself, which is often associated with qualia—the subjective, personal experience of sensations—something that remains largely mysterious and elusive in modern science. Despite advances in artificial intelligence, which allow us to draw distinctions between body and intellect as functional parts of the universe, the mind and its inner experiences still evade a comprehensive understanding. AI has ...