Dr. Saumitra Mohan, IAS

 

 Gods of Small Things: The Hidden Architects of Our Lives

The phrase “God of Small Things” often evokes the idea that the divine does not manifest only in grand miracles, temples, or world-changing events. Rather, the divine intelligence that governs the universe often works quietly through ordinary people and seemingly insignificant circumstances. In the theatre of life, not every person appears on the main stage, yet many of those who stand in the wings quietly determine the course of the drama. These individuals—sometimes unnoticed, sometimes underestimated—are what we may call the “gods of small things.”

In this understanding, “god” does not mean a supernatural being sitting in heaven, but rather any human soul who becomes an instrument of the larger cosmic design. Every individual we encounter carries within them a spark of the same universal consciousness. Through their actions, words, or even chance presence, they may influence the direction of our lives. Some shape our destiny directly; others do so subtly, even unknowingly.

Human history provides numerous examples where the actions of apparently ordinary individuals altered the course of events.

Consider the life of Alexander Fleming. In 1928, Fleming discovered penicillin, the world’s first antibiotic. The discovery itself was accidental: a petri dish he had left unattended became contaminated with mold, and he noticed that bacteria around the mold had died. What seemed like a trivial laboratory mishap turned out to be one of the most important medical discoveries in human history. Yet Fleming himself was only the first link in a chain of individuals whose contributions transformed medicine. Scientists such as Howard Florey and Ernst Boris Chain later developed penicillin into a usable drug. Each played a role—small or large—in saving millions of lives. The discovery was not the work of a single hero but a network of people, circumstances, and quiet contributions.

Another powerful example comes from the life of Mahatma Gandhi. While Gandhi became the symbol of India’s freedom movement, a pivotal turning point in his life occurred in 1893 in South Africa. A railway official ordered him to leave a first-class compartment despite his valid ticket. That single act of humiliation awakened Gandhi’s resolve to fight injustice through nonviolent resistance. The railway official, whose name history scarcely remembers, inadvertently triggered a movement that later inspired millions across the world. A seemingly minor incident became a spark that lit the flame of civil resistance.

The life of Abraham Lincoln also demonstrates the influence of humble figures. Lincoln’s early education came largely from borrowed books and the encouragement of local teachers and neighbors. These individuals were not famous intellectuals or political leaders; they were ordinary people who believed in a young boy’s curiosity. Yet their encouragement helped shape the mind of a man who would later guide the United States through its most difficult crisis, the American Civil War.

Similarly, the success of great leaders often rests on the invisible work of countless others. During the struggle for India’s independence, figures like Jawaharlal Nehru or Subhas Chandra Bose commanded global attention, but the movement itself survived because of thousands of unnamed volunteers—villagers who sheltered activists, workers who organized protests, printers who secretly circulated pamphlets, and ordinary citizens who risked imprisonment. Without these “small” contributors, the freedom movement would have collapsed.

History also shows how people considered insignificant at a particular moment can transform the future. When Rosa Parks refused to surrender her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, she appeared to be just one ordinary passenger among many. Yet her quiet act of defiance ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which became a turning point in the American civil rights movement. Through her courage, she inspired leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and millions of others to challenge systemic injustice.

Even in scientific progress, small acts of mentorship or recognition often determine whether talent blossoms or withers. The young Albert Einstein struggled to find academic employment after graduating from university. Eventually, he found work as a patent clerk in Bern. The job itself seemed mundane, but it gave him the mental freedom to think deeply about physics. In 1905, while working there, Einstein published the revolutionary papers that would reshape modern science, including the formulation of the Theory of Relativity. One might say that the humble administrative job—and the supervisors who allowed him the intellectual freedom to think—were part of the cosmic arrangement that allowed genius to flourish.

These examples illustrate a profound philosophical truth: the web of life is interdependent. Each individual, no matter how ordinary they appear, may carry a piece of the larger puzzle. The universe unfolds not only through the decisions of kings and presidents but also through the unnoticed gestures of teachers, clerks, friends, strangers, and even critics.

This perspective has deep roots in spiritual traditions. Many philosophies hold that every soul is an expression of a universal consciousness. The ancient Indian idea of the Atman suggests that the same divine essence resides within every living being. If this is true, then each person we meet becomes a messenger or instrument of the larger cosmic intelligence. Sometimes they guide us, sometimes they challenge us, and sometimes they obstruct us—yet each role contributes to our growth.

In our personal lives, we can easily recall individuals who changed our direction in subtle ways: a teacher who encouraged us when we doubted ourselves, a colleague who introduced us to a new opportunity, or even a critic whose harsh words pushed us to improve. These people may never realize the depth of their influence. Yet their actions become turning points in our life’s narrative.

The opposite is also true. When we dismiss or disrespect people because they appear unimportant, we may unknowingly close doors that destiny intended to open. History contains many stories of powerful individuals who underestimated others and paid the price for their arrogance. Humility, therefore, is not merely a moral virtue; it is also practical wisdom.

Every person we encounter may hold a key—perhaps to knowledge, opportunity, protection, or transformation. The stranger who offers timely advice, the junior colleague who provides crucial information, the worker who quietly maintains a system that everyone depends on—each may exercise a hidden influence over our journey.

Recognizing the “gods of small things” encourages us to cultivate respect for all human beings. It reminds us that greatness does not belong exclusively to those who appear powerful. Often, the true architects of destiny are those whose contributions are woven quietly into the background of events.

This realization also deepens our understanding of the cosmic plan. Life is not simply a sequence of random encounters; it is a complex network of interactions where every soul plays a role in the evolution of others. Just as cells within a body cooperate to sustain life, human beings cooperate—consciously or unconsciously—to sustain the progress of civilization and the spiritual evolution of humanity.

When we adopt this perspective, our attitude toward people changes. Instead of seeing individuals as obstacles or tools, we begin to see them as participants in a shared journey. The office assistant, the driver, the teacher, the rival, the friend—all may become channels through which life teaches us lessons.

Ultimately, the concept of the “god of small things” invites us to live with humility and gratitude. It teaches us that every interaction carries meaning and that every soul deserves dignity. The universe often chooses the most ordinary instruments to accomplish extraordinary purposes.

If we remember that every person embodies a fragment of the same cosmic consciousness, we will naturally treat others with respect and kindness. We will realize that the person standing quietly beside us today may become the turning point of our tomorrow.

In that sense, the divine does not reside only in distant heavens or monumental events. It lives in the countless human beings who cross our path—each carrying a spark of the same universal intelligence, each playing a role in the mysterious unfolding of our lives. These are the true gods of small things.

 

 The Purpose Behind Cosmic Drama

One existential question often asked by all and sundry relates to the purpose behind God’s creation. After all, why is it that God created this world full of suffering and pain? Is there any grand design or purpose behind it all? While there is no readymade answer to such questions, the spiritual thinkers and philosophers have all been surmising about them for quite some time now. The truth is we can only hazard some plausible explanations and justifications about the same based on some experiential and logical conclusions.

To begin with, let’s imagine the existence of an all-powerful God sitting alone and idle with not much to do, none to interact with, none to talk to or none to preside over. Even if God had the idea of everything in the world, animate and inanimate, the concept of a tree or a mountain, the concept of a human being or a bird would have no meaning, unless and until they are all materialized and brought into actual existence. The conceptions of various emotions and feelings would similarly have no meaning unless and until they are created and brought into actual play through a live drama to find out and appreciate their true nature and nuances.

So, lo and behold, the Almighty, either to kill his boredom, to examine the potency of His own power and creativity, to keep examining and testing His own creativity and to further stretch the limits of His supremacy, He created the humongous cosmos, the multiverses and divided Himself into infinite souls by creation of infinite variety of living beings including humans to express different aspects of His intelligence and capability in the every unfolding drama that would play out under His supervision.

So, God apparently created this world not only to keep Himself engaged and entertained, but also to groom capable associate souls to keep expanding His intelligence and to keep stretching the limits of His creativity. The God, like a child, loves to play with the toy that He creates in the form of this ever-changing cosmic drama.

            Through the creation of ming-boggling variety in the infinite cosmos, God has given us choices to pick out the best to cultivate and nurture the same carefully according to the divine law of nature. The differences among the peoples of the world in terms of race, caste, language, religion etc should not create a division among us, but they actually give us the choice to nurture the same to the best of our ability as per our choices and liking without being at the loggerheads with each other.

Thus, we, being made in God’s image and endowed with divine qualities, can develop and improve all such elements of nature, physical and abstract, to nurture the best qualities and capacities to develop the ideal man and the ideal world. All the talented, gifted, successful and famous individuals actually have no independent existence of their own. The graveyard is a testimony to this truth. All these gifted and successful persons actually extend and expand divine authority. No soul can actually identify and recognize their own achievements and attainments of their previous lives.

We all are here to learn and evolve in the school of life in our upward spiritual journey and on the way, we improve, extend and expand God’s authority and creation. The only positive aspect of our sectoral success in life is the reinforcement of our natural tendencies which express themselves easily in the next life. For example, one, who was a good mathematician or musician in the previous life, may forget all her/his relations, mathematical formulae or musical notes, but s/he would have a felicity with mathematics or music in the next life. S/he would learn and progress faster in mathematics or music in the next life than those with different past-life tendencies. The latter shall reveal their talents or felicities in different fields as per their past-life experiences. The same thing happens with our behavioural tendencies as well. A good person in the past life shall be a good person in the next life.

So, a successful person in the past life usually have a headstart in their next life. Hence, it is up to us to learn faster, better and conscientiously for a better afterlife or next life. The normative consensus in the world point to this unilinear directive development of human civilization to bring out the best amongst us to bring about the God’s kingdom on earth or anywhere possible. The history of human civilization has been a history of a battle between good and evil, with good always being promoted to bring about and sustain a positive harmony in the world.

We came into this world through the will of the God. But He has given us the freedom to live according to our will. Although the force of our endless desires is strong, the potency of divine will in us is stronger. It is this divine will that goads us in our bid to keep on the path back to the Almighty. After all, God made this world not only as His hobby, but also because He wanted to make perfect souls that would evolve back to him. God has given us the freedom to be good or evil, as we might like to choose. He allows us even to deny God’s existence. However, the purpose of our life remains becoming good and perfect using our free will.

One can ask how do we know this that we should endeavour to become ‘good’ and not transform ourselves into wily and nasty individuals. This can be sensed by the fact that doing bad or evil does not generate happy hormones inside our body or create positive emotions. We feel so uncomfortable or churlish after doing something bad. But we feel so uplifted and elevated by doing something altruistic or good. We feel so happy and satisfied when someone appreciates our help or heaps praises upon us for our good acts.

But again, the catch here is, we must not be carried away by praise, appreciation or fame stemming from our good acts as the world still being so diverse and unequal, with different souls being at different levels of spiritual evolution that our acts carry different meanings to different people. And our good acts should be carried out not with an eye to rewards or for selfish interest, but  for the satisfaction and joy they bring about in the process. So, the good acts should be done without an eye to the rewards. The rewards of our good and positive actions are the satisfaction of our being able to perform such acts themselves.

It is said that when the source of joy is transient and non-permanent, the joy can’t last forever. Hence, the joy emerging from the praise or fame immediately turn into sadness if one’s joy becomes conditional upon them. The temporary nature of source of our joy makes the joy itself temporary. We should actually be aiming at imbibing eternal bliss and joy. We should be able to nurture and cultivate the habits of staying happy and joyful by being fixed in the carrying out the works of God. By trying to continue the soul-uplifting works, we could keep ourselves transfixed in the same joyful state of mind all the time.

Another question always being asked relates to the existence of suffering as an inalienable part of God’s cosmic drama. After all, why did God create suffering as part of His cosmic drama? The truth is God has never created suffering or pain in the world. Actually, it is we who have created pain and agony for ourselves by transgressing the divine norms, rules and laws. It is our unlimited and often unethical desires which create pain and suffering for us in this physical world. Don’t we keep engaged all the time in hoarding things beyond our needs, often at the expense of others, using unethical means.

God is said to have endowed each of our souls with an unlimited GB pen-drive where we can store as much learning and lessons as we want. But instead of doing so, we keep engaged in creating and amassing things beyond our needs in this physical world, something that we would leave behind. And we do this while neglecting, starving, impoverishing, depriving and retarding the upward evolution of our soul, something that would be there permanently with us. It is this attachment to things physical and banal that create suffering for the soul when he lives in this world. Because in the process of her stay in this world, the individual creates negative experiences and tendencies for the soul which make it unhappy and troubled. It is these negative tendencies and experiences that creates a hellish experience for the soul in the afterlife as well. Sufferings and miseries are, thus, a necessary disciplining tool to keep us on the straight and narrow, to goad us on the right path and to eventually ensure our union with the Almighty.

Mind you, a man who does not get along with others is the one who does not get along with himself. No wonder why such people see disharmony wherever they go. Such people remain ever so unhappy and disturbed. While harmony conserves our mental and spiritual energy; disharmony dissipates it. A pure heart is the result of pure thoughts and emotions. Our world inside us determines our happiness outside. If we have positive thoughts and emotions, if our consciousness is peaceful and contented, the same will reflect itself in our day-to-day life. So, one who is an angel at home, shall be an angel in his social interactions also.

Similarly, it is our soul vibrations that decide our fate in the afterlife. Depending upon the positivity or negativity of the vibrations we carry, the fate of our afterlife is decided. Those with positive vibrations have heavenly experiences while those with negative vibrations and tendencies experience a hell after their death. With a positive cerebral-mental framework, we can definitely ensure the heaven for ourselves in the life after death. The more positive and powerful these vibrations become gradually, the faster we can get out of the cycle of life and death.

Human brains are generally larger than that of the animals, with the exceptions of those of elephants and whales. Being more complex, a human brain contains the greatest capacity for complex thinking, discernment and discrimination. Thus, humans alone are capable of advanced level of abstract thinking and discrimination and consequently, of God-realization.

We need to learn to live simply and take life more easily, trying to fathom the purpose behind our existence and that of this world. The greatest sin is ignorance, not to know what life is all about. Once we know this larger purpose behind our existence, all our troubles and pain shall disappear. We can, thus, have the real happiness. Happiness lies in giving ourself time to think and to introspect. We need to be alone once in a while, to spend some time in silence every day on learning the right lessons and in meditative practices relating to God-realization.

We often squander our energy by carping and cribbing about others, trying to mould people the way we want them to be, the way it suits us. But that’s wrong. Making everyone in the same mould shall make the world monochromatic, with no variety in the world. As five fingers together make a grip or different colours make our life colourful. They all serve a purpose. Similarly, different people with different mindsets and thought patterns have a specific purpose in our life. So, we must not think much about reforming others. Our tendency or inclination to reform others or control other’s lives is the foremost reason for many of our woes and suffering in this life. This often creates a lot of heartburns on both sides and spoils our social relations with those who matter to us. Hence, we should find time to focus on reforming ourselves rather than those around us.

If we are able to reform ourselves, the world shall automatically reform and be a better place to live in. We should try to find and discover our individual rough edges and chisel them out as we go along the life’s journey. The greatest field of victory is our own home. If we are an angel at home, we can be an angel everywhere. If we know that all the living beings are inalienable parts of the same divine energy and consciousness, we shall know that we are all kindred souls. As such, there should be no conflict or differences among us. Most of our troubles and disturbances emanate from a wrong understanding of our world and because of the creation of artificial divisions in the society.

Every night in sleep, God takes all our troubles to show that we are not a mortal being; we are an immortal spirit, made in God’s image. Don’t we do things at will in our dreams without the mediation of any physical body. Often, we fly or go from one location to another thousands of miles away in a jiffy. This is God’s way to remind us of our capacities and capabilities as His children. God wants us to remember this truth and realization about our own hidden powers during our conscious state. If this happens, we would know not to blame anyone for all our troubles, to know that we could be the master of our own destiny and to not be bothered by the anomalies of our mundane life.

However, so long as we have a desire to dominate other people spiritually or materially, we will not find soul freedom or eternal bliss and happiness. In our passion and excitement to acquire and achieve mundane stuffs, we often dissipate too much of our energy which could otherwise be directed towards God realization. In fact, excitement means we are directing too much of our energy to a certain part of our body while starving other nerves of that life force. When we get angry, we send tremendous volts of energy into the brain and the heart. It is proven that disproportionate frisson of emotions such as anger and fear so overload the nerves that they often cause our body to malfunction, sometimes even stopping the heart and causing the death.

As untrained warriors are soon killed on the battlefield, so are the persons untrained in the art of preserving their inner peace are quickly riddled with the bullets of worry and restlessness in life. This happens because of our ignorance of the purpose behind the creation and our own existence. That’s why we need to eliminate our ignorance through deeper and regular meditation to know the will of the God. As the adept sages have suggested, we can enter heavenly astral and causal worlds and commune with God through the control over our breath. The divine love can’t be found in a social gathering, while we are disturbed or engaged with everyday mundane preoccupations.

The God can be discovered in silence and solitude through deep meditation. He who lives in the bodily temple without ever being affected by the changing sensory perceptions, remaining even-minded during pleasure and pain, becomes a true being among men. As we know, the image of the moon gets distorted in an agitated turbid water, but we see its clear image in still waters. Similarly, we can have a clear image of the Divine, if we can still and quieten our mind through deep meditative practices without getting disturbed by different things.

What’s surprising is that people these days have so much time to worry and suffer, but they have no time to meditate. If we don’t have time for God and spiritual practices, why should God have time for us? It is through meditation that we can find our way to the God. God is said to be always pursuing us with His boundless love. He never tires of keep supplying us with all our needs and granting our wishes all the time, without asking anything in return. The only thing God expects from us is our love and affection.

If we love Him deeply, we shall find Him. As His son, we have a right to ask for anything from Him. The magical power by which God transforms His infinite consciousness into finite dream images and gives them a dream reality is called Maya. God is always trying to pull man back to Him and Maya is also simultaneously trying to pull the man back to itself. There is a continuous tug of war between man’s spiritual quests and his attachment to Maya. Man is free to move towards either. Our continuous evolution means that we are going away from God and into the clutches of Maya.

Involution means going back to Him. However, going back to God by the involuntary process of nature is a very slow process. But the discriminating man can expedite it by his strong desire for liberation, by means of regular and disciplined meditative practices. When we try to contact God through such spiritual practices, intuitive perception of truth often guides us in everything we do. Right behind the darkness of our closed eyes are the wondrous forces and eternal reality of the universe.

When we watch a movie, we like an engaging movie with a lot of action rather than a dull movie. When we are finished with the movie, we know for sure that nobody was killed and nobody was suffering. Same is the case with our world which is nothing but a dream of the God. This has been very well described in the Bhagwad Gita. The same is the case with our dreams where we realize the magnificent power of our consciousness. If we know that all our sufferings and pain are nothing but myth associated with physical body and are an aid in our upward spiritual evolution, we shall not get perturbed. We, as eternal souls, are here only to learn our lessons and get back to our eternal home at the end of this learning cycle.

If our mind remains anchored in the God, we will never suffer. God is always holding our hand and guiding us on to the right path. While we see only a chapter, the God knows the entire story, the whole book. The perspective of a child is limited by the womb. He does not know and can’t imagine that there is or there can be a better life beyond the womb, under a loving mother. He does not realize that a loving mother is all around him. Similarly, we don’t realize that there is a beautiful world and a loving God beyond this painful physical world.

When we seek God, we don’t get Him; we only lose what is not Him. When we seek light, we don’t get it; we start losing the darkness and the light is all around us. Similarly, through good associations and good habits, we can find our way out of the darkness which brings us nothing but pain and suffering. Lord Krishna said in Bhagwad Gita, “Among thousands of men, perhaps one tries for spiritual attainment; and among the blessed true seekers that tries to reach me, perhaps one perceives me as I am”. The Lords knows what we think and if we love Him truly, He will reveal Himself to us. God expects nothing from us but our true love.

A true devotee is always awake in his infinite spiritual nature, and asleep in his material nature. A cow, grazing calmly, does not bother about its calf. But if we go near the calf, the cow comes to us immediately for its protection. Similarly, a true devotee may be outwardly busy with his work, but is always focused on God. All paths lead to God. Everything has come out of God and must go back to him. Don’t we feel hurt, if someone does not acknowledge our help or gifts. Similarly, God also feels hurt, if we don’t express our gratitude after receiving so much from him. God, if at all, is only begging for our love and wants us to remember Him. No work can be greater than finding him who created us. To find God, we must find sometime everyday to be with him alone. 

We must be willing to suffer to find God. Renunciation, sacrifices and penance are not an end, but means to an end. Devotion is one offering that tempts God. As we don’t check the seed’s fate after planting it, but allows it to grow. Similarly, we must not check for immediate outcomes of our spiritual practices. We should just keep tending to them.  But we must be extremely patient in our divine pursuits. We find it so difficult to meet a very important person. A VIP meets us only when he finds us worthy enough. Similarly, the master of the multiverses or God shall meet us only when we are good enough or deserving enough to meet Him. Life’s journey has a deep meaning to teach us the importance of seeking God.

When we shoot an arrow, it travels with its force until that force dissipates. We, too, were propelled from God and our desires are the force that keep us moving away from him. When our desires are exhausted and dissipated, we will be drawn back to God again by the power of his gravity. The dewdrop that separates itself from the lake and floats in isolation on the lotus leaf will be dried up unless it returns to the lake. Same is with our divinity.

This earth is a stage and the God is the stage manager. If everyone insisted on being kings and queens, an unfolding cosmic drama would be impossible. True happiness is possible only when one plays his part rightly and not otherwise. On the last day, God shears everyone of all possessions and titles. What we have acquired in our soul is all that we take with us. We should never be discouraged when our role is difficult.  When we are through with our acting, we will be received as a child of God.

Hence, our children should be taught the habit of sharing and caring; that money, success and prosperity should be shared with others as trustees. Those who share their good fortunes attract wealth and abundance wherever they go. He who is motivated by selfish desires neglects his assigned role in helping the drama of God’s creation.

 

Knowing and Developing Our Invisible Astral Self

*Dr. Saumitra Mohan

 

All of us remain ever so engrossed in our mundane preoccupations that we hardly find any time for our spiritual pursuits, something which is much more important to our eternal self. Many of us are often found saying that they remain so much occupied with their works that they hardly find any time for anything beyond works or personal affairs, let alone spending time for matters religious and divine. Notwithstanding this, we always have expectations that God answers our prayers to grant all our wishes. Isn’t that very conflicting and contradictory.

If we, being so puny a creature in the humongous cosmos, find no time for God, why should we expect God, being the master of the multiverses, to find time to answer our prayers? It is said that our prayers are very powerful and their vibrations, if made with all concentration and devotion, could reach the Almighty. However, a hurried or half-hearted prayer or a prayer with divided attention is never answered by the God. We, being the children of God, should commune with Him like His true children. If we earnestly pray to him as His children, He responds generously.

Let’s take an example. If there are many sons to a father, who shall he be attached to more or favour more? Of the many sons, those remembering him or making an effort to stay in touch with him, shall definitely be more loved or favoured. It is but natural for the father to think that other sons are self-sufficient and happy enough to require his help or favour. Same is the case with the God. Those who remember Him with love, devotion and regularity are more favoured and blessed than those who don’t.

            There are said to be two approaches to reach out to God – Inward and Outward. The inward approach guides us to look inside our soul consciousness to find the God. The outward approach goads us to search Him in the places of religious worship and through the complex religious rituals and sacraments. Hinduism has space for all kinds of paths to God. One should adopt one of these paths and reach out to God with all honesty and true devotion.

One of the best ways to approach God is through yoga (union), as stressed by Hinduism. This yoga or union is the ‘union with God’. Through yoga and yogic practices, we can unite with the God. Many wonders of the science, invented in the West, are used in the entire world including the East. Similarly, yoga is for all even though it was invented in the East, India to be precise. One who practices yoga is called a yogi. And anyone who has established God in his soul temple is a yogi. It has rightly been said that we should seek God in our bodily temple first before visiting a brick and mortal temple. And what better way to seek the God than through yogic meditation.

Across different cultures, meditation refers to focusing one’s attention deliberately - whether on the breath, a sound, a mantra, an image or simply the act of observing the mind itself. In ordinary life, our mind jumps from thought to thought – worrying about the future, reliving the past or reacting to emotions. Meditation gently trains the mind to notice this restlessness and return to the present moment. Through meditation, one can reduce mental clutter and distractions, enhance self-awareness, build emotional stability and improve focus and creativity.

Meditation is, thus, said to reduce stress and anxiety, lowers blood pressure and heart rate, improves attention span and memory, helps manage pain and insomnia, enhances emotional intelligence and empathy and promotes overall mental well-being and resilience. From scientific perspective, regular meditation changes brain patterns – lowering stress hormones like cortisol, improving emotional stability and even increasing gray matter in areas linked with memory and empathy.

While many practice meditation for relaxation or focus; in deeper Indian traditions, it is a path to self-realization – understanding the nature of the mind and the self. In the yogic philosophy, dhyana or meditation is one of the eight limbs of yoga that leads to Samadhi or the union with the higher Self. Meditation is, thus, the art of stilling the inner storm so the self-reflection becomes clear. It is not about escaping life, but engaging with it more consciously. It is not about suppressing thoughts, but understanding them more clearly. And it is not about changing who you are, but it is about seeing who you truly are beneath the noise.

Any posture which keeps the spine erect is said to be good for meditation, according to Patanjali. By penetrating the third eye or concentrating at the space between our eyebrow, we can dive deep inside ourself and experience the Divine. By doing so, we can also develop our intuitional capacity or the sixth sense. When the fog of ignorance is removed by meditation, we see the right path and see the God. God is immanent in the infinite bounties and beauties of creation. If we stay tied to the mundane and the finite, we can’t move towards the infinite God.

We can’t perceive the infinite God with our finite senses. Waves can’t exist without the ocean, but the ocean could exist with or without the waves as the originating source. Even though the wave can’t measure the ocean, there is still a point of contact between them. Where the infinite becomes the finite, there is a point of contact. However, we need to expand these points of contact to extend our consciousness to infinity to be able to experience the infinite God.

We have all actually descended from the infinite into the finite. God has condensed his consciousness into different finite forms, whether animate or inanimate. If we have never seen or tasted an apple, anyone can fool us about what it looks or tastes like. Same is the case with God-realization. As they say, we can’t love something we don’t know. Knowledge of God must precede the love for him. And meditation definitely is one of the most effectively ways to know our real self and the God.

 One reason for God creating us is that we find time to love Him and return to Him. We are fortunate to have been born as a human, who with mediational prayers, can return home, unlike many other creatures. The true practice of religion is to sit still in meditation and talk to God, closing the door of our senses which are outward-oriented. Through regular meditation and meditative practices, we can actually recognize our inherent power. God made us in His image as asserted in Hinduism, in the Bible and many other religious scriptures. We all have the same power as Him. But we need to develop this power.

Being a child of God, we have immense power which we need to recognize and realize through regular deep meditation. By the power of our mind, we can see further than the furthest. But strong meditative practices require strong willpower. Our willpower is what makes us divine. When we stop using this willpower, we become human. Many of us express their helplessness saying they don’t have very strong willpower to engage in such practices. Actually, when we resist something or persist in something, we are actually using our willpower.

We all have this willpower required to engage in uplifting spiritual or meditative practices. We need to recognize the same. Behind the human will, there is a divine will which can never fail. But our willpower develops by right company. If we want to be a singer, we need to go to someone who is a very good singer, has knowledge of singing or likes singing. By keeping company other than those associated with singing will not help our quest for becoming a singer.

Same is the case with spiritual practices. We need to associate ourselves with the right kinds of people with all our dedication and will. A time will come when everything is accomplished by us at will. In fact, proper visualization by the exercise of concentration and willpower enables us to materialize our thoughts. As we continue practicing visualization, our thoughts start getting materialized. If we are able to tap into the inexhaustible source of life through the powerful instrumentality of meditation, we can be freed from the limitations of our body.

Matter is actually materialized mind stuff. Everything we see is the result of an idea. We could not visualize anything without a thought. Invisible thoughts precede and give all things their reality. If we can control our thought process, we can dematerialize and materialize anything by the power of concentration developed through deep meditation. As we all know, matter is composed of different forms of electronic vibrations. Ice becomes water and when the electricity is passed through water, it breaks further into hydrogen and oxygen which are nothing but forms of electronic vibrations or invisible electrons.

So, anything which can be dissolved into invisibility can’t be said to have valid existence. In this sense, matter can be considered as not existing. But the basic building blocks, like invisible electrons or protons, always exist being forms of energy in motion. Thus, a matter exists in relation to our mind and as a materialized expression of invisible electronic forces that do exist, but are unchangeable and immortal. Both water and ice are manifestations of invisible gases and have transitory existence as such. Both our mortal mind and matter are manifestations of Divine Consciousness. In reality, only cosmic mind exists.

As a person remembers everything he creates; similarly, God remembers everything He has created. The ordinary man’s memory can’t hold the consciousness of all experiences, but the underlying divine power or memory retains everything. Put differently, an ordinary mortal may forget things, but his subconscious ‘self’ registers everything. However, his super-consciousness, with divine felicity, remembers everything. Through this timeless memory, He (God) wants us to remember our own divine origin and go back to the same.

But before we can do it, we need to get over and get beyond the mundane temptations of our senses. God’s whole creation is so designed as to disillusion us, disillusion us enough to understand the futility of remaining stuck in sensual temptations and thereby try to explore the unexplored and know the unknown. Through this realization, which dawns as we deepen our longing for Him, He tries to draw us back to Him. While Satan makes us think that God is unattainable, God makes it that much easier for us. However, man’s misuse of God-given freedom and his misidentification with physical body as ‘real self’ is the cause of all our suffering.

The joy we keep searching through physical means is always temporary because the source is temporary. To find eternal joy and bliss, we must find an eternal source which is God. Because of our differential faculties, we face the same challenges differently. Man lives in the body as a prisoner. Love of our body is nothing but the love for a prison. While it is okay to enjoy life, we need not become attached to anything. We, unfortunately, become a slave of our habits.  It is natural for a man to yearn for the role of a king on life’s stage. But if all were to be kings, there would be no play.

By our selfish actions, we are always setting in motion the karmic law of cause and effect which inevitably destroys our own and others’ happiness. The heaven won’t be delivered to us at our doorstep. We shall have to discover or create it ourselves. Even though we all want to go to the Heaven on our death, we can actually create this Kingdom of God on earth if all the societies unite in cooperation and harmony. A federation of all religions and nations is necessary. We must find our heaven by choosing the best from all faiths. We must develop an inner consciousness of divine peace that remain unruffled by the experience of this earth. Bible says, ‘Love thy neighbour’. God made this world. We need to make it better. We can enjoy solitude, but when we mix with others, we should do so with all our love and friendship.

The Hindu idea of social division into four classes are actually not about rigid social stratification, but dynamic qualities informing different members of a society. Thus seen, Shudra is the sense-bound state of existence where souls, as mortals, remain tied to the sensual temptations. Vaishya is the business or creative stage of a man. So, all of us, who are engaged in commerce, business or creative activities, are Vaishyas. Kshatriya is the warrior state of a soul where the man tries to engage in battle with the senses and to conquer his attachment with the senses. Brahmin is the ultimate wisdom state where the individual has overcome all attachment to the senses and immersed in God. 

Our life is actually a dream and we wake up on our death. If we know that we are dreaming, we won’t suffer the bad experiences of different nightmares. Same is the case with our life which is also a dream which we realize on our death. The universe is a divine dream. As we can’t change a dream by imagination or by denying its existence, same is the case with our life. We need to rise above the duality of a dream and reality. Everything in the universe is a product of Divine Mind in the same way that all we see in our dream are creations of our mind.

Dreams are actually lessons in the working of cosmic consciousness. They come to us for a reason. Their purpose is to awaken in us a realization of the dream nature of our life, of the universe and of the method of its operation. In sleep, we have a heightened creative power of visualization and manifestation. The sages of India have spoken of the universe as a materialization of God’s thought. It is necessary that we first develop mindpower to realize this. We may feel sad because of the hurts received in a dream, only to realize on our waking that it is nothing but a dream.

Truly speaking, says Paramhans Yogananda, the visible man is of little importance; the invisible self or soul is of utmost importance. During sleep, we are unaware of the visible self, but we are aware of ourselves, our real ‘self’. Take that away and our outer visibility is meaningless. Without the invisible self, the body would be worthless as a corpse. If one of our fingers is cut off, we still feel the finger to be there. There is an invisible astral part for all the body parts. Behind our physical heart, there is an invisible astral heart. Without it, our physical heart would not beat. We have invisible organs of sight and hearing, an invisible brain, invisible bones and nerves. These parts constitute the astral body of the invisible man. The astral body looks exactly like the visible one, except that its form, being made of light and energy, is exceedingly subtle.

The wire exists merely for the passage of electricity; the electricity does not exist for the wire. Similarly, it is the electricity which lights the bulb, not the other way round. While electricity can exist without the bulb; the bulb has no existence or relevance if there is not electricity flowing through it to make it emit light. So, the body exists for the use of the invisible self, but our real self or soul does not exist for the body. But for our remaining tied to the body, we can actually walk on the water or fly in the sky and re-enter the physical body again.

The astral body of the invisible self has sensory perceptions much greater than those of its physical counterparts. When our consciousness of the physical astral body is developed, it can smell, taste and touch objects far beyond the range of physical senses. And we can make them large or small at will. If there were no invisible man, there would be no visible man. When the invisible man leaves the physical form, the body disintegrates. Those who understand the subtle relationship between the visible and the invisible man can dematerialize and materialize at will. For this, we must learn to live in silence and meditate with deeper concentration more and more.

Similarly, we may feel sad by our failures in the physical life, only to realize on our death that it was nothing but a dream. It is when the human intelligence does not work, we look up to God for help. He being the master of the multiverses, we should, actually, think of God as the highest necessity of our life. Once we realize this, we shall become every so peaceful and happy.

 Driving Sustainable Growth in the Logistics Sector

*Dr. Saumitra Mohan

West Bengal is a state uniquely positioned because of its offering many advantages critical to the logistics sector. It is the sixth-largest economy in India, with a Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of ₹17 lakh crore. Growing at an impressive annual rate of 15.24%, West Bengal is one of the fastest growing states in the country. With an estimated population of over 100 million, the state represents both a massive consumption base and an ever-growing industrial hub.

What truly sets West Bengal apart, however, is its strategic geographic advantage. Positioned as the gateway to India’s Northeast and land-locked neighbors like Bhutan and Nepal, it also acts as India’s vital conduit to Southeast Asia. This strategic geographic significance makes West Bengal the ideal destination for investments in the logistics sector.

The state’s logistics sector is poised for an exponential growth, with the current market size estimated at USD 20 billion. Our key infrastructures includes strategically-located seaports in the form of the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (erstwhile Kolkata Port Trust) and Haldia Dock Complex. Together, they serve as major gateways for cargo, offering robust multi-modal connectivity. Together, these ports handle over 65 million metric tons of cargo annually. The proposed Tajpur Deep-Sea Port is likely to be a game-changer that will accommodate large vessels and significantly reduce logistics costs.

Extensive inland waterways provide immense opportunities for development of tourism, passenger and cargo services. With 4,593 kilometers of navigable waterways, including the National Waterway-1 and the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route, we are fostering greener and more efficient cargo transport systems. These waterways link us not only to Northeast India, but also to Southeast Asia and beyond, providing a cost-effective alternative to road and rail.

Under the West Bengal Inland Water Transport, Logistics and Spatial Development Project, the state is exploring ways and means to operationalise the RoRo (Roll-on, Roll-off) service on NW-1, especially in and around the Kolkata metropolitan area. The initiative, if successful, is likely to reduce travel time for cargo and passenger movement while also significantly reduce the carbon footprints as a result of vehicles having to travel lesser distance. The state has already operationalised RoRo and RoPax services in the Sundarbans and Gangasagar areas. There are many private players who are also bracing to introduce RoRo services along the NW-1, not to speak of Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) similarly conducting studies to this effect.

Better air connectivity is an advantage that drives the logistics sector in the state. Kolkata Airport, the largest freight facility in eastern India, is a critical hub for high-value and perishable goods. Recent enhancements, such as express courier terminals and the Centre for Perishable Cargo, strengthen its capabilities. The airports at Andal, Bagdogra and Cochbehar add to the available options and could be further leveraged for seamless logistics movement across the state using its airways. The state is further exploring the possibilities at such other locations as Malda, Balurghat, Charra (Purulia), Kalaikunda and Hasimara.

West Bengal’s extensive road and rail network is yet another infrastructural advantage that catalyses the logistics sector. Our road network spans over 100,000 kilometers, with 33 national highways connecting the state to the neighboring regions. Additionally, 1,409 kilometers of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor run through West Bengal, connecting Dankuni to Uttar Pradesh and beyond. This must be leveraged to the advantage of smooth cargo movement from West Bengal to the other states.

Extensive warehousing facilities including better inventory management practices and cold chain networks, as existing in the state, provide the enabling springboard for the sector. It is notable that West Bengal leads eastern India in warehousing capacity, with hubs like Dankuni and NH-16 witnessing a surge in demand. Modern facilities cater to sectors like e-commerce, FMCG and pharmaceuticals, meeting the needs of a fast-evolving market.

Now, what makes West Bengal a preferred destination for logistics investment? These three core drivers include a conducive industrial ecosystem, well-endowed economic corridors and and strategic geographic location. West Bengal is home to a thriving industrial base, from MSMEs to large-scale enterprises. The state’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector boasts over 42 lakh units, contributing 7.2% to India’s total MSMEs. Our industrial clusters span sectors like textiles, leather, chemicals, and hi-tech electronics, driving demand for logistics services.

The state serves as the terminus for several mega-corridors, including the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor and the East Coast Economic Corridor. These corridors promise seamless connectivity to global value chains and open doors for exports and imports, enhancing the state’s logistics ecosystem. West Bengal’s connectivity with Southeast Asia through projects like the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project and the Trilateral Highway (India-Myanmar-Thailand) positions us as a strategic partner for India’s integration into global value chains.

The Government of West Bengal is committed to creating an investor-friendly environment. The West Bengal Logistics Policy, 2023 embodies this vision. Some of the key features include industry status to the logistics sector, development of multi-modal logistics parks and freight villages, dedicated land banks for logistics infrastructure, streamlined approvals through an integrated single-window system, development of green logistics and the adoption of digital technologies and the existence of the West Bengal Logistics Centre of Excellence for fostering innovation and skill development.

Additionally, initiatives like the West Bengal Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme and the Utkarsh Bangla Scheme, as conceived and stewarded by the Department of Technical Education, Training and Skill Development, are ensuring a ready-made pool of skilled workforce tailored to the sector’s needs. Premier institutions such as IIT Kharagpur and IIM Calcutta complement this effort by nurturing managerial talent and innovation. Industries and businesses are availing the opportunity for sector-specific customized capacity building of human resources as required for spurring the economic and commercial activities in repective sector.

As global supply chains shift toward greener practices, West Bengal is leading the charge with initiatives in green logistics. From leveraging inland waterways to reduce carbon footprints to integrating renewable energy in logistics parks, sustainability is at the heart of our strategy. Furthermore, the “Blue Economy”—focusing on fisheries, maritime tourism, and coastal trade—is further set to unlock significant opportunities.

The rise of e-commerce has also transformed logistics. Companies like Amazon and Flipkart are investing heavily in the state, creating a ripple effect in warehousing and last-mile delivery solutions. Quick commerce, driven by demand for shorter-delivery times, is further fueling the need for modern infrastructure and technological innovation.

West Bengal’s logistics story is one of opportunity and transformation. The state’s strategic location, growing industrial base, skilled workforce, and investor-friendly policies make it the ideal destination for those looking to make impactful investments. From infrastructure development to operational innovation, the opportunities here are vast and varied.

Whether it is developing multi-modal logistics parks, investing in cold chain solutions, or pioneering green logistics practices, West Bengal offers a platform for sustainable and profitable ventures. Leveraging all these advantages, the State has already created a logistics ecosystem that not only powers economic growth, but also enhances the quality of life for millions.West Bengal’s strong infrastructures, ingenuous policies, facilitatory ecosystem and a strong commitment provide the enabling ambience for everyone to be part of this fascinating growth story.

 Developing Inland Waterway Ecosystem in West Bengal

*Dr. Saumitra Mohan

Being a state with a great network of rivers and expansive water bodies, West Bengal boasts of one of the longest navigable waterway networks in the country, with approximately 4,593 kilometers of rivers and canals, of which 97% are navigable. This rich network of waterways—anchored by rivers like the Ganges, and their tributaries including Damodar, Bhagirathi,and Hooghly —has historically played a pivotal role in trade, connectivity, and regional development.

As we move forward, our inland waterway ecosystem is not only helping us strengthen West Bengal’s economy, but is also contributing significantly to India's sustainable development goals. In recent times, major strides have been made in the public and private sector in transforming the inland water scenario in the state.

West Bengal’s waterways present an immense opportunity for economic and environmental progress. Be it strengthening and intensifying regional connectivity, promoting transformative solutions driving sustainable growth in the sector, encouraging tourism or opening avenues for livelihoods, inland waterways in West Bengal is increasingly becoming one of the major drivers of regional economic growth.

West Bengal’s strategic location places it at the gateway to the Northeast, Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh, making it a vital hub for the sub-regional trade. Our waterways, such as National Waterway-1 and the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route, facilitate seamless cargo movement from Kolkata to the Northeast and beyond. Projects like the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project are unlocking alternative trade routes to Southeast Asia. Such projects are not just logistical breakthroughs, but also a testament to how inland waterways can bridge geographies, create new trade corridors and change lives. 

Inland waterways, as we know, are one of the most environmentally-sustainable modes of transport. They emit 25% to 60% less CO2 per tonne-kilometer than road or rail. Initiatives aimed at encouraging electric ferry services and cargo vessels harmonize the priorities of economic growth with the imperatives of environment protection. The fact that the cost of transporting cargo via waterways is significantly lower, makes it an economically-commercially-viable alternative for businesses. For instance, transporting one tonne of cargo over one kilometer costs ₹1.36 via water, compared to ₹2.50 by rail and ₹3.50 by road. This is why, there is a push across the country to leverage these advantages. Recntly, scheduled services of cargo vessels were started from Kolkata to Patna, Varanasi and Pandu in Assam.

Beyond cargo and passenger movement, our waterways provide huge opportunities for tourism. West Bengal’s rich history, as visible from the magnificent monuments lining its riparian coasts, has always attracted tourists from across the world. The Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, holds immense potential for eco-tourism and cultural tourism. Leveraging inland waterways for tourism can create jobs, foster local entrepreneurship and promote West Bengal’s vibrant cultural heritage. 

It is this allure of experiencing history on mystic Ganges that agencies like Antara Cruises, Eastern Navigation, Vivada and many more have been capitalizing on, thereby also creating huge multiplier effects in the process, not to speak of creating hundreds of thousands of employment for the people in the state. West Bengal’s river tourism circuits, like the Ramakrishna-Sarada-Vivekananda circuit, Sundarbans and routes along the Hooghly River, offer enormous potential for investors in cruise tourism and hospitality. Private cruise operators are already leveraging these advantages, and the sector is ready for a quantum growth. It is not without reason that world’s longest river cruise ‘Ganga Vilaas’ is operated from Kolkata with many more such ventures being on the cards. The State Government, during the latest edition of Bengal Global Business Summit, received a proposal for a private sector investment of Rs 800 crores from Antara Cruises for further deepening and promoting cruise tourism in the state. A conservative estimation suggests an expected investment (both private and public) of over 3000 crores rupees in inland waterways which is already underway.

West Bengal offers a robust foundation by way of its strong infrastructures to strengthen the inland waterways ecosystem. West Bengal has built and renovated 231 jetties across the state. The upcoming Tajpur deep-sea port and Kolkata’s inland port terminals are key infrastructural assets that could catalyze trade and logistics in West Bengal. The state is already visualizing ways to equip them with modern facilities such as passenger terminals, drinking water, public conveniences, CCTV surveillance, smart gate and ticketing systems, a strong search and rescue architecture, safety and security of passengers and cargo, conception of a refuelling jetty, Roll-on Roll-off services and urban upgradation around the jetties.

The West Bengal Transport Department has been collaborating with different institutions to develop skill upgradation programmes and modules in maritime engineering, logistics, and sustainability. The state is also investing in IT modernization to enhance vessel management, navigation safety, and customer engagement. The details of training and capacity building of the human resources through reputed institutions like National Inland Navigation Institute, Jadavpur University, IIEST, Shibpur and IIT, Kharagpur are also being worked out.

To ensure greener and more efficient transport, West Bengal has already placed orders with the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers for procuring more and more hybrid-electric vessels under its West Bengal Inland Water Transport Logistics and Spatial Development Project (WBIWTLSDP). The state’s passenger vessel fleet, as operated by the West Bengal Transport Corporation, now includes advanced Ro-Ro vessels and fully electric ferries like "DHEU," a first-of-its kind zero-emission vessel that has set a new standard for sustainable inland water transport.

West Bengal has its eyes set on multi-modal integration of different modes of transportation, linking waterways to railways, highways and airways. This holistic approach is a cinch to not only help reduce congestion on roads, but also improve last-mile connectivity, boosting regional trade and tourism. Better coordination among all the stakeholders including policy makers and private entrepreneurs could bring in cascading benefits for the state’s economy.

As we envision a future shaped by efficient, sustainable inland waterways, there is a need to build wide-ranging partnerships for better outcomes, leveraging the comparative commercial advantages of the inland waterway sector. It is here that different stakeholders including the entrepreneurs need to come forward to collaborate on investible projects, including the development of smart jetties, Ro-Ro services, and battery-operated electric ferry systems.

The West Bengal Maritime Board Act and the West Bengal Logistics Policy, 2023 have created an investor-friendly framework, providing fiscal incentives, land banks and single-window clearance mechanisms. The single-window clearance for investment proposals through the ‘Shilpa Saathi’ portal makes investment in the state further attractive.

However, the challenge lies in leveraging these strategic advantages that might drive sustainable growth in developing inland waterway ecosystem in the state. The future of West Bengal’s inland waterways is bright and transformative. By investing in this sector, one not only unlocks the humongous business opportunities in the sector, but also contributes to a greener and more sustainable tomorrow. 

With right policy mixes and suitable interventions, West Bengal also has the potential to become the logistics and connectivity hub in South and Southeast Asia. This will not only enhance the quality of life for millions through better connectivity, reduced emissions, and new economic opportunities, but also build an inland waterway ecosystem that is not only efficient and sustainable, but also inclusive and forward-looking.