1. STRESS
AND
SHOONYA
MANDALA
DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

2. In the famous Maruti Stotra by Samarth Ramadas Swami; there
appears a word “SHOONYA MANDALA”.
What is SHOONYA MANDALA?
We have to go deep within our experiences to understand and
appreciate SHOONYA MANDALA and its relevance in our day
to day life!
However; though we are taught to stand, walk, jump, run, talk,
read, write and perform many skills; we are not inspired and
guided to go deep within; and be ourselves! In fact we don’t seem
to realize that such inspiration and guidance is even needed!
As a result; we live reflexly, superficially and casually in
accordance with the stimuli impinging on us from environment
inside and outside our body! This kind of life ignores and
separates us from ourselves. This separation from ourselves; is
the root cause of stress (conscious and unconscious) in individual
and global life; effected through inappropriate perspective,
policies, plans and actions; at individual and global levels.
The sinking experience of the temporary nature and vanity of
such life; constitutes SHOONYA MANDALA; the whirlpool of
zero! It is the experience of frightening darkness, loss,
hopelessness, emptiness, and nothingness. We may experience it;
although vaguely and ambiguously; irrespective of success and
failure, richness and poverty, fame or otherwise.

3. This state sometimes termed acute or chronic depression; is linked
and corroborated with central nervous activities, genes,
neurotransmitter concentrations and complex and multifactorial
influence of inner and outer surroundings. But we have to realize
that all these factors are born out of being miserably separated
from ourselves; and trapped in SHOONYA MANDALA the
whirlpool of zero!
If we carefully search for the existence of zero, then we realize
that existence of zero is only with relation to three dimensions and
their influence on our brain. Absence of a particular entity (zero)
has a limited meaning in terms of absence of that entity in that
place at that time with respect to that particular observer.
Actually; how can zero per se; i.e. nothingness exist? Any
reference to zero implies presence of time, space, background or
field and the observer and the activity of observation!
In fact; the origination of the concept of nothingness and its
designation in terms of zero, have given rise to the dreadful
concept of end and death. This constitutes the state and
experience of the SHOONYA MANDALA; the whirlpool of zero!
SUPERLIVING the core of which is NAMASMARAN; involves
conquering; the whirlpool of zero (SHOONYA MANDALA) and
it’s by products; viz. the sectarian perspective, destructive and
divisive ideas, lowliness, insecurity and fear; and the consequent
petty actions. SUPERLIVING is being ourselves; the immortal
blissful reality viz. the SACCHIDANANDA.