Who is doing it all?

Who is driving?

This conversation happened as Sri Mahaprabu was on the road, driving. Through the example of driving, he makes us understand a fundamental truth. That for things to happen, the idea of a separate “I” is just not required. A must read!

The Gavana Shakti (the power of Attention within us), using the body, hands and legs is driving the car all the while. And it has been doing this, even though there is no thought of a separate ‘I’ here. IT is moving the hands and legs to navigate the car amidst tremendous traffic. So, there is no need for the thought of “I” as a separate person. The Gavanam inside is doing everything carefully. It is aware that the person in front should not be hit, the car must stay on the left, the car should not slow down too much or the car behind will hit this car, etc. Now in all this, is the thought that I am driving the car necessary? Without that thought can’t the driving happen?

SC: No Mahaprabu. That thought is not needed at all. Even for us, that thought is not needed, but we think it is needed.

Mahaprabu: I’m asking in general. Not you or me. Is that thought needed? Will the car come to a halt in the middle of the road?

SC: No.

Mahaprabu: Correct. Whether I take a decision or not, the Uyir Shakti (literally translates to Life Energy) inside is observing all the traffic around, giving the brain instructions as to what to do and is operating the hands and legs through the muscles etc. That Uyir Shakti is providing the energy for all this. The question is, do “I” as an individual supply the energy to do all this, or is that energy coming automatically from inside?

SC: The energy is flowing automatically.

Mahaprabu: Yes. The car engine gets energy from fuel. That is limited. Body’s energy comes from food. Does that Gavana Shakti need anything for energy? No. If you are hungry it will show that you are hungry. If you are full it will show you are full. But does that Gavana Shakti (Attention) need any energy to sustain itself or operate?

SC: No.

Mahaprabu: Yes, which means there is no relationship at all between Gavana Shakti (Attention) and energy. The energy that the body needs comes from food, water, and air. All three are needed. Not just one of them. All three provide energy to the body. Using that energy and the brain, the Gavana Shakti tells the brain don’t go there, go here, turn here… If petrol is low, go here. If the body is hungry, it directs the body through the brain, to go there to put food into it. So, this Gavana Shakti is doing things beautifully. Whether I am observing this or not, whether I think “I am driving” or not, the system is being operated. So, for this system to operate the car, which is operated by the body, which is operated by the Source, AM “I” NEEDED? (the thought that I am an individual)

SC: Not at all.

Mahaprabu: Exactly. This example is of a very small system, a body operating a vehicle. In the exact same way for the entire Universal system to run, it doesn’t need the thought of You and I. Even without that, it will run.

Going deeper

SC: It appears that this notion of individuality that we all carry around is a false and unnecessary layer on top of a self-running system.

Mahaprabu: Yes, but isn’t that causing the whole problem here! So, we have to live our life with this understanding at all times. See, the Gavana Shakti is always in a ‘don’t mind’ state. If petrol is low or empty it will simply point out and the car will stop. It will not get upset.

SC: Does Gavana Shakti know objects? Like a car, petrol?

Mahaprabu: Yes it does. It is for that reason that it created the brain to know these objects. Does the Gavana Shakti have a tongue? No. Yet the tongue is used by IT to taste so many things. Let’s say there is another Shakti behind the Gavana Shakti. Call that Atma. The Gavana Shakti is just Observation. You should not think Gavana Shakti as God. For now call Gavana Shakti as X. It will just present the situation. It does not take decisions. Then who is taking the decision?

SC: Brain.

Mahaprabu: No. Brain is outside the Gavana Shakti. If you think Brain is taking the decisions then who made the decision to create the brain! It can’t be Gavana Shakti. (SC admiring the intelligence here!) The decision-maker is behind all this!! (Laughing!!). And to make decisions he needs attention, attentiveness. So one of the decision maker’s attributes or properties is this X, Attention or Gavana Shakti. Next, to make any decision a wisdom is needed. Call that wisdom Y. Next, to do anything and everything you need an interest, a love. Call that Z. Behind all this is the Decision Maker. You can call that W.

So God or Atma is a combination of all these 4: W, X, Y, Z.

With all these, decisions are taken by HIM. Brain is not taking the decisions. If you think the Brain is taking these decisions, who has taken the decision to create the brain? (Laughing). So using all this, things are happening. Attention is needed to get information. For this, the Attention needs instruments. So senses were created. Through these senses he collects information, sees it, and operates accordingly. We will talk more about this later. Remember.

Now, back to the car example, the very idea of “I” is not necessary at all. Whether you have the thought that you are a separate person or not, the system of W, X, Y, Z is doing everything and has brought me to the college by turning left, right, stopping at lights, stopping for traffic, etc. So for the whole system to run, the idea of an individual is not at all necessary.

I love you.
Gurudeva.

With the above words, Sri Mahaprabu ended the conversation. I am waiting for the day when he will resume it.

Sri Mahaprabu

Who is doing it all?

Who is driving?

Going deeper

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