Sha Philosophy – Chapter21: BEAUTY

Beauty is an image of unusual subtle energy. This is apparent in every life form. That is in every moving and non- moving  creature, which consists of soul, this great natural state, known through the senses as “ beauty “, lies. This beauty lies in the appearances of all the five elements also.

The Sky :

When we look at the sky during daytime, i.e. from dawn to dusk, the changes due to the transit of the Sun or when we look at the sky where the Sun is, the changes in the sky indeed signify beauty only. To be precise: At dawn , just before sunrise, the way in which the sunrays appear, creates a beautiful gleam of sunshine in the eastern sky, which gives bliss. During midday at Zenith, if we visualize the places at which the Sun is sitting, if we look at the orb of the Sun, the scene we perceive is beautiful. At the time of sunset, when the gleam of sunrays spreads over the shrubs, tall trees and mansions , they cause colourful changes in their appearances, which are beautiful. After sunset, when we look at the sky in the night, the twinkling of the stars in the pitch darkness is beautiful. The cool gleam of moonlight of the bright and white full moon is beautiful. The sky, which contains all such wonderful things, is of beauty.

The Fire:

The appearance of fire , which shines brilliantly in different shapes and gives splendour, is beautiful.

The Water :

It takes the form of clouds of different shades and rains. Then it gets transformed gradually into small streams, rivers and then confluences with the sea. When we examine, both the banks of the flowing water in the form of streams and rivers until it confluences with the sea and gets transformed into one large body of water ( Mighty  Ocean ), its course, the reflections of the brilliant orbs of the Sun, the Moon, and their reflected gleaming lights in the water, we can perceive the beauty  in the water. This is the beauty lies in the water.

The Earth :

The beauty of the Earth lies, in the green grass, in the green paddy fields, in the dew drops, which fall on them during dusk and shine like diamonds. The beauty of the Earth is also seen in the mountain ranges, which appear like blue clouds from long distances, multitude of trees, animals, insects, human beings and in the frequent changes in their  respective life cycles. The beauty of the Earth also lies in the elegance of the well planned hamlets, villages, towns, cities, state capitals, which are the result of intellectual development of human beings. The beauty of the Earth also lies in the visualization of man, who enjoys himself in perceiving such things.

The Air :

The cool breeze which carries fragrance of flowers from gardens and the changes in nature, which is brought by the movements caused by the wind from time to time, is the beauty of air.

The beauty, which lies in these five elements, is put together in Bhava ( imagination ) and perceived ( visualized ) with the inner eye, then it will purely be the blissful beauty of the Rasaswarupa ( Miraculous Brilliant Divine Light ) originated from Eeswara ( God ). Indeed there is  beauty in every life form, which consists of soul that is perceived by us in this objective world.  When  it comes to the human  form,  entire beauty, which lies in the multitude of all these creatures, can be perceived in the shape of  “ Man “, whose true form is the  “ Cosmic Form “.

The beauty is two categories in human form.

• Beauty in Woman’s form.

2)           Beauty ( handsomeness ) in Man’s form.

The  beauty of the female form is described extraordinarily by literati, poets or scholars. Their description about the features of the female body contains many similitudes as follows. The complexion of her skin is like golden yellow. Her eyes are like lotus petals. Her face is like full moon. Her lips are red. Her nose is long. Her throat is like a conch shell. Her long plaited hair is like lines composed of multitude of rows of black bees. Her  breasts are like mountains. Her waist with navel resembles Sunya ( very deep like space ). Her thighs are like trunks of plantain trees and her hands are like the stems of lotus.

Based on the above similitudes, if a painter depicts such a form in a picture, one can visualize how disgusting and loathsome it would be to see such beauty!

In fact the profile of the female figure itself is beautiful. The beauty of woman is hidden in her limbs. When the eye of man catches those places, where the beauty lies, and her beauty is beamed and she appears to him as an extraordinary beautiful heavenly nymph! Therefore, it is not necessary for the woman to have the body structure, the manner in which the poets have described or the differences, which appear in her skin color or complexion. It is well known that, Princess Draupadi ( the crown queen of the five Pandavas of Mahabharata ) was black, but the entire world was enamored by seeing her beauty!

By nature, different men are attracted to the different structures of bodies of women and enamored by them. Such enamoring beauty becomes a cause for man’s Viraha ( grief, which is due to the absence of his union with her ) and which makes him fall on her feet.

Beauty ( Handsomeness ) of Male form :

Indeed beauty is to be perceived in the male form only. However, in general man’s body structure is not beautiful ( handsome ). It is impossible to describe the beauty  ( handsomeness ) in man. But, sometimes it is possible to accomplish providentially the things, which are impossible to accomplish. Similarly, in the structure of the body of man, some place or feature may  appear to be beautiful ( handsome ). However, at this juncture, it is necessary to say, the Purushaswarupa ( man’s form ) itself is the source or the origin of this “ beauty “. This is the basis for the physical beauty, which is originated by nature.

Beauty :

It is an extraordinarily great energy. It is an exceedingly powerful energy that can heat and boil the blood vessels. If such beauty is to be discovered by means of experience, one should,

.    Be noble and pure in his behaviour, expressions ( words or manner of speaking ) and glances.

.    Remain in virtuous work and perform virtuous deeds.

.    Maintain profundity and a smile associated with tolerance towards any other human being ( may be man or woman ).

When such an individual, as is the personification of such profundity, is seen , the subtle beauty that lies in his personality is perceived by others. Then that beauty makes the other man, who perceives it, salute that handsome man. Such “ beauty “ makes not only mankind but also the whole multitude of creatures and the animated world that is made of five elements salute the person who has had it.

The appearance of the soul of such personality itself is beauty or beautiful.