A Vedantic viewpoint

The lighting of the divo is a very significant practice. The wick represents the ego, or limited identity, resting upon the oil, which stands for the ignorance of the self fueling and supporting this false identity. Lighting of the wick signifies pursuit of the higher values of life. The flame representing the conscience, always points upwards. When all the fuel is consumed by the flame, the wick itself is rendered lifeless. So too, when all the ignorance of self is consumed in the fire of knowledge, the ego is annihilated. What remains is the true identity, abode of absolute bliss. What does the ritual achieve, unsupported by the knowledge or performed in juxtaposition with self-centered activity? wonders Riyaz Bharucha who tries to explain Zoroastrian rituals through his study of Vedanta philosophy.

"Each faith, like Zoroastrianism for example, is founded on the essential knowledge, based on logic and reason. But one must independently examine the tenets of the faith instead of blindly relying on statements of authorities. Understand and verify the statements in practical life. Then alone can they serve you. Having understood the logic behind the faith, I am able to be a better Zoroastrian,” declares Bharucha.

Bharucha: searching the eternal truthsa

"Etymologically, the word religion comes from two Latin terms: ‘re’ which means again, and ‘ligare,’ to bind or unite. The purpose of religion is to re-unite the individual with his/her original nature, the Supreme Self or Godhead within. The terrestrial, known ‘idol’ represents the transcendental unknown Ideal. The very purpose of the ritual is to remind the practitioner of the Godhead within. And the mission of life: to regain it. Unless the meaning of the practice is preserved, the ritual is rendered ineffectual. Vedanta, the knowledge of your Supreme Self is therefore the essence sustaining any religious practice,” he further analyzes.

Bharucha spends his day in the pursuit of the Divinity within. This is achieved in three ways. Firstly through right action; Ensuring that the physical body is engaged in action dedicated to a higher ideal, rather than in self-centered activity. Secondly through right emotion. The mind must adopt a more universal affection, rather than preferential, self-centered attachments. Finally through right thoughts. The intellect must reflect for at least an hour a day (preferably between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m.) on the eternal and ephemeral aspects of life. This three-pronged approach, consistently applied, destroys the ignorance and ego, and reveals the inherent Divinity within, he is convinced. This reconciles perfectly with the Zoroastrian concept of good thoughts, good words, good deeds. It’s not what you do, but with what attitude you do it. This is a way of life to be practiced in any environment, be it domestic or professional. The fulfillment attained by living thus must be experienced to be believed. For four months Bharucha was conducting Vedanta lectures at the Ananda Spa located near the foothills of the Himalayas. Here CEOs of international companies were educated by him about Vedanta. After that he was on a lecture series in Hyderabad and Calcutta.

At 25, Bharucha was materially successful, with a supportive family and great career prospects. After completing his schooling in Poona he did a professional diploma course in hotel management from the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition, Bangalore. He received several lucrative offers from the hospitality industry but declined them. Yet in Bharucha’s own words he felt "vaguely unfulfilled.” Several questions plagued him like: What is the point of the experiences we undergo? Why are we born? Where do we come from? Where are we going? Without essential knowledge of the larger picture, how does one decide and direct current activities?

In 1999, Bharucha was introduced to A. Parthasarathy, world-renowned exponent of Vedanta: the science of life and living. This meeting changed his life. A few months later, Bharucha became a student of the Vedanta Academy: an institution dedicated to expounding the eternal truths of life. He learnt what the great philosophers have discovered that the individual as a subject was unattended, neglected to a point of fault, while the world was well taken care of by science. Consequently the individual lived in stress and strain in a world of plenty and prosperity. The sages thus focused their attention on the individual and gave the sublime philosophy of Vedanta designed to rehabilitate the individual to perfection.

"A perfect individual achieves the rare combination of dynamic action and inner tranquility. Inner peace paves the way for dynamic action which in turn promotes prosperity,” explains Bharucha and continues, "But this is a technique, like any other. It needs to be learned and practiced. Few realize this. People are too involved in their present activities, with no time or inclination to acquaint themselves with this vital technique. Little wonder that people are oppressed by anxiety, anger, fatigue, frustration, tension and trauma.”

Riyaz was born in Bombay in 1974, to Adil and Firoza Bharucha. At age three, his family moved to Poona. He schooled there, maintaining a consistently remarkable academic record. A good orator, Riyaz trained in the performing arts under his mother Firoza. He was awarded the Trinity College of London’s Exhibition Award for excellence in effective communication, speech and drama. Recently, he married Sarisha Naidu, also from the Vedanta Academy. Both are research scholars, currently engaged in the propagation of this essential science of life and living.

His message to the youth of today, facing major decisions is: "At every moment, we are faced with choices in life. Each must reap the effects of the choices he has made. Do not blindly follow the herd. Equip yourself to make the right decisions. Develop your intellect; the capacity for original thinking. That is the key to success in any endeavor, material or spiritual. Most choose that which gratifies instantly. Few care to analyze the true residence of peace and happiness. Arthur Schopenhauer, a great German philosopher once said that it is difficult to find happiness in oneself, but it is impossible to find it anywhere else.”