Tattva from sattva

Trundling along the spiritual path by infusing the Upanishadic teachings and balancing the Vedantic principles, it became very clear that we are shrouded in ignorance – Ajnana. Equipped with decades of working in corporates, our efforts need to stay focused to remain steady in the path of Dharma. We then consider the experience and knowledge gained as unparalleled.

The Upanishads gave me the clarity that knowledge of the world is contributing to my ajnana and directing me away from the Truth. To unlearn everything of the external world and make a 180-degree U-turn to travel into the internal world is now my objective in this Jnana Marga.

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Tattva jnana is to have a conclusive knowledge of the fundamental truth in this journey. Even Maslow in his psychological theory of hierarchical needs elucidated that humans are motivated to reach the highest level – after physiological, safety, social, and esteem needs addressed in the same order – of self-actualisation needs at the top of
the pyramid.

Bhagavad Gita states that each of us is a combination of three Gunas – Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas – and defines us at individual level.

These Gunas are also the essence of everything in nature around. For an individual though, the dominating Guna is defined by his past karmas and one’s food consumption pattern in today’s life.

Person in whom Rajas is dominant gives into sensory pleasures, constantly acting and chasing innumerable activities to reap rewards. The one in whom Tamas predominates lacks the discerning knowledge and revels in inactivity, and hence has to be nudged out each time to accomplish simple tasks.

The one in whom Sattva is the principal Guna has an equanimous mind, a discerning knowledge, and hence radiates peace. This person exhibits sthithapragnate (equilibrium) in all walks of life with a surrendered offering to the Lord without claiming ownership – neither from the perspective of one’s effort in any tasks nor from an accomplished outcome. With the Tattva knowledge assiduously derived from scriptures, he becomes a channel to percolate the same to people around him.

This Tattva jnana is indeed the assimilation of knowledge derived from our Sastras with predominant Sattva characteristics, an essential ingredient and a stepping-stone to abide in the Ultimate Truth.

In Bhagavad Gita, Bhagwan states that Tattva from Sattva is indeed the right component for a spiritual seeker!