This chapter on Hinduism focuses on Gnana Maarga and how to attain Enlightenment through the Pursuit of Knowledge. Gnana marga, a more philosophical path to enlightenment, focuses on finding answers to fundamental questions such as ‘Who am I’? ‘Who is God’? ‘How are both related’? Gnana marga also focuses on the relationship between the mind, body, and soul to arrive at a conclusion that the soul is universal and eternal amongst all human beings.

•Gnana Maarga contemplates logical thinking and enlightenment on aspects such as who am I?, Who is god?, who are others? •When I say “I” is it my body or my mind or my soul. •Gnana Maarga delves into logical reasoning to these key questions so that a person can understand:

There is something beyond body and mind, which activates the body and mind. That one which activates the body and the mind is nothing but soul (Atman).•This leads to further questions whether soul of each person is separate or it is part of a universal/ cosmic soul. What is the relationship between the soul of each person called Jeevathma with the cosmic soul called Brahman. •Finding answers to these questions through deduction and elimination processes leads to the finer understanding of who am I. The more the understanding matures the greed, fear, anger, miserliness etc are removed from the mind. •Thus the mind attains more and more peace leading to Mukthi. •At death of the body the entire sukshma sharira leaves the body and enters another body at rebirth. Based on its previous experience this sukshma sharira develops the new body into which it has entered. The instrument used in building the body is mainly the prana (Vital energy). The material out of which the physical body is built are gathered through food. While the physical body is a created one, the soul is inanimate and sentient. It is not created. The god himself appears as the soul of every living being. The soul is birthless, deathless and eternal. •The Aathma (Soul) is neither the doer nor the experiencer. It is constant witness to all action and experiences of the Jeeva, as the later passes through the three states (Sushupti, Swapna, Jagruti) again and again from birth to death. •The soul is one and undivided. The sukshma sharira consisting of mind and intellect of different living beings get illuminated or energized by the same soul like several distinct objects get illuminated by the sun. •The infinite God has split himself into myriads of atomic souls and lodged himself separately within the minute vigyanamaya kosha (Intellect and sensory organs) of every creature. •The sukshma sharira consists of three sheaths called Vigyanamaya kosha (intellect and five subtle senses of knowledge -Gnanendriyas), Manomaya kosha(mind) and Pranamaya kosha(five pranas and five sense of action - karmendriyas). With these three koshas body is made up of five elementary bhuthas (also called Tanmatras) – ether, air, fire, water and earth (panchabhuthas) •Prana is the vital energy and it is said to be in five kinds corresponding to different physiological functions. They are as under:Prana moves down from the base of the throat to the navel (the pranic center or kanda) and energizes all the vayus. It also moves up from the navel to the throat. Apana moves from the navel down to the floor of the pelvis. Vyana moves from the core out to the periphery). Udana moves primarily up from the throat up to the head. Samana moves from the periphery of the body into the core.The various Upanishads put forth logic and arguments on Who am I and other questions explained earlier leading to finding answer about Brahman (God) through Gnana Maarga.The Gnana Marga is also contained in Brahmasutra written by Vedavyasa. The Gnana Maarga is contained in Uttaramimamsa.Through Gnana Maarga, when one realises that everyone is part of the same Brahman the fear, greed, miserliness, enemity etc., disappears and mind becomes more and more peaceful leading to Mukti.

Chapter 1 - Hinduism - Religion, Origin, Beliefs, and Gods

V.SrinivasanBy V.SrinivasanJun 03, 2020