“Since ages, there has been a tradition in the East to invite an…”

From Place to Space

Since ages, there has been a tradition in the East to invite an enlightened person to the house, to visit the place where they reside, or the place when one did his business. This practice has been around for ages. Why? What was the reason behind that?

Contrary to what we think or understand, the home is not a place where you live. It is in fact, the way……..how you live! Understand clearly, home is not the place where you live, it is the way how you live. The home is an expansion or the extension of your Being. That is the concept on which the science of Vaastu-Shastra is based. It is a branch of Vedic science that explains the ways and methods that a house should be constructed. It postulates that there are basically five elements in the Universe. As we all know, the Five elements (known as Panchaboothas in Sanskrit), are Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether or Space. All the five elements is nothing but Energy. There’s an Upanishad which says ‘The whole Universe comes from Energy’. It comes from the Atman (Energy / Consciousness). From the Atman comes the Aakasha (ether), from the Aakasha comes the Vayu (Air), from Vayu comes Agni (Fire), from the Agni comes the Aapaha (Water), and from Aapaha comes Prithvi (Earth). So, all these five elements are pure energy and not matter, as we think it is.

It is now for the first time that the scientists have turned towards spirituality after Einstein said “What I want to know is God’s thoughts, rest are mere details!” Before Einstein, the scientists dismissed the spiritual people as fools or as people who had lost their faculties of the mind. The scientists were so used to working on the basis of the logic that they thought of the ancient masters as fools or humbugs. In fact, some of the philosophical books classify the strong religious faith or spiritual experiences / consciousness as a mental disorder! For a long time the logical world thought of the Rishis as mentally sick or whose words had no relevance in the modern day. It was pooh-poohed as superstition or senseless rituals. Ironically, it was after a few statements that Einstein made on spirituality or on god, that the logical scientific world turned towards the Upanishads. Einstein said “Whatever exists is nothing but pure energy.

There nothing that divides matter and energy. So, whatever exists is in fact – Pure Energy. Some of you may ask ‘How is it that matter becomes energy and energy becomes matter’? Such questions cannot be answered by science; it can only be answered by the mystics. Einstein said “Where Science ends, Spirituality begins!” Therefore where the last word in Science is “Whatever exists is Energy”, it is the first word in the Upanishad. The first Veda is the ‘Rig-Veda’ and the first Upanishad is the Isa Vasi Upanishad. The first statement in the Upanishad is “Isa vasyam idham sarvadham” (Whatever exits is energy). The ‘Gross Energy’ is Matter; the ‘Subtle Matter’ is Energy. All the five elements i.e. Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether is nothing but Energy. In the East there is a tradition of worshipping these five elements. It may be interesting to know that spirituality started by worshipping these five elements. In the earliest Upasanas, from Swetahsha Upanishads there no mention about the Gods or Goddesses! There is no form that is mentioned in the Keno-Upanishad, but the nature, that was mentioned. The nature was considered to the ‘Doorway to Divinity’.

It is easy to recognize the forms of energy as they manifest in the nature. The Earth energy is recognized by the power manifested by stones, volcanoes i.e. the ever-changing nature of earth. Similarly, the Water energy is manifested in the form of Floods, Rains. The Fire Energy, in the form of Lightening, Heat and so on. The Air energy is apparent in the form of Cyclones, Tornadoes. It is easy to comprehend these energies since they manifest or appear physically. However, it is difficult to understand the Ether, the fifth form of energy. The Ether or the Space energy is so subtle that one cannot see it, perceive it or feel it. In fact, more subtle the energy, more powerful it becomes and more difficult is it to appreciate the energy.

The ancient masters therefore created the Science of Vaastu to harness the energy Space or the Ether in the correct or proper way. You would appreciate that the man has manufactured many equipments or instruments to use the energies from the four elements. For example he has designed an oven to use the fire energy to cook food, the water energy to produce electricity from the Turbine. Similarly, our Masters have designed Vaastu-Shastra to harness the Space / Ether energy.

The Vaastu-Shastra is the Science of the structure of the house. It is a study to use the Space energy effectively within the house. There are three types of Space:-

- Chitaakasha (space inside the body) - Ghataakasha(space surrounding the body) - Mahaakasha (space surrounding the Universe)

The Mahaakasha is always energetic and pure. The Ghataakasha although pure, can become impure by one’s thoughts. The Ghataakasha has the property to either gain energy or lose energy by one’s thoughts. It acts as if it is an alive being! Therefore, never think of your house as only a matter surrounded by four walls, your house is the storehouse or has the capacity to exchange energy. The house is an expression of energy!

When you compress water or fluids, it becomes energy (theory of Fluid Mechanics). When you compress air, it becomes energy. It has the capacity to drive the locomotives- Steam Engines (Pneumatics). When you change the shape of a gross material (the earth energy) such as an Iron into a rod or a plate, it has its own properties. However, if you change its shape into a sphere or a ball, it becomes very strong, dense and powerful. Likewise, whenever you change the space inside the house, the energy changes according to the change in space. This is a very subtle concept and you need to understand this clearly. Once you grasp this concept you’d appreciate the great gift of wisdom that our masters have given us.

Just as the gross elements can be cast into different shape to hold different energy, the ether can be transformed or molded into different space. Vaastu-Shastra is a science to make best use of the space. It is the technique to use the ‘Ether Energy’ efficiently and maximize the energy present. The Ether therefore, can be controlled in a space and that in turn controls those inside the space. Their thoughts affect the Ether, the Ether affects their thoughts. You may have experienced that when you sit outside in the nature, under a clear blue sky, you feel expanded. Your being feels rejoiced. That is the reason that one feels relaxed in the natural environment, in the open space. You feel your personality expanding and transformed, you feel bigger and without boundaries. Whereas, when you enter a small room with a low roof, you feel compressed and limited. Your mind does not feel free and your thoughts do not flow. So, the dimensions of your room play a major role in influencing your mind and thought process. Your thoughts play a major role in influencing the place where you live. A house is not a place where you live; a house is ‘how you live’. Vaastu-Shastra says, “Including all that exists in your surroundings such as rocks, furniture, animate and the inanimate, respond to your thoughts”. This has been proved beyond doubt by a number of researches.

One such example is elucidated well by this experiment. An experiment was carried out by placing Rose plants, in three different rooms labeled A, B and C. These plants in these rooms were taken care of in a similar manner and were changed with a new one everyday. However, there was one major difference. Plant in room ‘A’, while being watered, was cursed profusely and condemned with choicest of the profanities. The Plant in room ‘B’ was given a neutral treatment. The Plant in room ‘C’ was heaped with encouraging words of praise and goodwill. The experiment was carried out by different persons, twenty-one times a day, for eleven days.

The result was in fact, amazing! It was found that all the rose plants that were in room ‘A’ did not survive and died soon. The plants in room ‘B’ grew normally. But, the plants that were taken care of in room ‘C’ grew beyond normal expectations and yielded, twice as much! So, you can understand the extent to which the objects in the surroundings reciprocate or respond to thoughts.

In another experiment, equipments that measured the vibrations (in a graphical format) from the tree, was connected to ten different trees (similar to E.C.G). A woodcutter was asked to earmark a tree with an intention of cutting it down. It was found that the particular tree that was earmarked for being chopped showed skewed readings. The other plants read normal. So it is clear that the thoughts affect the surroundings. The Vaastu-Shastra postulates that all the thoughts, in a house, are captured and stored in the house. So, never think of the space around as dead or insensitive. It is in fact an ‘Alive’ energy. The Ether has got the capacity to hold and store your thoughts. These thoughts grow like cobwebs. Therefore, if one does not medidate in the space or have spiritual thoughts, the cobwebs of negative thoughts grow within. What can be seen physically can be cleaned; however what cannot be seen, cannot be cleaned physically. Therefore, whether one believes in or not, whether one accepts it or not, the thoughts are stored in the place where one lives. It would be interesting to know that there are people who have queried to me saying that “Swamiji, when I am outside the house, I feel happy and joyous, whereas the moment I enter the house I feel depressed”. It is actually true, because the house is Ghataakash, a living space. It is a Lakshmi, a Griha-lakshmi. Somebody asked me “Swamiji, I want joy and bliss to flood my house”. I told her “You will find it when you yourself radiate joy and love, shower your love and affection on your children and your husband. That is the best way to open the Griha-lakshmi”. Griha-lakshmi is energy. She then immediately asked me “Swami shall I then do Griha-lakshmi puja?” Understand that it is alright to do puja, but what is the use when after the puja you come out of the puja room and do an Archana to your husband! (a pun, to indicate admonishment)

(Laughter in the audience)

Puja to Lakshmi and Archana to the Husband! Will it help? No! It will in no way help. The thoughts, that you emit or radiate, are stored. Your thoughts continuously energise the house in your presence. Therefore, it is unto you, whether you want to energise positively or negatively. Unfortunately, most of the time you have only discontentment or you fight, if not with others it is with yourself. You only release anger and guilt. It contaminates and pollutes the space around.

A flowing river is Pure. If it stagnates it becomes impure and foul, it is like being covered with scum. When a person enters such water, he gets covered with the filth. Similarly, a house needs energy to flow, to be bubbling with joy. If there is negativity in the space inside the house, the energy flow stagnates, the negative vibrations are stored and then the misery follows.

When a Master enters a house, he is like a Mahaakasha- a flowing river or open sky. (You are like the Chitaakasha). The Enlightened person is the Universe in itself, because there is nothing inside. An enlightened person has no thoughts. In fact, be very clear, he does have good thoughts as well! He has neither good thoughts nor bad thoughts. He is just emptiness, an open sky. It is through him the energy radiates. People ask me “Swamiji, how do you heal?” Do I chant any Mantra or do any Sankalpa for the person to be healed. I do neither. In fact to make an honest and an open confession, I do not even think, that anybody should get healed. I never wish for anybody to get healed of whatever diseases they might be suffering from. I just give them the presence, healing happens! When somebody comes, I just touch them; let the energy to flow, let go of the energy and do what it wants. The healing happens.

The Master means, a person with no thoughts or with no mind. He is the representative of the Mahaakasha. So when the Mahaakasha enters the Ghataakasha it is simply flooded with energy. It is like a big river entering into a small pool! What happens to the dirty pool is that it is simply washed away, cleansed and filled with pure water. This is what happens to the Ghataakasha, in manifold ways. When a master enters into a space where you live, it is simply re-jenuvated or recreated. It is said that the Vastu (thoughts) becomes Vaastu (space where you live). So, the place is different from the space. Remember, place can be cleaned by a vacuum cleaner, whereas space can be cleaned only by your meditation or by a master’s presence! When people gather too much of dirt (negativity) in the space they live, it can be cleansed or burnt by the master’s presence, in a moment.

These concepts are too subtle to be understood by logic, it can only be understood by examples and by understanding it, step by step. Let me tell you, where logic ends……….great things begin to happen! Great things never happen by your logic, if it does then logic becomes greater. People ask “Swamiji, why don’t you prove the existence of God, why don’t you prove by logic?” I tell them “When you try to prove God by logic, then logic becomes greater than God!” God is greater because he is greater than or beyond logic. He cannot be measured or reached by your logic. These are the subtle truths; they are so profound that it cannot be understood by logic. It is as simple and as profound as the existence of the Sun. Whether you want it or not, believe it or not, the Sun will and always rise in the East. One may try to prove logically that the Sun does not rise in the East, but can that change the existence of the Universal Truth? The Sun will and always rises in the East. Truths are of two types – evidence based and experience based. The existence of the God is the truth that has been experienced by the great Rishis.

Whenever an Enlightened Master or a Spiritual person such as Saints or Seers, enter a space the space is simply flooded with energy. Many come to me and say that “Master, what magic have you done? Ever since you stepped into our house, so many good things have started happening!” I tell them “I have not done anything, and that is the magic!”

So many of you always try to do something or want to do something and end with something different in trying to do something!

(Laughter in the audience)

Therefore, whenever a ‘Nobody’ enters the space i.e. a man who has become the akaash (the Ether); the whole space becomes ‘Spaciousness’. A man who is Enlightened is Mahaakasha, he is ‘without boundaries’. A man who is limited by boundaries is Chitaakasha. So when a Chitaakasha who has become a Mahaakasha, enters a Ghataakasha, the whole space is cleansed and flooded with energy. The ‘Space’ becomes ‘Spaciousness’ and it comes back to its original pure state of life. That is why it is said “Teertiye Kurvanti Teerthinah”. When an enlightened person enters, that place becomes a ‘Teertha’ (a holy place). The Grihalakshmi comes into such an ecstasy, that the place becomes a ‘Teertha’ (a place of pilgrimage). A Sutra also says that when we go and bathe in River Ganges, all our sins are washed away. Whereas, when an enlightened person goes to the Ganges and bathes, River Ganga is cleansed of the sins! Ganga becomes pure and holy!

(Laughter in the audience) This is what Ramakrishna Paramahansa also said, when he was asked why he went on a ‘Theerth Yatra’.

Therefore, when a Master enters a space, the Ghataakasha becomes Mahaakasha. (Swamiji blesses the audience and the space around, saying “Let this Ghataakasha become a Mahaakasha!)

Swamiji says “If any one wants to ask a question, he may do so. Then we shall go out and fill the Chitaakasha! (meaning - the belly)

(Laughter in the audience)

Q’s and A’s

Q) Swamiji, we have so many God and Goddess in our house. How does that help in cleansing the house?

Ans) Swamiji says “When you have real respect that they are Gods and Goddesses, when you have the real feel, your minds acts like a bridge to bring the Mahaakasha. The faith and the trust acts like a drill-bit to bring the Mahaakasha into the Ghataakasha. The faith and the trust takes you beyond this body, you feel expanded. The faith and trust make the idols alive. If there is no faith or trust, then it becomes just a statue or a piece of paper. Some of have a faith of convenience! If you pass in your exams, then Ganapathy is worshipped. However, if you fail, then Ganapathy goes to the road!”

(Laughter in the audience)

“That type of faith is not good. It is only if you have the real feeling that the photos or statues of the Gods are embodiment of energy, and then you will see that it really helps and cleanses the whole space. Faith and trust has the unique power to expand the Chitaakasha. It is said that the faith of Ramakrishna Paramahansa, gave life to Kali.”

(Swamiji asks the audience if anybody had been to Dakshineshwar Temple in Calcutta.)

He says “Let me tell you a fact”. He then goes on to describe the bangles, made in Calcutta, by cutting the Conch or a Shank, by its cross-section into a single piece.

He adds further, “One day, somebody brought four conch bangles to be offered to Kali.”

[He then describes the statue of Goddess Kali and the position of her four hands in which she holds the Avaya-astra, the Varda-astra, the sword on one hand and the Asura’s (Demon) head in one]. “It is easy to insert the bangle in the three hands holding the Astras (Weapons). You could remove the Astras and insert the bangle. Whereas, inserting the bangle into the hand holding the Asura was rather difficult as it is holding the head”.

“The Priest puts the bangle on the three hands and places the fourth at feet of the Goddess as it was impossible to put it in. So Ramakrishna says ‘Why, why can’t you put it in?’ He goes inside the sanctorum and puts the bangle in the fourth hand”.

“The Priest is surprised to see that and asks if Ramakrishna broke the hand. Ramakrishna says ‘Why, what is the need? I just told her to put the severed head down for sometime and I inserted the bangle, now she’s holding it again’.”

“Even now you can go and see the idol. In North Bharat they allow you to go and touch the idol. You can actually see the Conch bangle without any breakage and the hand is also not broken.”

He adds, “When you feel the idols are alive, they become the real energy centres. They become the bridge to the Universe”.

“Vigrahas (idols) are not Vigrahas”.

“In Vaishnavism there is an Avatar called the ‘Aschaavatara’. Apart from the Dasha-avtaras, there is an avatara wherein the Lord takes the form of whatever idol in which you have immense faith”.

“So no logic can explain these phenomenon or concepts”. The trust has got a tremendous capacity to bridge between you and the existence. Never think anything is a dead matter. Everything is an alive energy”.

Q) Swamiji, nowadays the Vaastu-Shastra has become so commercial or an irrational thing and has lost its relevance. Is there any explanation to that?

Ans) Swamiji says “When anything comes up in original, the original thing becomes popular because of the duplicate things. Therefore, it is natural that the rules to confuse the people arise. I can give you a basic tip regarding Naividdhi and Ishanya. If these two are adhered to, that is followed it is enough. Nothing else is necessary. Naividdhi means South-West and Ishanya means North-East. If these two corners are followed, that is enough. It takes care of the whole energy because these two are only the main energy centres or areas”.

(Swamiji describes a small experiment with Pickles kept in equal quantities in the corners of Ishanya, Naividdhi and Agni i.e. South East. He says that the jar of pickle kept in the Ishanya stays fresh for only a week and the one in the Agni for two weeks. Whereas, the one that is kept in the Naividdhi corner stays afresh for more than four weeks despite all of them being in the same room temperature.)

Q) Swamiji, can singing devotional bhajans create positive vibrations?

Ans) Surely it does. Bhajans are positive energy. The problem is that we do not understand emotion. That is why I do not delve on Bhakti and prayers, because prayer cannot happen unless one has had the glimpse of meditation, unless you have had the glimpse of the energy or the ecstasy. So prayer cannot happen and then whatever you do is like putting up an application. All application without proper credentials is like being consigned to the dust bin! So, when you have not experienced something on your own merits, it gets wasted and there is no benefit.