Karta: Life-Inspiring Essays On Cognition, Consciousness & Causality by Santosh Jha (book suggestions txt) 📕

Karta: Life-Inspiring Essays On

Cognition, Consciousness & Causality

By Santosh Jha

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License Notes

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Prologue: New Millennium, New Thinking

The question about wellness and goodness of life and living is ubiquitous. The question has been there in different forms since millions of years. They still are. However, new issues of wellness and goodness have been added, as we all are heading for a world, which is fast becoming complex, resulting in far more conflicts and conundrum.

The new millennium has heralded a new thinking. It was brewing up for over two decades but now as we moved into 21st century; we have a wisdom to answer many questions of wellness in a completely new light. The answers have come up, as there has been a change in perception about the three core notions, essential for wellness and goodness.

These three notions are called 3Cs – Cognition, Consciousness and Causality. The new thinking offers new and scientifically appropriate perceptions about the three notions and helps humanity in understanding them in a new light. This is a huge boost for confidence required for empowerment and wellness.

Every new thing is received with skepticism. It is only natural. Most of us have a narcissistic affection towards what we think as right and just. No wisdom, no science, not even divinity are effective enough to open the closed doors of mind of a person. It is only a personal desire and disposition.

However, millions of people globally are benefitting by this new thinking and new perceptions about the 3Cs. This new thinking emerges out of the experience and knowledge of humanity for the last millions of years.

In the past, usually, all critical issues of life and living were addressed either with extreme ‘scientific positivism’ or with dogmatic ‘religious reductionism’. The right answers for wellness therefore looked elusive for humanity, be it relationships, faith or consciousness.

A ‘new thinking’ believes; answers are in the integrative and assimilative domain as both wisdoms have unbelievable commonality. Moreover, answers cannot be prescriptive but evolve within when one undergoes holistic option building.

The new thinking is all about an assimilative and integrative approach and technique, drawing holistic resources from both traditional as well as modern wisdoms.

In complete acceptance of the traditional ancient wisdom, which said, ‘all realisms of this world and the world beyond can be attained only through body. The kaaya (Body), which is deeply entangled with maaya (external world) alone is the madhyam/ dwaar (vehicle and door) of moksha (emancipation from life cycle), the final attainment for humanity, as it is this kaaya, which is the effective subject (karta) of all karmas (actionable duties). But then, both religion and science warns us to understand the subject (karta) in totality and holism. It is where the trouble starts…

The new thinking accepts it and goes ahead to unravel the objective mechanism of what religion or spiritualism enunciates. The new thinking holistically describes the kaaya, maaya, karma, karta and moksha in an objective, singular and systematic perspectives.

Of course, in describing all this, the new thinking attempts to unravel completely new perspectives on the notions of cognition, consciousness and causality, which are the factors essential in the understanding of the ancient concepts of kaaya, maaya, karma, karta and moksha.

The traditional ideas are offered to be understood in different light so that an average person can have different objective ways at understanding them better and use them for its own and societal wellness and goodness.

The fact remains and it seems like a very available common sense that even if realism is approached from different perspectives, the realism does not change, the way different people look at it may change from person to person. The intelligence is in accepting all perspectives towards a realism and investigate it with a compassionate mind. This is one common prescription, which all wisdoms of humanity offers. That is why; it is a ‘common sense’ for all of us.

The different small essays in this book are attempts to unravel the Karta (subjective consciousness) from the perspective of the new thinking of 3Cs – cognition, consciousness and causality. This Karta is you, me and they. Everyone is a Karta, positioned in the world as the performer. The different dimensions of this Karta in different life-living situations are unraveled so that as a reader, you can be in a position to assimilate the core idea as how a holistic, assimilative and integrative perspective of cognition, consciousness and causality helps us in attaining and enhancing personal excellence and wellness.

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Princess And The Devil

ONCE UPON a time, there was a king…

As is the scheme of nature, there always are people who land themselves in a station of privileges and unequal bounties but then, the burden of onus and duties are also unequal. Often, people accept inequality of personal convenience only.

The king had only a daughter and she was famous for her beauty in all neighborhood kingdoms. The young princess was not only beautiful but also a very good-hearted woman whom everyone loved. Princesses are like that. For the convenience of the story at least, this presupposition is okay. Goodness is often, disposed conveniently at populist perceptions of subjective utilities, rather than objective value.

Once, she was in the royal orchards playing with flowers, birds and small animals, which all enjoyed her company. The day progressed and when she slept on the grass-bed under a tree, she could not remember.

Incidentally, the Devil of the jungle passed by her and out of jealousy, he decided to play a trick with her. He stole the expression of the princess. She returned to the palace with an expressionless face and mannerisms. She looked like a statue. She did not smile, showed no emotions and did everything quite mechanically.

The king got to know of the developments and called the doctors. Later, magicians, tricksters, clowns, saints and every type of experts were called but nobody could help. The panicky king tried to marry her off expecting some change after marriage but all the princes who came after getting the invitation refused to marry her. Nobody wanted a wife who was literally a statue.

The king was sad and the entire kingdom was doomed.

One day, a Tantric (practitioner of occult) came to the palace seeking alms. He asked the king what was wrong as the king looked in poor health. The king narrated his woes. The Tantric urged the king to take him to the royal orchard. The Tantric immediately understood what had happened and he used his power to invoke the Devil of the woods.

The Devil appeared and the king fell on his feet imploring him to forgive his daughter. The Devil relented but put a condition. He said he would take back his curse and the princess would come back to her normal self but in return, he would take away something from her.

The king happily asked what he would like to take away as he was ready give him the entire kingdom for her daughter’s smile. The Devil said he would take away her beauty and give back her expressions.

The king was shocked. He was very proud of her daughter’s beauty and could not imagine how she would react if her beauty is taken away. The Devil was adamant and the king was very unsure what he should do. The Devil gave the king a day’s time to decide and disappeared. The

Devil also warned the king that if he shared what had happened there with anyone else, he would be dead.

…. So, what the king decided? What happened to the princess?

The story has no specific end. It is just a possibility; like life. What the king will choose the fate of the princess would depend on and the story will end that way. This is life – the predicament, the conflict and the discretion. Anyone can be in the king’s place. And there can be people like the princess; seemingly none of her fault but she had to be at the center of all tribulations of life.

One would argue; the king should know what is best for the princess; after all, he is a father and a king too. On his prudence and right discretion depended the fortunes of millions of citizens of his kingdom! If fathers ain’t good enough to protect the best interests of their daughters, it is truly tragic!

However, one should also consider the fact that all good people may not take all right decisions. An important decision is usually taken after consultations and the kings are used to it. But the Devil has forbidden him to share his trouble to anyone. He only has the Tantric to consult.

You would say, “oh yes...! So what the Tantric thought was the right thing to do?”

Forget what the king or the Tantrik think is the right thing to do? Ask yourself; what you think is the right thing to do?

Well, you can ask, “why me? This is not fair! It is your story; you should know better.”

Dear readers, forget the story. If you have to choose for yourself; what would you want – the beauty or the expressions?

Life is so cruel at times… or often…! You wish someone could take the onus and decide for you but eventually, it is always an individual’s choice and before you make your choice, you must understand and accept the situation in multiplicity of details.

Remember, people say, “you are what choices you make and the vice versa”. It is something that primarily affects you and your entire life. You will be deeply influenced by it. Things at stake are not trifle. The beauty is not only for mirror, it is for you first and then for the entire world. And expressions; it is as important as breathing. Deciding between the two is a far-reaching choice.

Well, the women readers may say, “Why should only girls be troubled with all things in life? You said the princess was also very good hearted and she did nothing wrong to deserve this punishment from the Devil. She was actually in deep slumber when her world came crashing on her feet and she could not even realize why. Did she deserve to face all these troubles?”

Hmmm… this is life; full of uncertainties, some time golden but often black. Decisions always have to be owned by you. Yes, let me help you with some details so that you have ease in taking decision.

Well, you should consider carefully the details of the story. The girl in question is a princess and she happens to be phenomenally beautiful; three best endowments of life – wealth & comfort, authority & status and beauty & fame. The poise of personality, that keeps one safe and away from psychosis of mind is a very fine line. Extremities of life and life situations are often silent invite to psychosis.

Moreover, why do you think there is a Devil in this world? The Devil is out there to level out things; set off a balance of sorts. In nature and even in societal and personal systems, the good and bad are placed in cyclic position to engender a natural poise. Idealism is always evolutionary.

This world has love, intimacy, care, compassion etc as golden uncertainties and in the same space, jealousy, anger, pride, selfishness etc, as black certainties also exist. Always remember, one human body possesses them all simultaneously. The very presence of angels invites Devil!

Well, this is a story and that is why for convenience and brevity, the Devil has been personified as some outside entity but usually, it is the Devil inside the person and personality that starts