This is a follow up to my previous blog The Atman. This question might arise once you have read and tried to understand the blog: If my real nature is that of Brahman(or Atman), what is the purpose of my physical life? Why should I go through the struggles of life, follow a sincere disciplined spiritual life leading to gradual spiritual awakening only to realise that I am Brahman which I already was?

The answer is that this question itself is wrong (please read till the end, you will realise the meaning of it only then). Now this may not sound like a satisfactory answer at first. The answer you all might be expecting is some sort of logical explanation. But what really is an explanation? An explanation is providing some sort of cause to an effect. We see an effect, we want to hear some sort of cause for it. Let's take an example. The grass is wet. Now what type of answer would satisfy me? Something like it rained or the sprinkler was at work or the gardener watered it etc. This satisfies is. We were looking for a cause and we got it.

So why can't we ask for a cause of this whole cycle of life? Such an answer won't work here. Why? The answer given by a particular spiritual path called 'Advaita Vedanta' is the entire cycle of life appears because of Maya (illusion). One way of interpreting Maya is 'space, time and causation.' It's like for having a concert you require a stage. The universe here is the concert and space, time and causation (which are provided by Maya) the stage. When you have causation as part of this stage, you can't ask for a "cause" for it. Asking for a cause for causation is meaningless, just like asking what is outside space or what is before time are meaningless. When you use the phrase 'before time' you are already assuming time — how time works. Only within time does it make sense to use before and after(past, present and future). Likewise only when you have accepted the concept of space does the terms inside or outside make sense inside of it. Outside something is already associated with space. Similarly without causality, asking for a cause is meaningless. Only within Maya can you ask for a cause. You cannot ask about the cause of Maya itself. This is the logical answer. Now the answer as per Advaita Vedanta.

There is no answer to this question until one is enlightened. In fact, after enlightenment this question itself ceases. It is done and dusted. This question was never a problem and will never be. The concept of Maya was never a thing. The world from the viewpoint of Advaita Vedanta never was. It is just an appearance in Brahman. There is no reasonable logical answer for a dream within the dream. Only once you get outside the dream do you realise that Oh, it was just a dream. It was all false. Similarly, only once you get enlightened do you realise that Oh, this universe was all false. The dream is an illusion created by your mind in your mind. This universe is an illusion created by Brahman in Brahman.

Now let me conclude that there is indeed a path in our life for becoming enlightened (you may call this the "purpose of life" if you wish). Accept that Advaira Vedanta is telling that 'I am Brahman'. If you answer "I don't know" or "I don't believe you", this is Maya. So, how do we overcome Maya and become Brahman? Don't try to establish Maya. Try to go beyond Maya — break free the bondage by associating our self with body and mind. Realise that "YOU ARE BRAHMAN". COMPLETELY disocciate yourself from body and mind and realise your true self and you are enlightened.

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज | अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुच: || Bhagavad Gita(18.66) Translation: Abandon all varieties of dharmas and simply surrender unto Me alone. I shall liberate you from all sinful reactions; do not fear.