The root cause of everything - Our Identity

• Why do we respond to stimulus?
• Why do we have an experience? How much of the experience is voluntary? How much do we control?
• Why do we do what we do? Why are other people important?
• What would happen is no one acknowledged us? What would happen to us if all our efforts to connect with others provoked no reaction?
• Should no one react to our stimulus, we would have no assurance that they had sensed our presence, and this would make us feel increasingly isolated and finally experience a deep sense of loss of identity.

This means that our identity is dependent on the following rules;

• We exist only if someone acknowledges our existence.
• In order that others acknowledge our existence, we need to interact with them, which means that we need to manifest in order that others recognize our existence.
• The cycle is not closed until we get a feedback, which means that the other person should respond to our stimulus which we should acknowledge.
• This means that existential logic works both ways – until another acknowledges us, we cannot be sure of our existence. Similarly, if we do not acknowledge another’s existence, the other person can never be sure of her or her existence.

According to tantra philosophy, tantra, which means “weave”, is the weave of our identity with our actions. This identity is called Shiva and the manifestation of that identity is called Shakti. When Shiva first manifests with Shakti, the first experience is awareness of its own identity. Therefore, immediately after manifesting, Shiva tries to find another Shiva to acknowledge its existence. When this happens, Shiva experiences happiness at confirmation of existence and simultaneously fear of loss of this acquired identity. Once it finds an acknowledgement, it latches on to that Shiva and forms a bond which it will not leave until it finds a more compatible Shiva.

The transaction between the manifesting Shiva and receiving Shiva is called maya (Illusion/ Farce). It comprises the following steps; the manifesting Shiva is registered by the receiving Shiva, this is perception. The receiving Siva then responds to the stimulus and its feedback to the manifesting Shiva is received by the original manifesting Shiva resulting in a closure of transaction. Obviously, the feedback which the original manifesting Shiva receives of itself would be very different from the perception with which it manifested, this is maya or farce.

This transaction accomplishes 2 purposes;

• It confirms the existence of both Shivas to themselves and each other.
• The above transaction is perceived by both Shiva’s as a manifestation of their identity, which is obviously inaccurate as it is entirely dependent on the ability of each Shiva to exhibit their identity accurately and give feedback to the other with no perception or transmission losses which, in reality is not possible. This is maya (Illusion/ Farce).

Anecdotes, experiences and situations to help understand…

Battle of Pävankhind was a rear guard battle and last stand that took place on July 13, 1660 at a mountain pass in the vicinity of fort Vishalgad, near the city of Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India between the Maratha sarda Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Siddi Masud of Adilshah Sultanate.

After the Battle of Pratapgad on November 10, 1659, the victorious Maratha army conquered the area till the fort Panhala near Kolhapur. In response, Panhala, with Shivaji Maharaj within, was besieged by Adilshahi general Siddi Jauhar.

A plan was prepared to escape and to go to Vishalgad. Shivaji Maharaj, in the night of 13th July 1660 took selected 600 soldiers with him and quietly escaped the siege. Siddi Jauhar immediately despatched his son-in-law Siddi Masud in pursuit with 3000 cavalry. They soon got the palanquin of "Shivaji Maharaj", but soon found out that he was not the real Shivaji but a barber, "Shiva Kashid"! Needless to say, he was immediately executed. 

The chase started again but as Shivaji Maharaj neared Ghodkhind, Siddi Masud caught up with the fleeing Marathas. The Ghodkhind is a narrow pass, so narrow that only a few soldiers can pass through it simultaneously. The Marathas were divided into two troops of 300 each. Shivaji Maharaj took one troop with him and went ahead towards Vishalgad. Other troop led by Baji Prabhu Deshpande stood the ground in Ghodkhind to defend the pass until Shivaji Maharaj reach Vishalgad.

Shivaji Maharaj was unaware about the siege laid to Vishalgad by Suryarao Surve and Jaswantrao Dalvi, the Adilshahi sardars but he attacked the siege with his balance troop and broke it. Entering Vishalgad, Shivaji Maharaj quickly fired 3 cannons as a signal to Baji Prabhu Deshpande, who was defending the Ghodkhind that Shivaji Maharaj has reached to Vishalgad.

By this time, Baji Prabhu and his 300 soldiers had been fighting against 3000 soldiers of enemy for over 6 hours, they were all badly wounded and extremely tired. Baji Prabhu was shot and taken to the rear but refused help until he heard the sound of cannons when he breathed his last knowing his king was safe.

Statue of Baji Prabhu at Panhala Fort

 

Gorkhind Pass where the battle was fought

• What makes people perform such sacrifices?
• What is the sense of identity with Shiva Kashid experienced when he took the identity of Shivaji Maharaj?
• What can one reflect on the identities of Shiva Kashid, Baji Prabhu and the 300 Maratha warriors knowing that they were facing certain death?

Share your opinion and experiences:

• How do you experience the feeling of existence? How do you know you are alive?
• Can you live without interacting with anyone? What will happen?
• What is death? What happens to our identity when we die?
• What is perception of reality?