On the Path of Spirituality (Starting Point)
I was a science student. For half my life, I walked with progressive ideas and materialistic thinking. I always stood in favor of materialism. Before reaching the age of 50, I was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, and my life seemed to be nearing its end. I had no prior knowledge that I had liver cirrhosis. Suddenly, I lost consciousness and was taken to the hospital. I remained in a coma for weeks, and even though my life hung by a thread, I eventually returned. Surviving after being on a ventilator is itself a remarkable thing. The doctors had called my family, asking them to come for a final visit, as my survival seemed almost impossible.
Living through such a situation was miraculous, something that my relatives and close friends could not ignore. Even though my family didn’t inform me about the severity of my condition after I was discharged from the hospital, I learned about it from doctors and friends. For nearly three years, I suffered greatly from the disease. Many times, I came close to death, but I survived thanks to a liver transplant and am alive today. There are many regrets, many questions, and many realizations. Even a small act of help could have brought a significant change in someone’s life, but I am saddened that I couldn’t do so. Perhaps it was due to the help or virtue of someone that I survived through many crises, and paths opened up one by one in life.
I am living with the liver of a person I never thought of. Sometimes I feel like there are two people within me. Even when my chest aches, I remember the life-giver who donated their liver. Who can predict the certainty of life? Anyone can unexpectedly leave this world at any moment, especially someone with a transplanted liver. It’s natural for me to feel anxious.
Although I’ve summarized my experiences here, I’ve written more extensively in the book “The Man with a Transplanted Liver.” I have seen death up close, experienced it, and internalized it. This can happen to anyone. In a country like America, known for its material wealth and advanced technology, one might think that surviving a liver transplant would be easy, but it’s not as simple as everyone imagines. Healthcare in America is extremely expensive, and without the ability to cover those costs, it becomes even more challenging. I had to rely on government health insurance, as there was no other option. Even in America, over 20% of patients waiting for organ transplants die. Despite all the advancements in technology and science, no one has been able to conquer death. That said, I’m not trying to dismiss or disagree with technology and science; they try until the very end. It is through their efforts that my transplant was successful and that I have been able to reach my current state. My friends have commented that I have distanced myself from materialism and science, and I accept their remarks. I was a student of science, and I have always been fascinated by it. Even today, I am just as intrigued by science as I ever was. But that doesn’t mean I have a disdain for science. Science is based on proven facts, whereas spirituality is something metaphysical. It has no proof, but it leaves an indelible mark deep within one’s soul. It is only after these experiences that I began to feel this. Spirituality is a treasure trove of metaphysical knowledge. I used to think spirituality was only about religion, but the events of my life have certainly shaken my materialistic views.
I was born into a Hindu family, but I never studied religion, spirituality, the Sanskrit language, or the good and bad aspects of our traditions. In fact, I avoided Sanskrit. My father was a scholar, but I didn’t follow the path he showed me. Instead, I went the opposite way. He used to say, “Son, I don’t object to whatever you study, but if you die without gaining knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita, you will never be free from the sins of this world. Every time you repeat the verses of the Bhagavad Gita, you will uncover new knowledge and meaning. Although there are eighteen Puranas and thirty-six Upanishads, if you compare all these vast Puranas with the concise Bhagavad Gita, the weight of the latter is heavier. It is direct knowledge from the mouth of Lord Krishna himself.”
My father passed away when I was twenty-two years old. Before he passed, he told us, “My time has come. Prepare a mat made of tulsi leaves and cow dung, lay down a grass mat, and place me on it. Put tulsi leaves and water in my mouth.” After we did as he asked, he took his last drink of water and left this world. I have never seen anyone so aware of their impending death and accepting it with such calmness. He told the family not to grieve, and passed away in a conscious state. Now, I am trying to understand the mystery of dying in a state of awareness and embracing death with joy.
There is a saying by the poet Bal Krishna Sama, “Knowledge dies laughing, science dies weeping.” The inventions of science should be for the welfare of the world. If those inventions fall into the hands of wise and virtuous people, they can certainly bring about great good. But if they fall into the hands of destructive rulers like Bhasmasur, they can lead to the destruction of humanity. The best example of this is nuclear energy. When used positively, it can be used for the welfare of humanity, but in the hands of the wicked, it can destroy both humanity and nature. Science is merely a tool. How it is used depends on the intelligence of the person wielding it. That’s why the poet said that science dies weeping.
Eastern philosophy also contains scientific knowledge, but our sages and seers restricted the use of such inventions to prevent the destruction of humanity and nature. Millions of years ago, our sages had studied the movement of planets, constellations, the moon, and the sun. Modern astronomers have followed in the footsteps of those sages to create the seven-day week, the months, and the 365-day year. Why didn’t they create an eight-day week? Why couldn’t they make a year of 400 days? Why not 13 months in a year? Western scientists have borrowed much from Eastern philosophy, which was itself based on spiritual knowledge. Spirituality is the light of that knowledge. Understanding spirituality means understanding the existence of the entire universe, both material and non-material, the conscious and unconscious, planetary movements, visible and invisible forces, natural laws, and the existence of the soul and the Supreme Soul.
Spirituality is an ocean of knowledge. Just as you cannot measure the sky, the knowledge of spirituality is vast and infinite. Therefore, I have come to believe that science is merely a partial offspring of spirituality. Materialism is a philosophy created from spirituality, and materialism is science. It studies and acknowledges the existence of material objects, while spirituality is metaphysical knowledge—knowledge beyond matter. If you go further, the root of science begins with spirituality. Without an idea forming in someone’s mind, there can be no invention. The seed of that idea is spirituality. An idea is not a material object. The development of that idea leads to the emergence of new things in this world, enabling discoveries and inventions. This is an undeniable truth. Spirituality is not religion or sect. Religion is not spirituality, either. People have confined spirituality to religion, but this is a false notion. Spirituality is about the entirety of existence. It is about understanding the Supreme Being and the creation of the universe, the laws of nature, and the principles of attraction that govern it.
Many people weigh religion and spirituality on the same scale. However, I have realized that there is a vast difference between the two. Accepting the existence of the Supreme Being, seeking closeness to the divine, and gaining knowledge about the reality of life and the world are all aspects of embracing spirituality. It is necessary to adopt a positive and equal approach towards the world and life and to put it into practice. We see that people, despite indulging in material wealth, still struggle to find contentment. Even after amassing more than they need, they continue to engage in sinful behavior, unable to change their habits. Such people carry the facade of religion and spirituality to appear pious in society. They are quick to claim to be spiritual but remain distant from true spirituality.
In our society, there is a belief that someone who knows Sanskrit is religious and spiritual, but that’s not always the case. Scholars recite romantic stories from the Upanishads, thinking themselves to be great religious and spiritual figures. But these Upanishads are literary works of ancient authors, and if we take these stories as religious texts, we end up tarnishing our Eastern philosophy. There is no connection between these stories and spirituality. An event in my life has sparked an interest in spiritual thinking within me. Despite not having much formal education or study in spirituality, I have tried to understand and explore it with the capacity of my intellect.
What exactly is religion? How did spirituality and religion originate? How have rulers in many nations used religion as a tool to exploit society? How have people been divided by religion and caste, with some ruling over others as though they were animals? These are the questions I’ve begun to ask. There are various religions in the world, not just Hinduism. Each one worships its own deity and denies the existence of others, considering their own religion to be the best and greatest. They even attack followers of other religions when given the opportunity. However, there are also people among these religious adherents who see the world and life equally, who love nature, and who believe that serving all humanity is the highest form of religion. They have compassion for all living beings.
As I approach the later stages of my life, I have started making efforts to understand spirituality. I have begun