The subject of todayʼs discourse is subjective approach and objective adjustment. --- Shri P R Sarkar
All human approaches and all human emanations are of four stages. That is, we may say that all human expressions are four-staged expressions: the physical world and all physical activities concerned in the physical world, which is known as “Káma” in Saḿskrta; all psychic expressions, including the cruder psychic expressions, including the subtler psychic expressions, are limited within the jurisdiction of the psychic world, both conscious, sub-conscious and unconscious strata, known as “Artha” in Saḿskrta: the third world, the third stage is psycho-spirituality, that is, that which starts from the point situated within the scope of unit psychic world and touches the extremity, lowermost extremity, of the spiritual stratum. This third stage is known as the stage “Dharma”; and the fourth world – the progress, never-ending progress, in the realm of spirituality, known as “Mokśa”, the stage of “Mokśa”.
Now, human approaches and different sorts of human march towards different desiderata of life may be divided into two broad categories: one, the objective world, and the other, the subjective goal. One must remember that, in no sphere of human progress can the objective world be treated as a goal. It cannot be, that is, the objective world, or no portion of the objective world, no factor, no microscopic factor, or even the objective world as a whole, cannot be the desideratum. That is, human movement, human progress, cannot have any physical item, not even any psychic item, or any psychic pabulum or pabula as desideratum. It cannot be the culminating point of your march, because the pure physical world and the pure psychic world have got certain limitations. That is, you know if the entire physical world is taken as a goal, that physical world has got boundaries. This universe of ours, what to speak of this little planet earth, the entire solar system and the complete form of the entire planetary order, or entire sidereal order, everything is limited; nothing is infinite, in the realm of expression.
This universe is very big, but it is not infinite. Why is it not infinite? Whenever there is any creation – creation means movement of different waves of different lengths, and as the waves have got lengths, and lengths are something limited, something functioning within the boundaries of different lines of demarcation, so the expressed universe may be very, very big, but not infinite.
This expressed world, either in the form of different quinquelemental factors – these nebulae, galaxies, meteors, and so many celestial bodies – all have their limitations. And they cannot go beyond their limitations. If they try to go beyond their limitations, they will either arrive at a diluted stage and lose this, their own identities, or if they try to escape the boundaries, boundary of limitations, then, due to internal clash, there will be an immense release of energy which will destroy its structure. So, our physical world is very big, but it is not infinite.
If something is accepted as the only object of adoration, or as the only object of meditation, or as the only projection of the unit mind, then the mind will also be transformed into that object, take the form of that object, will be metamorphosed into that object. And it is the wont of the mind to take the shape of its object. So, as we come into contact with the physical world, we should remember that we have to utilise every particle of it for the good and welfare of humanity, but the physical world cannot be our goal. The human physical entity is a creation of this physical world. In the process of evolution, the human body has been created, starting from ordinary protozoa and ending in this complex metazoan structure. But I say there must be adjustment, objective adjustment.
The objective world is not only this physical world; the psychic world is also objective. In our psychic world, in the realm of our microcosm, or our microcosmic mind, whatever we think is nothing but a concentrated form of our ectoplasmic structure. It is our internal projection, or extro-internal projection. Now, whatever we think, either as an internal projection, or as an extro-internal projection, is certainly a limited psychic object. And, if those limited psychic objects, or any limited psychic object, is accepted as the only object of life, as the only object of adoration, or as the only object of meditation, or as the only object of aspiration, what will happen? You will have to take the form of that object; you cannot move forward. So, no psychic object can be your goal of life. All your psychic objects are to be utilized to serve the living society. Why should your love be restricted amongst humans? You have to love each and everybody, which is an expression of Paramapuruśa.
I said that there should be an objective adjustment, that is, there should be an adjustment amongst so many physical objects, amongst so many psychic objects, and also between psychic objects and physical objects. And all the properties of human beings, all the qualifications and wonts of human beings, both in physical stratum and in psychic stratum, should have proper adjustment amongst themselves. Suppose a man has physical strength, but it is in his arms, not in his feet. Another man has strength in his feet but not much in his arms; in society, there must be an adjustment. The man having strength in arms may do good hammering, but the man having strength in legs may do good cycling. So, there should be an adjustment between the two kinds of physical strengths. Similarly, one man has a brain for mathematics, and another for chemistry. Society should make an adjustment; the man having a brain in mathematics should be utilized in that line; a man having a brain, say, in chemistry, should be utilized in that line. So, in the objective world there must be proper adjustment. And thatʼs why I said ours (our philosophy) should have an objective adjustment, adjustment amongst so many objects of the physical world, amongst so many objects of the psychic world, and also between objects of the physical and objects of the psychic world. And this will create a perfect human society in collective level, and this will create a perfect human being in the individual world.
In Saḿskrta, this stage of physicality is known as “Káma”. “Káma” means “to fulfil worldly desires”. In the worldly sphere, we have so many wants, and we will have to fulfil those wants; we will have to satisfy those wants, quench those thirsts. And for this purpose, human society should undergo proper training and utilise all its potentialities appropriately. But that is not the goal of life.
Similarly, on the psychic level there are so many wants, so many thirsts, so many hungers. The human mind is always hungry – it wants to know this, it wants to know that. These desires are to be fulfilled by proper psychic actions, proper education, proper sanctification. But there, also, is not the goal of life. And these things, these satisfactions, cannot give you permanent peace, because, I have already said, the physical world and the psychic world are both limited. Their limitations cannot give you complete composure. And you cannot have equilibrium, or equipoise, if your goal is this physical or psychic world.
Now, the third item is psycho-spiritual approach, known as “Dharma” in Saḿskrta. I said, here in this third stage, the movement starts in the microcosmic mind, the movement starts in microcosm, and the culminating point is the lowermost extremity of spirituality. What is this movement? You must have a spiritual goal. You must know what to do, what not to do, how to do, why to do. And for this purpose, the movement is to make the mind pinnacled, apexed, and bring all the propensities to that point, and goad it towards your spiritual goal.
But a man says, I am an ordinary man, how am I to concentrate the mind? How am I to bring all my propensities to a particular point and goad that pointed mind towards the spiritual goal? It is a natural question.
You know, the Universe, Parama Puruśa, the Supreme Cognition, functions through the Supreme Operative Principle. The Operative Principle is actually a blind force; it cannot do anything without the help of Consciousness, without the help of the Cognitive Faculty. Electricity is a crude blind force, but if helped or utilized by the human brain, the human consciousness, it will render so many services. But without the help of the human brain, it may have its destructive role. So, these blind forces cannot do anything concrete without the help of consciousness. Similarly in this Universe, in the Universal sphere, there is the Cosmic Cognition, we say Parama Puruśa, the Cosmic Cognitive Faculty, and He functions, He does all His universal duties, all His parental duties, with the help of that blind force. But in units, where the individual consciousness, or individual cognition, is not in a position to control that blind force, that individual will be ejected away from the proper path. And such a thing happens.
Then what to do? One must remember that oneʼs unit consciousness is a microscopic fraction of that Parama Puruśa, or that Cosmic Consciousness. I have already said that when one unit thinks that “I am a drop of water,” it is a drop of water. And when it thinks that “I am not a drop of water, I am the ocean,” it is the ocean. Similarly, when the unit ensconces itself in the Supreme Excellence, it becomes Supreme, it becomes one with the Lord. And when it becomes one with the Lord, no obstacle can defeat him.
For this, what is required? For this psycho-spiritual progress, what is required? One neednʼt go through all lengths of books. One neednʼt go through the library just like a bookworm, just like a worm. No, no. You know white ants – they also take shelter in books, donʼt they? Yes. Do you want to be also like that? Do you want to become white ants? Certainly not, certainly not. And if you think that by going through so many books youʼll be a very wise man – No, no, no. Today you are learning, tomorrow you are forgetting. Those who are MA in a certain subject or subjects, if I ask them to appear for the examination just now, nobody will come out successful. They have forgotten everything. Chemistry is a mystery, easy to learn, easy to forget. So, it is a very difficult job.
Then what is the way out? What is a man to do? It is said by yogis (they are very clever, not only clever but very cunning; they know how to do and what to do); scholars of the hoary past used to say,
You know, if you churn the yoghurt, if you churn the curd, what will you get? You will get butter and buttermilk. The better portion becomes what? Butter. And the worst portion – buttermilk. That is, just like water. Now there are so many books, and they're like the ocean. And if you churn them, you will also get two things, something like butter and something like buttermilk. Now, after churning those scriptures, those so-called scholars, who think that by going through these books they will be wise, actually they wonʼt be wise. Actually they are fools. Because those who are yogis – they eat up the butter portion. And what remains in the share of those scholars? Actually the buttermilk, the curd-water.
So, the best way is the path of devotion, complete surrender. Say “O Lord, I am your creation, Iʼm a small being, I am a unit being, completely depending on your mercy. I want psycho-spiritual progress, I want to move along the path of psycho-spirituality. Please help me.” And when one wants this aim sincerely, from the core of the heart, certainly it will happen. And thatʼs why I say nobody is insignificant, nobody is weak, nobody is helpless. The Supreme Lord, Parama Puruśa, is with you; He will always be with you. So, this progress, this psycho-spiritual progress, called [[dharma]] in Sanskrit, is not a very difficult path, not at all a thorny road. What is it? It is a very easy and very pleasant journey. Depend solely on Him, as a little child depends solely on the mother. This is the third approach.
s="para_indent">This third one is the subjective approach. The first two, that is physical and psychic, are the objective world, and in that objective [world] you should have adjustment. But in this third world, that is, the psycho-spiritual world, the question of adjustment doesnʼt arise because you are on the lap of the Supreme Father and that Supreme Father is an all-pervading entity. He is in the physical world, in each and every pore of the physical world. He is in the psychic world. So when you are on His lap, the question of adjustment doesnʼt arise. A question of adjustment arises only in the physical and psychic world.
And the fourth one is the spiritual stage, the stage of spirituality. What is the stage of spirituality? Each and every entity, in the physical world, the psychic world, and in the world of Dharma, is a metamorphosed form of the Supreme Consciousness. And when everything is a metamorphosed form of the Supreme Entity, then one will feel, one is to feel, that everything of this universe is spiritual; nothing is physical or psychic. Everything there is, is the dance of the Cosmic Cognition.
And when one realizes this Supreme Truth, this all-pervading standard of veracity, one gets complete composure; one enjoys the supreme bliss. This is the only way to attain salvation. This is the only way to attain permanent liberation. There is no other alternative. So you should remember, your life should start from the point of devotion, culminate in the point of devotion. Devotion is the order, [[devotion is the principle,]] and devotion is the policy for each and every spiritual aspirant, and it is the principle for all intellectual and spiritual-minded people.
14 September 1979 DMC, Haifa
Source: Subjective Approach and Objective Adjustment
Published in: Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 13
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Objective & Subjective Stratum of Happy Life
-- A Commentary Piece by Madan Prasad Singh
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As a Runway Is to the sky, So Is the Objective and Subjective Stratum of Life.
An aircraft cannot take off without a runway. The runway provides the necessary support, direction, and momentum before the aircraft rises into the vast openness of the sky. Human life follows a similar pattern. The objective world—the physical body, material resources, and external environment—is the runway. The subjective world—the realm of thought, feeling, imagination, values, and consciousness—is the sky. Life truly takes off in the subjective stratum.
The emergence of the human "I-feeling," the awareness of being a distinct self, marked a turning point in the evolutionary journey. With it came a division of life into objective and subjective layers. Before this development, evolution was primarily biological. Organisms adapted through physical changes over generations. In human beings, however, evolution increasingly shifted toward the mental sphere.
Like other living creatures, humans possess instincts, emotions, and biological drives. Yet we differ in one crucial respect: we can consciously regulate them. We can restrain impulses, redirect emotions, and choose actions contrary to instinct. More importantly, we can engage in dhyāna—goal-directed concentration in which the flow of thought is focused toward a chosen ideal.
Life flows in the direction of thought. Human beings can transform life itself into an evolutionary journey by consciously shaping their thoughts, values, and aspirations. In earlier species, evolution moved slowly through biological adaptation. In humans, it gains the ability to fly. Through the power of the mind, growth can become deliberate rather than accidental.
The human brain is the wing of this evolutionary flight. Compared to body size, it is extraordinarily large and remarkably plastic. Modern neuroscience has shown that the brain can reorganise itself through experience, learning, and practice. Research on neuroplasticity demonstrates that new neural connections can form throughout life, while studies suggest that neurogenesis—the creation of new neurons—continues in certain brain regions even during adulthood.
The mind is no less extraordinary. It consists of multiple layers of awareness ranging from instinctive and emotional tendencies to rational thought, intuition, and deeper states of consciousness. In a sense, the human mind mirrors the entire evolutionary spectrum—from matter to consciousness. The universe's long journey of development is reflected within each individual.
No machine designed by humanity can rival this living masterpiece. Yet despite possessing such an advanced brain and mind, humanity remains surrounded by conflict, anxiety, violence, environmental degradation, and social fragmentation. This contradiction demands serious reflection.
The most alarming aspect of our predicament is not merely the existence of problems but our growing indifference to them. We often mistake comfort for progress and consumption for fulfillment. Meanwhile, the capacities that distinguish us as human beings remain underutilized.
Nature appears to have built an incentive system into human life. Genuine peace and fulfillment arise when body and mind are used constructively and to their fullest potential. Physical inactivity weakens the body; mental stagnation narrows the mind. The result is dissatisfaction, restlessness, and a persistent sense that something essential is missing.
Human beings therefore face a choice. We can continue drifting, allowing instinct and circumstance to dictate our lives, or we can consciously participate in our own evolution. The first path leads to stagnation and suffering. The second transforms life into a purposeful ascent.
The runway is necessary, but it is not the destination. The body, material success, and external achievements provide the foundation. The real journey begins when consciousness rises beyond them. As the runway is to the sky, so is the objective and subjective stratum of life.
Human fulfillment lies not merely in moving along the runway but in taking flight into the boundless horizons of the mind and spirit. A subjective approach, with objective adjustment alone, can help one live a happy, meaningful life.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 Comments