Glimpses in Reality

By Rajinder Bibra

Glimpses In Reality is a quest with inner-self and dialogue that the author Rajinder Bibra wants to establish with the people. The book is a biographical sketch drawn from realities, a quest after spirituality and scientific interpretation to everything the author comes across.

Rajinder Bibra has been writing in English and his mother tongue Punjabi for the last over 25 years. He has published 20 books, 6 in English and 14 in Punjabi. His writings primarily focus on philosophy and spiritual quest with a scientific treatment. His 11 novels, 3 books in dialogue and essay form, and one anthology of short stories in Punjabi have been highly acclaimed by littérateurs. His writing got him public recognition in the field of literature and earned him Haryana Punjabi Sahitya Academy award, Saint Taran Singh for the year 2007. His book Quest In Reality, in dialogue form brought his international acclaim.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leaf Press
• Release date: Aug 17, 2019

Rajinder Bibra

Rajinder Bibra has been writing in English and his mother tongue Punjabi for the last over 25 years. He has published 20 books, 6 in English and 14 in Punjabi. His writings primarily focus on philosophy and spiritual quest with a scientific treatment. His 11 novels, 3 books in dialogue and essay form, and one anthology of short stories in Punjabi have been highly acclaimed by littérateurs. His writing got him public recognition in the field of literature and earned him Haryana Punjabi Sahitya Academy award, Saint Taran Singh for the year 2007. His book Quest In Reality, in dialogue form brought his international acclaim.

Book preview

Glimpses in Reality

an autobiographical sketch drawn from realities

Rajinder Bibra

Leaf Press

Copyright © 2017 Rajinder Bibra

All rights are reserved with the author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without written permission from the copyright holder.

September 2017

ISBN 13: 978-81-931861-2-1 (Paperback edition:

ISBN 13: 978-81-931861-3-8 (eBook Eidtion)

Published and Distributed by

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To

My life partner

About the book

This is the story of the little self, whom the author, especially chosen as the central character in his latest book in English, because he is an ideal ‘product’ of the modern Indian society which is influenced by the western ‘values’ based on material culture. In his last two books, the author has explained the progress and the process of the journey, in the realms of the wisdom; the l.s. has been enlightened to. The present book is an attempt on the part of the author, to pen down the penultimate fruits of the inward-journey of the little self, leading to ‘Self-realization’. In the process, the l.s. went through the same time tested Sadhna (spiritual practice for the realization of the Self) methodology of concentration, contemplation and meditation. As a result, of these churning, the author ‘produced’ three biographical books: Quest in Reality, Prasanthi Thoughts, and Glimpses in Reality. Therefore, the author is merely a medium through whom the l.s. expressed his inner pouring, and as such the real credit for the ‘creation’ of these books goes to him.

These books are not the works of fiction or the borrowed excerpts from the scriptures, but only the ‘expressions’ of the little self’s ‘experiences,’ which the author has put them in book shape. During the course of his inner-journey, the l.s. realized, there was nothing supernatural or mythical about the existence of ‘Supreme-Reality/Intelligence’. It is a biological reality which is easily provable and within the reach of all, whether they are theists or atheists. Anyone with the enlightened intelligence can have its ‘experiences’ and can live to describe them. The hard disc of our brain is already programmed with the software of Divine. This is a physical reality which the scientists are proving it now! It is no more a subject of the Church or the Temples; it is as much a subject of science as other subjects like Chemistry, Biology and Physics.

Our ancient sages and seers had discovered this truth seven thousands years before Christ, but the scholars ignored it, on the presumption, that it was orthodox and obsolete, in comparison to the present science age. Our present Dharam-Acharyas (spiritual masters) have failed to inculcate respect for the Divine—which is our Reality, because they themselves have not been taught the ‘basic’ essential for the realization of our core reality. Their main thought pattern is based on the Puuranas, the mythological parables, like in Bible, meant only for the lay masses, as they could not understand the complex nuances of the ‘thought’. The scholarly/elite class is taught in a different way. Since childhood, they are taught to develop their intelligence and evaluate their surroundings with ‘intelligence’ alone: it is a different matter that their intelligence is nothing but data and information. So they have to be ‘taught’ the spiritual path, in the way they understand—that of intelligence.

Our Masters were genius in this way, as their process of inner-journey began from ‘nethi, nethi’—not this, not this! The Vedhaanth is the theistic way to understand the Reality. Every religion has three components: rituals, culture and spirituality. They rejected the first two components of, rituals and culture, and put their thrust only on the third, i.e., spirituality which is a scientific path to Self-realization. Give it an honest try and see the results?

No separate glossary has been prepared, as in spiritual path, the meanings of words change according to the state—of spiritual elevation—of the sadhak. Therefore, the English equivalents for the Sanskrith/Hindhi words have been given in the text with reference to the context.

About the author

The author has been writing in English and his mother tongue Punjabi for the last over 25 years. In the process, he has published 20 books, six in English and 14 in Punjabi. His writings primarily focus on philosophy and spiritual quest with a scientific treatment. His 11 novels, 3 books in dialogue & essay form, and one anthology of short stories in Punjabi have been highly acclaimed by littérateurs. His writing got him public recognition in the field of literature and earned him Haryana Punjabi Sahitya Academy’s award (Saint Taran Singh) for the year 2007. His book Quest In Reality in dialogue form, brought him international acclaim.

Moreover, the author has contributed more than 400 articles and& abstract thoughts in an international science forum toequest.com (based in U.S.A) wherein he owns a blog in the name of little-self. This blog has, so far, registered more than 1,50,000 visits which is a matter of pride for an Indian, as spiritual literature is usually spurned by the science fraternity, whereas author’s blog only smells of ancient thought and spirituality. Besides, blog is not only adjudged as the most popular, but also shares the distinction of the best blog amongst the 106 blogs being produced by the members of this forum.

By the same author

English

Path For Sinners

Pushpanjali

Divinity & Dew Drops

Quest In Reality

Prasanthi Thoughts

Punjabi

RishteFiction (Novel)

Sanjh ParheFiction (Novel)

Alakh JotFiction (Novel)

Naun Man LakkrhaanFiction (Novel)

Kanian Di ChhatFiction (Novel)

Nawan Sirjya MankhFiction (Novel)

SaffarFiction (Novel)

ArthheenFiction (Novel)

Sabhyatavan Da PattanArticles

Mission GangotriFiction (Novel)

Maan Ik AdheanDialogue

Ujjwal AashaFiction (Novel)

Jnan-Vjnan Surmail…ciitanTreatise

Ik Lap KirnanDi Fiction(A collection of short stories)

Vedand Vignanic Drishti Pakhon (an interpretation of Vedant)

Few Words About: Pt.Mohan Lal

Pt. Mohan Lal, a former Minister in the Government of Punjab (India), was instrumental in changing the economic conditions of Punjab. He established a sound industrial base and helped in ushering Green Revolution in the state which made the country self reliant in foodgrains production and kicked out the begging bowl from its hands and made it a proud country. He along with Sardar Partap Singh Kairon, the then Chief Minister, made the state a jewel in the headgear of the country. He was also an educationist of top caliber and established a number of educational institutes under his personal supervision.

Being a topper in academics throughout his student life, he won scholarships right from 8th standard till he finished his studies of law in the year 1926. He always topped in the university.

A brilliant exponent of law and scriptures, a dedicated social and political reformer, a seasoned parliamentarian, an eminent educationist and a distinguished former minister, he was essentially a man of religion and culture gifted with a mindset in the highest traditions of unalloyed patriotism of democracy and secularism. He lived a simple and contended life of personal austerity, of cultural catholicity and eternal love towards humanity and his fellow beings.

As an educationist of repute, he had not only been the Minister of Education in Punjab but also a Senator and a syndic of Punjab University and Guru Nanak Dev University, President of the Non-Government Colleges Management Federation of Punjab and Chandigarh, President of the Sanathan Dharam Education Board, and the founder President of Goswami Ganesh Dutt Sanathan Dharam College and Pt. Mohan Lal S. D. Public School in Chandigarh, Pt. Mohan Lal S. D. College for Women, Gurdaspur. A college for women has also been established on his name, in his hometown, Fatehgarh Churian, District Gurdaspur.

His commendable work in these capacities was given public recognition when Guru Nanak Dev University at Amritsar conferred upon him the Honoris Causa Degree of Doctor of Philosophy for his services to the cause of education in general and of women in particular.

His active life span involved law practice at Batala from 1926-1956. During his student life, he joined the Indian National Congress and remained its activist for more than six decades during which he held several positions in the organization. In 1952, he was elected to Punjab Vidhan Sabha (State Assembly) with a record margin. He was inducted into the state ministry as cabinet minister and held the all important portfolios of Home, Law & Order, Jails, Finance, Education, Excise & Taxation and Food & Supplies, etc. till 1966. Several industrial townships were set up in Batala, Phagwara, Khanna, Ludhiana, Goraya, Sirhind, Phillaur and Faridabad under his patronage. He was Chairman of Punjab Khadi and Village Industries Board from 1974 to 1980 and again from 1988 to 1992. He was a writer of repute. His book Disintegration of Punjab is a historical treatise on the political development in Punjab between 1952 and 1966.

In 1992, he finally said goodbye to politics and devoted his life in his most cherished fields of education, religion and service to humanity, right up to the day he left his mortal-self. The legacy he left behind, whether as a front-rank Sanathanist or an apostle of Hindhu-Sikh unity or progressivism in education bears testimony to his qualities of head and heart and places him beyond any controversy and endears him to all who came in contact with him. He will continue to be remembered with love and affection.

This author feels proud of being related to him by blood and having the privilege to be under his tutelage. He was not only my real uncle (youngest brother of my respected father), but my mentor, guide and philosopher. I dedicate this book to him. It is an old debt discharged to the grand old Sire. May God grant me another opportunity to serve the revered-Self!

Contents

Introduction

Placed at the Lotus Feet of the Master!

The Search

Then Divine-Incarnation is a Myth!

Western

Infinite Brahmand

Elite/Pseudo Nexus

Religion and Religions

Search of the ‘Self’

Realisation of the ‘Self’

Knowledge Alias Jnaanam

Inspire, Be Blessed

Introduction

In the 25000 years, intelligence in man has evolved to such an extent which he could not attain since his evolution from lower categories of life. This is of course a contestable statement—whether man has its ancestry to animal lineage, since there is a gaping link of its alleged transformation or upgradation from wild to wise syndrome. During this long period, though on the time scale it has no marking, the evolution of intelligence has to be evaluated in each field of knowledge, it has been able to spread its tentacles to. The knowledge in each aspect of Nature creates in man a conscious level that enables him to assert his suzerainty and execute his writ by establishing his reign which symbolizes through finer sensitivities like art, culture, architecture, music, social structure, maturity of philosophical thought, health care or through his baser elements like wars, conquests to ascertain the true authentication of his claim of achievements, in those branches of knowledge, in which he has made his access, and has created material symbols (inventions), matching his intelligence, can well be evaluated from his scientific gadgetry! But how far has he been able to probe the depths of his wisdom (thought) is not encouraging!

Not confusing intellect with wisdom—it would be right to seek their respective roles in the afore-mentioned fields, so as to be better aware of the extent of ignorance or the level of enlightenment of the ever-pervading Intelligence.

This ‘ever-pervading intelligence’ is a myth or reality, has also to be delved deep into the realms of Nature or still more so in the depths of our mind which is the ultimate instrument which ‘embodies’ us with intelligence or creates intelligence in itself to (re)discover Nature or itself! Thus, their respective fields are distinctly marked. The mind functions in Nature; wisdom within it! Though visibly distinct, both have to function in unison—in perfectly balanced manner—in accordance with the given situation, maintaining harmony in Nature and its creations.

With the advent of machine, man’s life has certainly changed. He has suddenly been catapulted from cart age to shuttle age. Machine has entered almost every sphere of his life. He has compacted, almost, the entire world in his computer. Sitting in his room, he is connected with the outside world through his tiny computer. Modern war machines, trade, industry, media, communication, and even literature, are controlled by the technological brains, rather than sluggish human brain. Though machine is the creation of human intelligence, it is slowly taking over its many functions. Compared to man’s working (conscious) mind, machine’s capacity of data bank is gigantic. It functions millions times more quickly, efficiently and without the danger of any emotional involvement. Thus during the last two hundred years, man has made tremendous progress in the field of physical sciences. Specially, during the last forty years his accomplishments are more than the total scientific progress made since the entire period of human history. Obviously, it all happened because of the advancement of his intelligence. Or is it really so!

It is also a fact that humanity has evolved through many a civilization and quite a few among them were unique in their history. It is on record, during Mayan, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Babylonian, and still more ancient civilizations of Chinese, Egyptian, and Indus valley, material progress was at its zenith. Though the modern gadgetry was not invented in those times, progress in other spheres of life viz., art, culture, music, architecture, medicines, hygiene, agriculture, trade, industry and general standards of living, was not inferior to today’s standards. Rather in several disciplines, they surpassed the current times: excepting physical sciences, these civilizations were far ahead in every other respect. Each civilization nourished on its values and flourished in their peculiar fields. But the most noticeable commonality amongst them was their twofold development; material development as well as the ‘thought’ development. The driving force was intellect and wisdom. Intellect always projects itself through material projections, whereas ‘thought’ finds its expression through the medium of fine arts, literature, music, besides all that makes the inorganic world so beautiful.

Another similarity which was conspicuous in each civilization, was their final enactment of self-disintegration. Each one, when it was at its pinnacle, developed similar symptoms of its ruin. All organs of the state got steeped in luxury and corruption: Sunk in indolence and debauchery, each caved in under its own weight of degenerated values. The ‘thought’ which was once their lifeline, went haywire in each case and the hegemony of materialism reigned: And material progress, at its peak, inevitably leads to war, annihilation and destruction.

Then should it be surmised, that material progress always dominates the finer sensitivities? That the ultimate pinnacle of each civilization was, moral depravity!

Each age produced its own Alexander, Nero, Changez Khan, Halaku Khan, Napoleon, Machiavelli and Hitler. All of them left indelible marks on the pages of human history. But the most lethal of them all was the class of nobility: Subedars, Lords, Sardar Bahadhurs, Nawabs and today’s politicians. Due to the public apathy toward this class of ‘elites’ which emerges after the fall of every history maker and becomes the cause of final nemesis of the very ‘thought’ on which were built the lofty empires of values. History provides us with a long list of such ruffians, who openly loot and usurp public property and warns us repeatedly, but the results have always been the same. We let ourselves be befooled and bludgeoned by the likes of these jokers—the elite, who are, involved in scores of scandals running into millions, but still they continue to show their ugly faces from the equally tainted media.

Why the ‘civilize’ continue to allow this dehumanization—not only by being deprived of wealth and property but let their conscience be mortgaged by forced conversion—by the baser elements of the decaying societies? Does it indicate some ingrained deficiency in our genes that impel us towards violence, greed, lust and power which are intrinsically the by-product of material progress?

Let us have a look around our neighborhood. Pakistan’s ex-PM, (Nawaz Sharif) and his predecessors are involved in scandals worth thousands of crores by accepting illegal gratifications and by looting State exchequer. At the same time countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Burma (Myanmar), Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Korea (North & South), Indonesia are involved either in internal strive or fighting with each other. The former President of the most powerful nation of the day, U.S.A., Bill Clinton, faced sexual harassment charges during the term of his office. The other super-power, U.S.S.R., stands disintegrated. The plight of African Continent is even worse. Nearer home, the following extract from an article of a leading daily presents the national scene very aptly:

The rise of beasts of violence everywhere; hundreds of citizen getting killed every day at the hands of the terrorist mercenary mafia or foreign agents; serious law and order situation in 210 out of 535 districts; parallel governments and jungle raj in certain areas where these rulers realize taxes, hold courts and award punishments including death-sentence; private armies possessing more sophisticated weapons than the police forces who have yielded considerable quantity of arms to them under overwhelming threat; high officials and big businessmen buying peace from criminals for their own safety, for the police, unable to protect themselves, cannot be relied upon to protect them – this is only a slice of the mirror.

— Hindustan Times, 3rd January, 1998

It is not a co-incidence that the decline of moral values is imminent when material progress is at its peak. It is also a fact that moral values, in the form of religions, sects, conventions, customs, creeds and ritualism, are also embedded deep in the psyche of general public. Only it happens so, the real Religion which encompassed entire humanity, has been transgressed into various sub-deformities. Any civilization’s enrichment—as the name itself connotes—is gauzed by the civilized behavior of its components. That civilized behavior is the outer deportment of inner values, ingrained in its bloodlines through practice for thousands of years. Their sustained continuity manifests through the finer sensitivities. But how these finer sensitivities—the inner (moral) values—allow to be dominated and corrupted by the by-products of material progress, is a big question mark; a big stigma, that has evaded the ‘civilized’ man’s imagination! Or else he would not have allowed the wreckage of his domain which he visualized, built and nourished with the sweat of his physical, intellectual and spiritual endeavors. Advancement of the materialism and the moral values is contemporary, synonymous and complimentary to each other. But if these are arraigned against each other, there ensues the decline of the system: a way of life: a philosophy (thought) i.e. a civilization, by the very components which enriched it. This is a serious cause for worry. When this downward slide begins, even the terminology of definitions also changes! Moral values are ‘called’ human values, as if humanness is different from morality! Although it is the moral values on which a religion is based, these have also been the major, rather the foundation of any civilization. But on its decline, religion becomes the first causality. Actually, its negation and vulgarization cause the downward slide.

Only when the ‘thought’ is compartmentalized into graded layers of reality, sub-realities, pseudo spirituality, religions, creeds, sects, Mathas (sectarian religious seats, segregated from the mother religions), and Gurudom or in so many other nomenclatures, the value of components gets degraded and derided at. Whenever or wherever, the balance between ‘thought’ and matter is in equilibrium, the society becomes an ideal state which gives rise to a flourishing civilization. But that equilibrium is very sensitive and always tilts in favor of the matter and materialism. Though matter can never be exclusive of ‘thought’, as it is through ‘thought’ that the matter gets itself transformed from inorganic to organic, and from inert to live! Again, it is through ‘thought’, that the material progress is attained. But a willful distinction is made between the two as if the ‘body’ can survive without ‘life’!

The cause or causes that lead to the fall of a civilization becomes the subject matter of the so-called historians, anthropologists, scholars, littérateurs or the modern Jnaanis. Lust, greed, power, indolence, corruption, violence, war, internal strife, declining values, immortality—are some of the prognosis through which these experts find their escape routes. This is very hypothetical proposition which is, in itself a contradiction. To make a man civilized is to bring him out of barbarism – to enlighten, to refine him. This transformation is not brought within months or years. From the cave man to today’s ‘civilized’ (!) man, it took many eras. Similarly, each civilization went through the same process. The very factors which labeled man as barbaric and had gradually been shed off, through the regimentation of a system that made him civilized, can’t be the cause of his downfall! Or perhaps, some genes of his barbaric past are still left in him which remain in hibernation and sprout only at a time, when their supporting factors are in their best of elements! Or the man is still uncivilized: as since the recorded history he has fought over 5,500 wars and in the process, might have butchered hundreds of billions of his kin. Only during the last two world wars, some hundred million people were killed. Thus, the above prognosis is too preposterous.

The present-day’s man is considered an epitome of his creed; highly advanced, not only in scientific and technological fields, but also in every branch of nature. Even other planets in the solar system are now within his reach. He is on the threshold of establishing his suzerainty on the far off planets. He is on the verge of—as he proclaims, discovering the basic cell and the particles which ushered life and the Creation. Thus, the ingredients that made him civilized cannot be laid latent in a trice and replaced with those baser traits, from which it took him aeons to emerge, and again behave and deport like a barbarian.

There is not a single instance in history, when material advancement was at its peak and ‘thought’ enlightenment was lagging behind, or vice versa. If it is not out of context to state here, the genesis of each civilization is primarily the ‘thought’, though its maturity into a full blooming civilization takes thousands of years. Anthropologists and historians may find archeological relics, ancient ruins, artifacts, as easy material for the study of a civilization’s real worth. However, actual parameters that determine the real worth is not the material affluence—which anyway is the obvious outcome—but the legacy that each subsequent civilization inherits from the preceding one. It is this legacy that is the interlinking factor which besides acting, as a bridge passes on its heritage to the succeeding age; which in due course also evolves into another civilization. This inheritance is in the form of literature. Literature here does not represent one branch of knowledge, but the sum total of intelligence of a period of history which is composite of all aspects of the civilization!

Each generation produces its genius and knowledge of the age which gets assimilated in one or two patriarchs—the actual flag bearer of that ‘knowledge’—very aptly defined as ‘philosophers’ or the wise. Wisdom is not the end product of a man’s evolution from baser to higher attainment of values! It is the essence of human values which are the common features in the lives of people and transpires for generations together—going through many disciplines imposed by the society, religions, judiciary, state or self-imposed. These disciplines, when applied earnestly—keeping in view the general welfare of the society in mind, and also keeping in tune with general character of the masses chisel out characteristics of human values, deeply saturated with moral values which are the epitome of those times, reflected through the lives of the chosen few. Does this minority really represent the totality of intelligence of an era or is this a statement of the vagrant minds? This needs to be probed deeply.

Here it is equally important to make a distinction between wisdom and perfection in human life which the scholars often confuse as one and the same thing. Wisdom is the byproduct of the finer sensitivities; genesis of values of life; knowledge; good judgment and prudence, etc. It is always relative and subject to many limitations. It is the knowledge that ultimately determines the kind of experience, judgment, prudence one is capable of discharging in daily life. And knowledge is not only progressive but always relates to the intelligence of an era, that is—the progress it has achieved up to a certain time. Wisdom is the essence of intelligence, whereas perfection is the source of all knowledge. Therefore, the wisdom of each era is distinct and its values are always at variance. As the material affluence that each civilization supports, is compatible to the advancement in science and technology; similarly culture, the mother of social sciences, determines the maturity of ‘thought’ of that era. The real parameter to evaluate as to how far the ‘thought’ has gone deep into the inner portals of the minds of the people can easily be assessed from the general behavior of the masses: the system of governance: their art and culture etc. The more deeply the mind (intellect) is utilized—which incidentally has never been utilized more than seven percent of its capacity—more materially exuberant and well versed would be the lives of the people. The resultant euphoria of material affluence, almost always bursts out in the form of over indulgence, violence and corruption.

It clearly indicates, the factors which make civilizations rich, are either lacking in maturity or are insufficient in content to sustain and retain their shine of refinement—if not forever, then at least for a protracted period of time, till another better ‘thought’ unravels its benign environment and gives birth to a new civilization. Alas, this has never been so! Though civilizations flourished in different regions, during different times in history, each went through the same methodology and employed, invariably, the same tools for their own annihilation. It is pertinent to note, fresh civilization never was born out of the ashes of a bygone civilization. Perhaps when one is vanished it destroys along with, its roots too—its literature.

There is no disputing the fact that the reason for material advancement is science. Since science is a system of education for the study of nature, fine arts are the result of inner development, cultured by human values. Whether it be, the fine arts or science, the major contributor for their growth is education. Mere study and cramming of books is not education. It is not simply the study of natural sciences but a complete way of life, a process of learning that spans from birth to death. It (education) is the complete study of matter, life and mind which evolves man from barbarism to civilization: Stone Age to robots: wheel to rockets: and now has brought him out, from his traditional function of reproduction to cloning. Education makes him a better man, helps him create a healthy society in the polluted environments; raise him from immorality to morality. Whenever the purpose of education is deflected or distorted, decline of society is imminent. Its purpose is not to churn out scholars, whose only proficiency is the ability to recite like parrots the crammed data acquired from the books but to make